Giblet Gravy (Verve Vault)
George Benson
George Benson’s Giblet Gravy captures the guitarist in a pivotal early-Verve period, before his later rise as a crossover singer, as a fluent and deeply soulful instrumental jazz player. Originally issued in 1968 and reissued in 2026 through the Verve Vault audiophile series, the nine-track album places Benson’s warm, blues-inflected guitar at the center of arrangements by Tom McIntosh. Produced by Esmond Edwards and recorded in New York during February 1968, it alternates between compact pop and soul-jazz interpretations—“Along Comes Mary,” Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny,” Bacharach and David’s “Walk On By,” and the Young Rascals’ “Groovin’”—and more open-ended jazz performances.
The supporting cast is exceptional: Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Billy Cobham appear alongside horn players including Pepper Adams, Ernie Royal, Snooky Young, and Johnny Pacheco. That combination gives the record both orchestral color and small-group elasticity, while Benson’s guitar remains relaxed, melodic, and rhythmically buoyant rather than overtly showy. His originals—the catchy title tune and the extended, bluesy “Low Down and Dirty”—are particular highlights, demonstrating the signature repeated-interval figures, clean articulation, and gospel-infused swing that made him one of jazz guitar’s major stylists. The Verve Vault pressing is mastered from the original analog tapes by Ryan K. Smith and presented on 180-gram vinyl, making it a strong archival edition of an overlooked chapter in Benson’s instrumental catalog.
Giblet Gravy (Verve Vault)
George Benson
George Benson’s Giblet Gravy captures the guitarist in a pivotal early-Verve period, before his later rise as a crossover singer, as a fluent and deeply soulful instrumental jazz player. Originally issued in 1968 and reissued in 2026 through the Verve Vault audiophile series, the nine-track album places Benson’s warm, blues-inflected guitar at the center of arrangements by Tom McIntosh. Produced by Esmond Edwards and recorded in New York during February 1968, it alternates between compact pop and soul-jazz interpretations—“Along Comes Mary,” Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny,” Bacharach and David’s “Walk On By,” and the Young Rascals’ “Groovin’”—and more open-ended jazz performances.
The supporting cast is exceptional: Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Billy Cobham appear alongside horn players including Pepper Adams, Ernie Royal, Snooky Young, and Johnny Pacheco. That combination gives the record both orchestral color and small-group elasticity, while Benson’s guitar remains relaxed, melodic, and rhythmically buoyant rather than overtly showy. His originals—the catchy title tune and the extended, bluesy “Low Down and Dirty”—are particular highlights, demonstrating the signature repeated-interval figures, clean articulation, and gospel-infused swing that made him one of jazz guitar’s major stylists. The Verve Vault pressing is mastered from the original analog tapes by Ryan K. Smith and presented on 180-gram vinyl, making it a strong archival edition of an overlooked chapter in Benson’s instrumental catalog.