George Benson and Al Jarreau Givin' it up Music SuperDisc Price: $19.98

George Benson and Al Jarreau - Givin' it up
Givin' It Up features a masterful collection of smooth, seductive grooves and inspired reinterpretations of Benson's and Jarreau's most classic songs, from "Breezin" and "Every Time You Go Away" to "God Bless the Child." The lively interplay between Benson's singular guitar work and Jarreau's unmistakable vocals give this jazz collaboration a truly one-of-kind sound. And in exclusive High Definition Surround, George and Al sound more amazing than ever. With HDS, Givin' It Up delivers harmonic depth and tonal richness that will garner appreciation from pop and jazz aficionados alike. Whether you're a long-time fan of Benson and Jarreau or experiencing their musical genius for the first time, Givin' It Up is a treat for music fans everywhere.



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Though it has taken three decades, the pairing of George Benson and Al Jarreau - peerless music legends who both sprang from jazz into the international R&B and pop mainstream - was pure destiny. The parallels of their career paths, musical ideologies and fans bases would seem to have deemed it so many moons ago. Both have earned multiple Gold and Platinum albums, totaling millions of copies sold, along with coveted GRAMMY awards in both the pop and jazz categories. And both gentlemen are consummate and engaging entertainers, each capable of selling out an all-nighter by himself and still barely denting his catalog of timeless classics.

While co-headlining a concert tour in summer of 2006 initially brought these two men together, it was thanks to a meeting of the minds between the Concord Music Group and audiophile equipment behemoth Monster Cable that finally sent George Benson and Al Jarreau into the recording studio. The result is a landmark, 13-song album called Givin' It Up.

Painstakingly prepared by Benson and Jarreau, Givin' It Up touches on every style and mood fans could imagine from this stellar event of musical matchmaking. Moreover, with Monster launching its Monster Music division with its first recording of all-new material, this release will benefit from mind-blowing High Definition Surround (HDS) mixes for compact discs and MP3s (mixed by sound veteran Al Schmitt).

Givin' It Up crackles with inventive covers of standards ranging from the 1940s (Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child"); the 1960s (Sam Cooke's "Bring it on Home to Me" featuring a surprise cameo by pop legend Paul McCartney); the 1970s (Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze"); and the 1980s (Daryl Hall's "Everytime You Go Away"). They also show respect for the music of today, inviting neo soul diva Jill Scott to sing along on "God Bless the Child," and turning in a sumptuous instrumental rendition of singer/songwriter John Legend's "Ordinary People" (the 2005 GRAMMY winner for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance) with Marion Meadows on soprano sax.