George Benson - White Rabbit (1971/2013) Hi-Res

For George Benson's second CTI project, producer Creed Taylor and arranger Don Sebesky successfully place the guitarist in a Spanish-flavored setting full of flamenco flourishes, brass fanfares, moody woodwinds and such. The idea works best on "California Dreamin'" (whose chords are based on Andalusian harmonies), where, driven by Jay Berliner's exciting Spanish rhythm guitar, Benson comes through with some terrifically inspired playing. On "El Mar," Berliner is replaced by Benson's protégé Earl Klugh (then only 17) in an inauspicious -- though at the time, widely-heralded -- recorded debut. The title track is another winner, marred only by the out-of-tune brasses at the close, and in a good example of the CTI classical/jazz formula at work, Heitor Villa-Lobos' "Little Train of the Caipira" is given an attractive early-'70s facelift. Herbie Hancock gets plenty of nimble solo space on Rhodes electric piano, Airto Moreira contributes percussion and atmospheric wordless vocals, and Ron Carter and Billy Cobham complete the high-energy rhythm section. In this prime sample of the CTI idiom, everyone wins.

Tracks:

01. White Rabbit 6:59
02. Theme From "Summer Of '42" 5:06
03. Little Train (from Bachianas Brasileiras #2) 5:46
04. California Dreamin' 7:21
05. El Mar 10:48

Personnel:

George Benson - Guitar, Vocals, Main Performer
George Marge - Clarinet, Flute, Flute (Alto), Horn (English), Oboe
Romeo Penque - Clarinet, Flute (Alto), Horn (English), Oboe, Clarinet (Bass)
Alan Rubin - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Jane Taylor - Bassoon
Jay Berliner - Guitar
Airto Moreira - Percussion, Vocals
Gloria Agostini - Harp
Wayne Andre - Trombone, Horn (Baritone)
James Buffington - French Horn
Billy Cobham - Drums
John Frosk - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Phil Kraus - Percussion, Vibraphone
Phil Bodner - Clarinet, Flute, Flute (Alto), Horn (English), Oboe
Ron Carter - Bass
Herbie Hancock - Keyboards, Piano (Electric)
Earl Klugh - Guitar
Hubert Laws - Flute, Flute (Alto), Piccolo