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George Benson’s 1980 album Give Me the Night completed a journey that began on 1976's Breezin', taking him from his jazz roots and established him as the world's leading jazz-pop crossover artist. A talented and prestigious guitarist and accomplished vocalist, Give Me the Night was, for many people, their first taste of Benson's smooth sound.
Although Benson had been recording regularly since 1963, Give Me the Night relocated him away from the connoisseurs and into thousands of British households. Benson had been enjoying minor chart UK hits from 1975, but this album’s two singles, its title-track and Love x Love, made him a top 10 artist.
With the pedigree of performer, producer and writer on this album, his newfound stardom should have come as little wonder. This was the first release on album producer Quincy Jones’ own imprint Qwest, and with him Jones brought most of the team he had recently utilised to such phenomenal success on Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall.
For a while it was impossible to go anywhere without hearing this album’s hit singles. And what spotless classics they are. Beyond the hits, the album has two further true standout tracks. On the Rod Temperton-penned instrumental Off Broadway, Benson delivers his guitar solo as if it were a vocal line; this was super-slick significant pop-soul-jazz. If Off Broadway was a showcase for Benson’s guitar, his cover of the 1949 standard Moody's Mood (For Love) did the same for his vocals. With Patti Austin helping him out, it demonstrated that he may have acquired a new audience but could never abandon his roots. For this, Benson won a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal.
Give Me the Night positively glides. Jazz critics suggested that Benson was reduced to a bit part player on his own album, but that misses the point; here was a player who’d worked with the likes of Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock enjoying some of pop’s limelight. This album also was the only significant time that Benson and Quincy Jones worked together. It would have been marvellous to think what may have happened had they continued, but what the union left behind is really rather special.
--Daryl Easlea
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I picked this up in a bargain bin in Singapore, along with Morbid Angel's Domination - 2 real fine, if diametrically opposing, guitar albums. I only knew the title track, but it had Quincy Jones' name as producer, so I bet on there being at last a couple more decent tracks - the whole album holds together real well, mixing jazzy instrumental/vocal tracks with more contemporaneous soul gear. Quality late night stuff...
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I don't have much time for music that goes under the banner of disco, soul, etc., but occasionally those genres throw up something that I can't ignore. I've always had a liking for the title track of this album and, knowing that Benson is a renowned jazz performer and that he has some of the best assistance possible here, I took a chance. What a delight. Benson's jazz background shows up regularly, but 'Give Me The Night' is no less accessible an album. It has strong songs, such as 'Star Of The Story', great grooves and classy arrangements, courtesy of Quincy Jones. Perhaps 'Love X Love' is a touch too mild for an opening track, but 'Off Broadway' certainly kicks off. I'm not so sure Benson did anything as good as this 1980 album again. Later songs such as 'In Your Eyes' seem to be more in the smooth, Luther Van Dross mould and do nothing for me. But 'Give Me The Night' is a fine album.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE SHM-CD 2009 REMASTER ***
Released in July 1980 on Warner Brothers K 56823 in the UK and HS 3453 in the USA, George Benson's "Give Me The Night" was a huge record at the time (it peaked at No. 3 in both countries).
And like Michael Jackson's "Off The Wall" from 1978 before it - its fusion of soul, funk and jazz was popular everywhere - crossing over every rock barrier like never before (it was Grammy nominated and won too).
Yet except for a few remastered tracks on the excellent 2CD "Anthology" set from 2000 on Rhino, the entire album has been languishing around for over two decades now on one of those awful Eighties CDs with dullard murky sound. Until now...
Released 24 June 2009 in Japan-only on Warner Bros WPCR-13453 - this 24-bit remastered version is an audiophile CD on their SUPER HIGH MATERIALS format (playable on all players - 42:51 minutes).
And coming from an era that is probably the most derided in history by music lovers - especially when it comes to bombastic sound and ham-fisted production excesses - this SHM version is a BEAUTIFULLY REALIZED CD REMASTER - it really is.
It doesn't say who 24-bit remastered this album, but whoever did it, has produced the most awesome result because the sound quality is just GLORIOUS - I mean BEAUTIFUL. Of course the album always had the immaculate production values of QUINCY JONES and the stunning array of top session men to thank for its polish anyway - but this newly upgraded version is just wonderful. It's neither falsely loud nor brash - there's no audible hiss, but it's also not clinically clean - there's air around the instruments - it's just warm and THERE.
You hear all the instrumentation - especially the bass and rhythm sections. The wildly underrated funky-as-James-Brown's-DNA instrumental "Off Broadway" is just stunning now - as is David Wolinski's brilliantly soulful and sleek "Midnight Love Affair" - WOWSER!
(There's an argument raging around the net at the moment about sly remastering techniques, pumping up the loudness of reissues for the so-called `iPod' generation - which essentially produces downloads that sound better but lack any real dynamic range. I mention this because to my ears there's none of that on here.)
The jewel case is standard and there's the black and gold obi strip inside; the SHM CD itself feels slightly heavier to ordinary CDs - more substantial - it seems to hold better as it plays in the tray somehow - steady. The 8-page booklet is disappointingly the same as US/Euro issues (has session details though) and the extra foldout page of info about the album that you get in these Japanese issues is - well in Japanese - so its kinda useless.
Gripes - no Euro/USA issue so it costs as an import - and it wouldn't have taken much to include the edited single mixes of "Give Me The Night" and "Love X Love" as bonus tracks, but somehow this CD isn't about ramming the disc chocker full of extras - it's about the best sound - and on that front they've achieved their goal with absolute knobs on.
With 6 of it's 10 killer songs written by Britain's ROD TEMPERTON and the immaculate production values of veteran sound man QUINCY JONES, "Give Me The Night" practically set up the template for the album that would literally take over the world three years later - Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (Quincy produced and Temperton wrote 3 of its 9 songs including the title track).
Ok - this version is expensive and it's probably even awkward to obtain, but I've loved rehearing "Give Me The Night" in this stunning sound quality - beautiful stuff - and recommended big time.
PS: It's available mail-order from Amazon sites or two superb Japanese CD sites I use - CD JAPAN at "cdjapan.co.jp" and MUNDO at "mediawars.ne.jp".
"Give Me The Night" is also a part of the Japanese-Only 2009 "Warner Bros. Jazz & Fusion SHM-CD Collection" series - in alphabetical order the other 19 titles are:
1. Breezin' - GEORGE BENSON (1976)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13452)
2. Larry Carlton - LARRY CARLTON (1978)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13446)
3. Sleepwalk - LARRY CARLTON (1982)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13448)
4. Strikes Twice - LARRY CARLTON (1980)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13447)
5. Amandla - MILES DAVIS (1989)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13443)
6. Doo-Bop - MILES DAVIS (1991)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13444)
7. Live Around The World - MILES DAVIS (1996)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13445)
8. Siesta - MILES DAVIS and MARCUS MILLER (1982)
(Warner Bros WPCR-13442)
9. Tutu - MILES DAVIS (1986)
(Warner Bros WPCR-13441)
10. Teasin' - CORNELL DUPREE (1974)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13457)
11. Between The Sheets - FOURPLAY (1993)
[Featuring Bob James, Lee Ritenour, Nathan East and Harvey Mason]
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13460)
12. Fourplay - FOURPLAY (1991)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13459)
13. Word Of Mouth - JACO PASTORIUS (1981)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13454)
14. Rit - LEE RITENOUR (1981)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13456)
15. The Captain's Journey - LEE RITENOUR (1978)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13455)
16. Magnetic - STEPS AHEAD [feat Michael Brecker] (1986)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13458)
17. More Stuff - STUFF (1977)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13450)
18. Stuff - STUFF (1976)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13449)
19. Winelight - GROVER WASHINGTON, Jr. (1980)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13451)
Released in July 1980 on Warner Brothers K 56823 in the UK and HS 3453 in the USA, George Benson's "Give Me The Night" was a huge record at the time (it peaked at No. 3 in both countries).
And like Michael Jackson's "Off The Wall" from 1978 before it - its fusion of soul, funk and jazz was popular everywhere - crossing over every rock barrier like never before (it was Grammy nominated and won too).
Yet except for a few remastered tracks on the excellent 2CD "Anthology" set from 2000 on Rhino, the entire album has been languishing around for over two decades now on one of those awful Eighties CDs with dullard murky sound. Until now...
Released 24 June 2009 in Japan-only on Warner Bros WPCR-13453 - this 24-bit remastered version is an audiophile CD on their SUPER HIGH MATERIALS format (playable on all players - 42:51 minutes).
And coming from an era that is probably the most derided in history by music lovers - especially when it comes to bombastic sound and ham-fisted production excesses - this SHM version is a BEAUTIFULLY REALIZED CD REMASTER - it really is.
It doesn't say who 24-bit remastered this album, but whoever did it, has produced the most awesome result because the sound quality is just GLORIOUS - I mean BEAUTIFUL. Of course the album always had the immaculate production values of QUINCY JONES and the stunning array of top session men to thank for its polish anyway - but this newly upgraded version is just wonderful. It's neither falsely loud nor brash - there's no audible hiss, but it's also not clinically clean - there's air around the instruments - it's just warm and THERE.
You hear all the instrumentation - especially the bass and rhythm sections. The wildly underrated funky-as-James-Brown's-DNA instrumental "Off Broadway" is just stunning now - as is David Wolinski's brilliantly soulful and sleek "Midnight Love Affair" - WOWSER!
(There's an argument raging around the net at the moment about sly remastering techniques, pumping up the loudness of reissues for the so-called `iPod' generation - which essentially produces downloads that sound better but lack any real dynamic range. I mention this because to my ears there's none of that on here.)
The jewel case is standard and there's the black and gold obi strip inside; the SHM CD itself feels slightly heavier to ordinary CDs - more substantial - it seems to hold better as it plays in the tray somehow - steady. The 8-page booklet is disappointingly the same as US/Euro issues (has session details though) and the extra foldout page of info about the album that you get in these Japanese issues is - well in Japanese - so its kinda useless.
Gripes - no Euro/USA issue so it costs as an import - and it wouldn't have taken much to include the edited single mixes of "Give Me The Night" and "Love X Love" as bonus tracks, but somehow this CD isn't about ramming the disc chocker full of extras - it's about the best sound - and on that front they've achieved their goal with absolute knobs on.
With 6 of it's 10 killer songs written by Britain's ROD TEMPERTON and the immaculate production values of veteran sound man QUINCY JONES, "Give Me The Night" practically set up the template for the album that would literally take over the world three years later - Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (Quincy produced and Temperton wrote 3 of its 9 songs including the title track).
Ok - this version is expensive and it's probably even awkward to obtain, but I've loved rehearing "Give Me The Night" in this stunning sound quality - beautiful stuff - and recommended big time.
PS: It's available mail-order from Amazon sites or two superb Japanese CD sites I use - CD JAPAN at "cdjapan.co.jp" and MUNDO at "mediawars.ne.jp".
"Give Me The Night" is also a part of the Japanese-Only 2009 "Warner Bros. Jazz & Fusion SHM-CD Collection" series - in alphabetical order the other 19 titles are:
1. Breezin' - GEORGE BENSON (1976)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13452)
2. Larry Carlton - LARRY CARLTON (1978)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13446)
3. Sleepwalk - LARRY CARLTON (1982)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13448)
4. Strikes Twice - LARRY CARLTON (1980)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13447)
5. Amandla - MILES DAVIS (1989)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13443)
6. Doo-Bop - MILES DAVIS (1991)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13444)
7. Live Around The World - MILES DAVIS (1996)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13445)
8. Siesta - MILES DAVIS and MARCUS MILLER (1982)
(Warner Bros WPCR-13442)
9. Tutu - MILES DAVIS (1986)
(Warner Bros WPCR-13441)
10. Teasin' - CORNELL DUPREE (1974)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13457)
11. Between The Sheets - FOURPLAY (1993)
[Featuring Bob James, Lee Ritenour, Nathan East and Harvey Mason]
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13460)
12. Fourplay - FOURPLAY (1991)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13459)
13. Word Of Mouth - JACO PASTORIUS (1981)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13454)
14. Rit - LEE RITENOUR (1981)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13456)
15. The Captain's Journey - LEE RITENOUR (1978)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13455)
16. Magnetic - STEPS AHEAD [feat Michael Brecker] (1986)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13458)
17. More Stuff - STUFF (1977)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13450)
18. Stuff - STUFF (1976)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13449)
19. Winelight - GROVER WASHINGTON, Jr. (1980)
(Warner Bros. WPCR-13451)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Jazz Soul of Benson
One wonders whether the title track may have been destined for Michael Jackson. Thank goodness it was directed at our man Benson. Read more
Published 1 month ago by A rhythm person
one of the best
Still have this as an L.P. record, it was great when it first came out and still great now if your a fan of George Benson buy it one of his very best.
Published 14 months ago by bookworm
Mellow, mellow, mellow...
Mellow, mellow, mellow... That's what I'd call this album!
Who could forget the great year George had back in 1980 with two top ten smashes; the sultry 'Give Me The... Read more
Who could forget the great year George had back in 1980 with two top ten smashes; the sultry 'Give Me The... Read more
Published on 6 May 2010 by FAMOUS NAME
Goosebumps...
Remember where you were when you first heard Give Me The Night? I do, vividly. I was hitch-hiking across the USA in summer, 1980, and got a lift with a restaurant designer who... Read more
Published on 18 Dec 2003 by Andy Millward
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