**** Compact Jazz by George Benson – Great Jazz Guitar for the Jazz Enthusiast

Never mind what pop music fans like. This album is great in every way. It just takes a jazz enthusiast to appreciate an album like this one, maybe even someone so specialized as a jazz guitar enthusiast. Okay, so usually I reserve the five out of five possible star ratings for stuff that has appeal for anyone, and sorry, for the 15% that would say sausages grow on trees if polled, these are the kind of folk that will never appreciate the mastery of a virtuoso jazz musician. In fact, I imagine that this album wouldn’t have much appeal even for an average person, but let’s get one thing straight. I am not an average person. I like the arts, and the arts is usually not the stuff pop stars crank out, as far as I am concerned, that stuff is all crud. I will say this though, for the average guitar jazz enthusiast, the music on this album is timeless. Though this album may be forgotten, somehow I don’t think it will, as it is one of the earlier works of the jazz recording industry. Likewise, George Benson is one the first ever jazz guitarist to be recorded. Thus, it is such that because the Rolling Stones and the Beatles where among the first in their trade, so as well it will be with the recordings of early jazz virtuosos like George Benson.