George Benson - Breezin' (LP, 2021 Limited Edition Blue Vinyl)
- LP
- 1 piece(s)
- 1976
- 9 tracks
- 57 min
- smooth jazz
Breezin'Cheapest athmv.com
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4.1
Average of 26 reviews
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This album is quite enjoyable, but the excessive use of strings makes it sound a bit dated. It was during this period that Benson moved from CTI to Warner Bros, presumably chasing a bigger paycheck. Some tracks on this record have been played to death, so I'd recommend checking out his "In Flight" album for a comparable sound that's not as over-exposed. "So This is Love?" is an awesome track though -- a lengthy jam with some killer solos. No shock that it's the only Benson original on the whole album.
The package came in good condition. There wasn't any weird noise or issues. It plays smoothly and the sound quality is pretty good.
LET'S COMPARE2013 Friday Music KPG@CA cutVs2021 "Rhino Black" (blue vinyl, lol) cutBoth records were given the Degritter treatment and put to the test side by side on my two matching (and similar runtime) stock AT LP5X test turntables for an easy A/B comparison.This one's a no-brainer in terms of which to keep and which to sell. I'm no KPG fanboy, but I do like a lot of his cuts and own many dozen of his works. His handling of the source material for the Friday Music reissue is audibly superior to the Rhino Black (cut by who knows who from who knows what). The identity of the cutter and the source material doesn't matter much to me, but the FM pressing is sweeter, more harmonically true, and more expansive. The Rhino Black isn't bad by any means (it's well recorded and surely impossible to make sound terrible). In fact, mine is a surprisingly well-pressed copy for a colored GZ Media pressing, but the sound is a bit on the dry and grey side. It's not bad on its own, but switching to the KPG mastering is eye-opening... GORGEOUS even. It's a shame Friday Music gets unfairly criticized by so many. The few I've got - at least when KPG is involved - are almost all definitive pressings. The key is to avoid 95% of the Joe Reagoso-only stuff!Other differences??? The FM is pressed by RTI and has a quieter background than the GZ Media blue vinyl from Rhino. The FM jacket has richer colors and more contrast (maybe a bit too much), while the Rhino Black looks a bit washed out. Something in between might have been ideal!I did this review mainly to satisfy my own curiosity, but also after reading that Analogue Productions is doing a Rhino 45rpm series reissue soon. Well......It's going to have to be something special to beat this Friday Music release!
LET'S COMPARE!2013 Friday Music KPG@CA cut vs 2021 "Rhino Black" (blue vinyl, lol) cutBoth records were Degritter cleaned and tested side by side on my two matching (and similar runtime) stock AT LP5X test decks for easy A/B comparison.This one's an easy decision on which to keep and which to sell. I'm no KPG fanboy, but I like a lot of his cuts and own many dozen. His work with the source for the Friday Music reissue is audibly superior to the Rhino Black (cut by who knows who from who knows what). Who cuts what and from where doesn't matter to me, but the FM pressing is sweeter, more harmonically real, and expansive. The Rhino Black isn't garbage by any means (this is well recorded and surely impossible to make sound bad). Indeed, mine is a surprisingly well-pressed copy for a colored GZ Media pressing, but the sound is a bit on the drier and greyer side. It's not bad in isolation, but switching to the KPG mastering is revelatory... GORGEOUS even. To think Friday Music are arbitrarily slagged off by so many. The few I've got - at least when KPG is onboard - are almost all definitive pressings. The key is to avoid 95% of the Joe Reagoso only stuff!Other differences??? The FM is RTI and simply has a quieter background than the GZ Media blue job of the Rhino. The FM jacket is richer and more contrasty in color (if maybe a bit too much), and the Rhino Black looks a bit washed. Somewhere in between might have been ideal!I did this review mainly to settle my own curiosity, but also because I read that Analogue Productions are doing a Rhino 45rpm series reissue soon. Well......It will have to go some to beat this Friday Music job!
Amongst my top George Benson albums, Affirmation and Breezin' are true standouts, packed with lively beats and groovy bass and guitar. Sure, some folks might turn up their noses at it being smooth jazz, but why let that bother you? You can snag this album pretty easy and for a steal, making it a total bargain for the killer tracks it holds. If you're into that 70s jazz-funk vibe, this one's a must-have.
| Date | Lowest price | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Nov 2025 | £29.99 | £29.99 |
| 28 Dec 2025 | £29.99 | £29.99 |
| 31 Jan 2026 | £66.49 | £66.49 |
| 28 Feb 2026 | £29.99 | £48.74 |
| 26 Mar 2026 | £29.99 | £48.24 |