As a guitarist, whether you’re into jazz, funk, or smooth jazz, George Benson is a name you should know well. His signature blend of jazz and R&B is marked by technical mastery, smooth phrasing, and an effortless groove that has inspired generations of players. In this post, we’re going to break down five killer George Benson licks, spanning from his early 60s work to his more modern recordings. These licks are great tools for adding some Benson-style sophistication to your playing, and we’ll go over tips on how to approach them technically as well.
Let’s get into it!
- Groovin’ – A Classic Major 7th Lick
Album: Groovin’
Style: Jazz Funk
Key Concept: Diatonic Triads and Sliding Major Scale
This first lick comes from Benson’s tune “Groovin’,” and it’s a classic example of his ability to blend melodic and harmonic ideas in a fluid, smooth style. The lick is built on major 7 triads and outlines a series of chords: F minor, E, D, C#, B minor, and A. The real trick here is in the picking and phrasing. While alternate picking works, Benson often uses up-and-down strokes in a way that feels natural and fluid. Try sliding through these triads to give it that signature smoothness.
Pro Tip: Don’t stress about exact picking patterns—focus on what feels comfortable for you and adds the most fluidity to your playing.
- Exotica – Modern Bebop Meets Groove
Album: Songs and Stories
Style: Bebop-infused Smooth Jazz
Key Concept: Fourth Intervals and Bebop Phrasing
Moving into Benson’s more recent work, “Exotica” from the album Songs and Stories offers a different flavor, blending bebop-style phrasing with smooth jazz. The lick occurs in the bridge of the tune, where it shifts from A minor 7 to E major 7. It begins with a series of fourth intervals, which is followed by a classic bebop phrase. Benson’s mastery is on display as he picks every note cleanly, but feel free to throw in some pull-offs to add a bit more jazziness.
Practice Tip: Focus on the timing of the phrase and try experimenting with pull-offs to emphasize the upbeats for a more relaxed bebop feel.
- Jazzenco -West Coast Blues Influence
Album: Absolute Benson
Style: West Coast Blues, Jazz Blues
Key Concept: Bluesy Triplets and Sliding Intervals
In this lick, Benson tips his hat to West Montgomery with a bluesy, triplet-based line from the tune “jazzenco” The lick occurs over an A7 chord transitioning to an A♭7. What makes this lick particularly tricky is the use of triplets combined with sliding intervals, especially when you slide into the C# (the third of A). The secret is in letting the notes flow smoothly while keeping the triplets even.
Pro Tip: When practicing this lick, focus on sliding smoothly into the notes and maintaining even triplets for a clean, flowing sound.
- Weekend in LA – Bebop Meets R&B
Album: Weekend in LA
Style: R&B, Bebop
Key Concept: Blending Chord Tones and Blues Phrasing
This next lick comes from the classic “Weekend in LA,” one of Benson’s most famous live albums. It’s a perfect example of how Benson weaves bebop phrasing with R&B smoothness. The lick occurs over a C over D chord (or D sus) and slides into G major, finally resolving to a C major 7 chord. The line is full of bluesy phrases, yet it cleverly spells out the chord progression as it moves. This is a great lick for players looking to mix blues-based phrasing with jazz harmony.
Practice Tip: This lick is all about feel and flow. Focus less on hitting every note perfectly clean and more on capturing the overall groove and melodic contour.
- Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream – 60s Diminished Chords
Artist: Aretha Franklin (George Benson version)
Style: West Montgomery Influence, Gospel Jazz
Key Concept: Cascading Diminished Chords
The final lick comes from Benson’s version of “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream,” a track that dives deep into his West Montgomery influences. The standout feature here is the use of cascading diminished chords, a technique Montgomery made famous. The trick is to visualize the top note of the diminished shapes while smoothly transitioning between the chord forms. This gives the phrase a gospel-like richness and keeps it flowing musically.
Pro Tip: When working through diminished chord patterns, focus on visualizing the top note of each shape to help guide your transitions. It’s not about being overly precise but about maintaining a sense of musical flow.