Breezin' is the fifteenth studio album by jazz/soul guitarist and vocalist George Benson. It is his debut on Warner Bros. Records. It not only was a Billboard Jazz Albums chart-topper but also went to number 1 on the Pop and R&B charts. It was certified triple platinum, making it one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time.
Commercial performance Breezin''' marked the beginning of Benson's most successful period commercially, topping the Billboard Pop, Jazz and R&B album charts. It spun off two hit singles, the title song (which has become a fusion jazz standard) and "This Masquerade", which was a top ten pop and R&B hit. The album has since been certified as 3× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA.
The album garnered multiple nominations and awards at the 19th Annual Grammy Awards. The album won the awards Best Pop Instrumental Performance for Benson and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for Al Schmitt and was nominated as Album of the Year for Tommy LiPuma and Benson. "This Masquerade" received the award Record of the Year for LiPuma and Benson, while it was nominated as Song of the Year for Leon Russell and as Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male for Benson.
Critical reception
In a contemporaneous review for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a "C" and dismissed most of its music as "mush". In a retrospective review, Allmusic's Richard S. Ginell gave it three-and-a-half out of five stars and said that, although Benson's guitar is "as assured and fluid as ever", Breezin'' is "really not so much a breakthrough as it is a transition album; the guitar is still the core of his identity". A more recent review (2023), on the Best of Jazz website, was more generous. It stated "Breezin’ is one of the best albums for Benson. This 70’s masterpiece gave [him] true popularity."
Track listing
Personnel George Benson – guitar, vocals Jorge Dalto – acoustic piano, clavinet, acoustic piano solo (2) Ronnie Foster – electric piano, Minimoog, Minimoog solo (3), electric piano solo (5) Phil Upchurch – rhythm guitar, bass guitar (1, 3) Stanley Banks – bass guitar (2, 46) Harvey Mason – drums Ralph MacDonald – percussion Bennie Maupin – flute Claus Ogerman – arrangements and conductor
Production Tommy LiPuma – producer Noel Newbolt – associate producer Al Schmitt – recording, mixing Don Henderson – assistant engineer Doug Sax – mastering at the Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California). Ed Thrasher – art direction Robert Lockhart – art direction Peter Palombi – design Mario Casilli – photography
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1976–78) Peakposition Australian Albums (ARIA) N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.200
Chart (2021) Peakposition
Year-end charts Chart (1976) Position US Billboard 200 19 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 4
Chart (1977) Position New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) 33 US Billboard 200 26
Chart (1978) Position New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) 35
Certifications and sales
See also List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1976 List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 1976
References
External links
''Breezin''' at Myspace (streamed copy where licensed)