Beyond the Blue Horizon

Beyond the Blue Horizon is a 1971 studio album by American jazz guitarist George Benson. It was his first album released by CTI[3] and included organist Clarence Palmer, drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Ron Carter, and percussionists Michael Cameron and Albert Nicholson.

For the 1930s song, see Beyond the Blue Horizon (song). For the 1942 film, see Beyond the Blue Horizon (film).
Beyond the Blue Horizon
Studio album by
George Benson
ReleasedMay 1971[1]
RecordedFebruary 2–3, 1971
StudioVan Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs
GenreJazz
Length34:04
LabelCTI
ProducerCreed Taylor (LP 1971); Didier C. Deutsch[2] (CD 1987)
George Benson chronology
The Other Side of Abbey Road
(1970)		 Beyond the Blue Horizon
(1971)		 White Rabbit
(1972)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]
Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD[4]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide[5]

Background

This album followed The Other Side of Abbey Road, his last album for A&M, arranged by Don Sebesky with brass, strings, and 23 musicians. Contrary to that Benson recovered at his first CTI release a classical format from a small group that included a Hammond B-3 organ, a type of ensemble in which Benson had a lot of experience recording as a sideman with organist "Brother" Jack McDuff up to 11 albums[6] between 1963 and 1965. This was also the kind of group on The New Boss Guitar of George Benson, his debut album as a leader in 1964 recorded with the organ quartet of Jack MacDuff.

In an interview by Anthony Brown and Ken Kimery in April 2011, Benson said this album was recorded at the beginning of CTI Records as an independent label. Producer Creed Taylor had to borrow money to make it and because "he didn't have no money to put any sweetening on it, no strings or anything like that" it was more of a challenge. "I thought, I'll just get some great cats, pick some great tunes, and play some great guitar and this is exactly what he did. I borrowed Miles Davis's drummer Jack DeJohnette and brought Ron Carter aboard, so I thought it would be appropriate to honor Miles with a funky cover of 'So What', his classic modal tune from Kind of Blue. We also experimented with some Middle Eastern vibes, some bossa nova, and some good old bebop."[7]

Reception and critics

In the 7th edition of the Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, critics Richard Cook and Brian Morton wrote Beyond the Blue Horizon "still has the right to be one of Benson's best records".[4] At AllMusic Richard S. Ginell stated "this is a superb jazz session".[3] "The Jazz Messenger" called it "probably the single best document of Benson's technically fluid facility and his musically inventive lyricism at any tempo."[8]

Music and compositions

The performance of Miles Davis's "So What" is driven by the rhythm section of bassist Ron Carter and drummer Jack DeJohnette, who provide strong support for solos by Benson and organist Clarence Palmer, according to Dan Bilawsky in All About Jazz as "constantly shifts from funk to up-tempo swing to a half-time feel".[9]

Album design

The cover of the LP from 1971 was designed by Bob Ciano with photos by Pete Turner.[10] "Flames" was shot in 1964 in Libya as part of a series Turner made for Standard Oil. The picture of Benson in black and white was taken by Chuck Stewart.

Track listing

All tracks are written by George Benson except where noted

No.TitleLength
1."So What" (Miles Davis)9:21
2."The Gentle Rain" (Luiz Bonfá, Matt Dubey)9:15
3."All Clear"5:29
4."Ode to a Kudu"3:48
5."Somewhere in the East"6:11 total length = 34:04

Bonus tracks on CD reissue in 1987:

No.TitleLength
6."Ode to a Kudu" (Alternate Take)4:39
7."All Clear" (Alternate Take)5:46

Personnel

Technical

References
  1. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 22 May 1971. pp. 47–. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  2. Deutsch, Didier C. (1987). Beyond The Blue Horizon (booklet). George Benson. New York: CTI Records. p. 3. 01-450957-10.
  3. Ginell, Richard S. "Beyond the Blue Horizon". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  4. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2004). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD (7th ed.). New York: Penguin. p. 130. ISBN 0-141-01416-4.
  5. Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide (1st ed.). U.S.: Rolling Stone. p. 23. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  6. Brother Jack McDuff Catalog Jazzdisco.org. Retrieved 20 October 2018
  7. Benson, George; Goldsher, Alan (2014). Benson: The Autobiography. Da Capo. pp. 137–138. ISBN 978-0-306-82229-2.
  8. The Jazz Messenger (May 6, 2011). "Celebrating CTI Records' 40th Anniversary – Part 3". Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  9. Bilawsky, Dan (7 May 2011). "George Benson: Beyond The Blue Horizon". All About Jazz. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  10. The Album Cover Art of Pete Turner. Retrieved 21 October 2018
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