George Benson: The Art of Jazz Guitar

George is an example of where you want to get to and he's been there so long it's second nature. Ignore those who complain about his ability to teach-- the only way to understand this material is the way George understands it, and thats essentially at the level of instinct. And you can't "teach" instinct, because you can't "explain" instinct. Instinct takes practice to develop, there are no shortcuts. But that's not to say there isn't a lot of value for intermediate to experienced players here. Part of the challenge is to get so that you know where the notes are without thinking about it, so that you can hear where you want to go in your head and be able to hit the same notes on the guitar without fishing around to find them. George's technique of scat singing undoubtedly is a help in that regard. Another interesting aspect of George's playing is his use of chords which is on ample display here. And his information here on chord substitution and "color" are valuable ideas, which should lead to a lot of experimentation. He won't lead you through the forest here, but he lets you know it's there, and if you're up to it, you should be able to find your own interesting path through. Novices may find it interesting and entertaining, but they probably won't get much in the way of educational value, most of it will be way over their head. And in fact, it's way over most everybody's heads, but more advanced players will likely find some hints of new directions worth exploring. Also, it's possible to analyze what scales he's using, but that's probably a lot of work, and to some extent you may be missing the point if that's what you get out of it. The Joe Pass video from the same series is also pretty Zen, but I think what George relates here is a bit more useful, or at least, it seems to me.

This is a wonderful dvd. I have always been intriged by George Benson (the person and his view point with reference to the guitar). If you are expecting the usual instructional footage, think twice about getting this dvd, also the dvd would not suit beginners, its geared to intermediate and advanced players. I have most of the jazz guitar dvds out there, but this one is the best for me. Gearge simply sits down and plays and lets you in on the person that makes him such a wonderful entertainer. I learnt soo much from this lesson, he also has a great sense of humor. I started watching this dvd with guitar in hand, but a few minutes in, I forgot about the guitar and just absorbed the lesson. There is a lot in there to learn from, if you are the type that does not need to be shown stuff. You need to sit and pick out from this lesson what you want. Theres no denying Benson's mastery of the instrument. He is a beautiful person too. He is a natural entertainer. You can invite your family and friends to watch this dvd with you.This type of dvd works for me, but it might not be everybody's cup of tea, cause if you are expecting to be hand held, or specific instructions, this dvd is not for you.I concur with the other reviewer, and i wish all intruction dvds were like this one.Thank you Hot Licks for putting this out (kudos to you).I was disappointed though that you did not take the time out to put down the complete exercises in the booklet, i find myself trying to learn the rest from the dvd, well maybe thats a good thing.Once again folks, George is a living legend, a must dvd for the serious player.I had no choice but to put five stars, this dvd is easily ten stars, its off the chart.

this DVD is more like an intimate profile of George Benson as a solo jazz guitarist & as a veteran musician than a lesson... yet the video reveals just what an amazing guitarist / entertainer he is- without anyone playing with him... it makes me want Benson to do a solo CD featuring this aspect of his playing as he is simply phenomenal as a solo guitarist !!! whether he plays a Ramirez nylon string cutaway or his trademark Ibanez Benson model jazz guitar as he does in this video- he exhibits an awesome mastery of improvisation & Wes Mongomery-styled techniques of picking with his thumb & use of octaves as well as his unique ability to mirror whatever he sings with what he plays... simply awesome talent [without all the "bells 'n' whistles" of his band] demonstrating as simply as he can how he plays & how he feels the music that is his legacy... i think there are much better instructional videos to watch to learn jazz guitar technique BUT this intimate portrayl of George Benson's guitar playing & personality is a real gift of insight to any guitarist who appreciates grrreat jazz guitar & the overall talent of this stellar individual's charismatic personality... so, after watching this DVD, i am looking forward to a solo guitar CD from maestro Benson to take what he touches on to it's logical conclusion that will fully give to his listening audience what this product promises... a wonder-full finished product of jazz standards & his own creations that reveals what this guitarist is capable of alone without the distraction of other musicians- PLEASE GEORGE !!! GIVE US A SOLO CD !!! uhhh, make that a double... lol !!!!!!!!!!

GB licks you can grab and an enjoyable and informative time swell.A must for anyone learning jazz guitar and GB copiers.20 bucks awesome

日本では入手できない教則ビデオなのでとても助かりました。もちろんリージョンコードが違うのでアメリカのＤＶＤを視聴可能なプレーヤー、ドライブを使って再生する必要はあります。ジョージ・ベンソンの凄さをまざまざと感じることができるビデオです。

オープニングにガットギターでさらっとデモ演奏をするのですが、ピックも持たず親指の先でオルタネイトピッキングをしている所でもはや見てる方は固まってしまいますね（笑）スキャットしながら同時に奏でるというのも凡人にはできないかなぁ…あとはエレキもいっぱい弾いてくれてます。ため息しか出ないほどスゴい内容です。たぶん彼の自宅で撮ったと思われ、リラックスしたベンソンが大サービスで解説してくれてます。タブ譜も付いていて練習フレーズは頑張ればトレースすることができます。でもやはり「天才」というのを再認識します。

ベンソンの強烈さがよくわかるDVDでした。画質はよくないし、添付のスコアもまったく最低だけどプレイヤーには十分な仕様だと思います。「少しでもベンソンのエッセンスを〜」という方におすすめ。耳が鍛えられますよ〜。

レッスン的なDVDでなく、ベンソンが楽曲の中でどのようにアプローチしているか説明しているようである。（英語が分からんくせにベンソンの弾いている姿が見たくて購入してしまったのだ。）ベンソンはフレーズをゆっくり弾いてフィンガリングを教えてくれるとかそういうのもない。なので、上級者向けのDVDだと思う。素早いコード弾きとかコピーできるのは、ほぼプロレベルの人でしょう。スローモーション再生のセグメントがあるので、通常のピッチでベンソンのフィンガリングを確認できる。熱心なファンはこれで完コピをするのだろうか。それにしても、いともたやすく複雑なプレイをするのには口あんぐり。