The George Benson / Al Jarreau gig

[jamming_papu]

obervation lang,

... i didn't like the mixing of sounds as some time. George's guitar sometimes get lost in the mix.

IMO, the people likes Benson singing more than Al. nakuha 'ata ni George yung mga nice songs for the Filipino audience. and boy he can sing!

[jimy james]

obervation lang,

... i didn't like the mixing of sounds as some time. George's guitar sometimes get lost in the mix.

IMO, the people likes Benson singing more than Al. nakuha 'ata ni George yung mga nice songs for the Filipino audience. and boy he can sing!

so there were no amazing gtr solos

if that's the case, i didn't miss a lot. yung chops niya lang talaga ang ipu-punta ko dun, I wouldn't care less for his singing... except maybe for "moody's mood"...

anyway, i got shocked when i saw him at the evening news... grabe yung pabatak sa mukha niya, pati nose job. is he trying to be a MJ or what

pero bilib parin ako. senyor yan. Lalo na yung time na intrumental pa siya.

[jamming_papu]

so there were no amazing gtr solos

let me correct... mayron.
im expecting a little more, but to my suprise, GB sings a lot. 

[rjtorres]

let me correct... mayron.
im expecting a little more, but to my suprise, GB sings a lot. 

Haha! Oo nga eh, sobrang daming kanta... Tapos nakakatawa, yung mga hit na songs eh yung 3 pop-ballad niya, In your Eyes, Greatest Love of All, pati... 3 ba iyon? Nakalimutan ko na.. hehe..

Pero Grabe yung mga chops niya, kahit konti lang, grabe talaga... Hindi pa ako nakakakita ng ganung caliber na naintindihan ko na...



Anyway, na-late ako dun eh... Nag Breezin' ba sila sa 1st few songs?

[Boddhisattva]

Breezing was the first song sung, Benson supplying the guitar melody and Jarreau improvising. I somehow think Jarreau sometimes overdoes his parts.
Bating ang mga musicians, ang gagaling.

Benson's keyboardist is David Garfield and I had a chance to meet him after the show.

[adamkapow]

anyone here knows the complete list of musicians who backed up the concert last night sa araneta?

[BAMF]

Who else went ?

I was there. Oh I wanted to see Al Jarreau, but was mainly there to see Benson ape his fretboard.

Except for a few brief sparkling moments, I think the 2,000 pesos spent on the upper box ticket was wasted on me.

Al Jarreau's pipes are not what they used to be. Certainly not the smooth silky voice I used to listen to as a teen. He'd do very well singing blues and not his old repertoire, what with his now raspy, throaty voice. No disrespect meant for the man and the legend, but it just is, according to me.

George Benson is still a virtuoso on guitar, but man, his songs were just plain CHEESY. Ewan ko ba, several times I found myself wanting to stand up, go outside and light a cigarette than punish myself listening to "The Greatest Love of All".

Waiting for a cab (car's in for repairs) was just about an equal pain.

Oh well. Maybe I'm getting old and jaded.

[jamming_papu]

Anyway, na-late ako dun eh... Nag Breezin' ba sila sa 1st few songs?

That was the very first song. 

[rjtorres]

Who else went ?

I was there. Oh I wanted to see Al Jarreau, but was mainly there to see Benson ape his fretboard.

Except for a few brief sparkling moments, I think the 2,000 pesos spent on the upper box ticket was wasted on me.

Al Jarreau's pipes are not what they used to be. Certainly not the smooth silky voice I used to listen to as a teen. He'd do very well singing blues and not his old repertoire, what with his now raspy, throaty voice. No disrespect meant for the man and the legend, but it just is, according to me.

George Benson is still a virtuoso on guitar, but man, his songs were just plain CHEESY. Ewan ko ba, several times I found myself wanting to stand up, go outside and light a cigarette than punish myself listening to "The Greatest Love of All".

Waiting for a cab (car's in for repairs) was just about an equal pain.

Oh well. Maybe I'm getting old and jaded.

Haha, I feel you. I had Patron tickets (5200), and had to pay additional for my GF since she wont be able to afford the seats I want, so I was really expecting a lot more. However, its these rare events that I would get to see living legends, so kahit na they're not as good as you say they are anymore or they did not play as how we wanted them to, I'm still grateful that I was able to watch them (and upclose! I can even see his make-up haha). Benson's licks are not the same as I've watched them in video clips, pero his effortless playing with absolute dexterity and mastery of the fretboard still made my jaw drop.



Btw - I didn't get the chance to see Al's past performances, so my opinion of him is that he's really something else, excellent singing. The range, the quality, the timbre, everything was good! My GF has a good ear when it comes to singers, and she agrees with me. George's singing was, however, not the same as how I've watched it in his DVD's. It wasn't as good, but it's not bad, not even mediocre, but it's just not how I expect it to be.



Although yes, bitin  nga talaga. Na-late pa ako. Bwisit. Hehe. 

[william251082]

Dapat my nagyaya ng jam session! mabait yun si George may possibility na pumayag! yung sa North sea jazz festival naki jamming siya eh! That's where you'll see the real deal!

[rakrakan]

I went and actually liked the show. Indeed, GB's pop songs took hold of the crowd coz they can singalong with the tunes, karaoke time... But Al Jarreau even at his age (and seeming physical weakness) can still blow his pipes from lowest lowest to decent highs. GB was fantastic on guitar, there were several moments when he was really feeling the guitar. I also noticed how GB took control of the gig - during their encore when people started leaving, he cued the band to the next number, an upbeat one - causing a lot to stay.

my biggest disappointment was AJ did not sing SPAIN.

great band.

the sound wasn't so good though.

Araneta was really hot for a rainy evening.

And there are not enough parking slots!

[william251082]

Parang kabastusan naman yata yung hindi pa tapos yung concert eh nag lalabasan na?

[jamming_papu]

my biggest disappointment was AJ did not sing SPAIN.

great band.

the sound wasn't so good though.

me too... parang gusto kong kausapin yung mga nasa control area or yung nag-aayos ng mix.

i was expecting a little more like evrybody else.

Parang kabastusan naman yata yung hindi pa tapos yung concert eh nag lalabasan na?

i guess this is because they sang a goodbye song (evrytime you go away) on a part na pwede mo ng sabihin na tapos na yata yung concert.

[rjtorres]

I went and actually liked the show. Indeed, GB's pop songs took hold of the crowd coz they can singalong with the tunes, karaoke time... But Al Jarreau even at his age (and seeming physical weakness) can still blow his pipes from lowest lowest to decent highs. GB was fantastic on guitar, there were several moments when he was really feeling the guitar. I also noticed how GB took control of the gig - during their encore when people started leaving, he cued the band to the next number, an upbeat one - causing a lot to stay.

my biggest disappointment was AJ did not sing SPAIN.

great band.

the sound wasn't so good though.

Araneta was really hot for a rainy evening.

And there are not enough parking slots!

Haha! Not Enough parking slots... I share your sentiment. P******na, ang hirap magpark! Kaya ako nalate eh. Bwiset. Hehe.