Irreplaceable is a studio album by American musician George Benson. The album, released by GRP Records in 2003, was recorded in contemporary R&B style. However, four songs were re-recorded in a more smooth jazz style and released in 2004, together with three new songs, and leaving out three songs from the original 2003 edition.
Critical reception
Tom Hull dismissed the album as a "dud" in his "Jazz Consumer Guide" for The Village Voice in September 2004. In a commentary published on his website, he explained, "The three instrumentals are minor groove pieces for uninspired guitar and synth beats, but at least they don't have to carry the exceptionally lame lyrics of the other seven songs. The songs come with neatly groomed layered voices. We tend to classify this sort of soul fluff as easy listening, but easy playing is more like it. It's not like anyone can actually listen."
Track listing
First edition (2003)
Second edition (2004)
Personnel and credits
Musicians
George Benson – lead vocals, backing vocals (1–4, 6–10), electric guitar (1, 3, 7), lead guitar (2, 5, 8, 10) Joshua Paul Thompson – keyboards (1, 3, 5), acoustic guitar (1–3, 7, 10), bass (1, 6), drum programming (1, 3), synth bass (3), acoustic guitar solos (4), harmony guitar (5), guitars (6), strings (7) Joe – keyboards (4), electric guitar (4), drum programming (4), backing vocals (4, 6) Bill Blast – electric piano (2) Melvin Lee Davis – Hammond B3 organ (2) Bobby Douglas – keyboards (6, 7, 9) Georg Wadenius – rhythm electric guitar (2), electric guitar (8), guitars (9) Richard Bona – bass (2–10), percussion (4, 8), vocal chant (5) David "Pic" Conley – drum programming (1, 3, 5, 6, 8), flutes (7) Hakim Bell – drum programming (2) Ali Jackson – drum programming (7, 9, 10), live cymbals (9), live hi-hat (10) Mike Hobbs – finger snaps (1) Grégoire Maret – harmonica solo (8) Terry Carpenter – backing vocals (1, 3) Philip White – backing vocals (1, 3, 5) Chyna Royal – cameo lead vocals (1) Hasan Smith – backing vocals (2, 7) Randy Beasley – backing vocals (3) Nakiea – cameo lead vocals (3) Shoshannah – cameo lead vocals (4) Andrea Simmons – lead and backing vocals (6) Sean Albrecht – backing vocals (8) Lisa Fischer – backing vocals (8) Carlos Ricketts – backing vocals (9, 10) John Fiore – backing vocals (9)
Music arrangements Joshua Paul Thompson – vocal arrangements (1–8, 10) Philip White – vocal arrangement (1, 3, 5) Terry Carpenter – additional vocal arrangements (1) Hasan Smith – vocal arrangement (2, 7) Joe Thomas – vocal arrangements (4, 6) Richard Bona – vocal arrangements (5) Lisa Fischer – vocal arrangements (8) Carlos Ricketts – vocal arrangements (10)
Production
Joshua Paul Thompson – producer (1, 3–10) Hakim Bell – producer (2) William Irving – producer (2) Joe Thomas – producer (4) John Roper – recording, mixing Tom Coyne – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York) Kelly Pratt – release coordinator Robert Silverburg – release coordinator Hollis King – art direction Rika Ichiki – design Donna Ramieri – photo production David Alan Brandt – cover photography Kwaku Alston – photography Dawn Haynes – wardrobe stylist Sacha Harford – grooming Dennis Turner and Stephanie Guervitz-Gonzalez for Turner Management Group, Inc. – management
References