Guitar | b. 1943

Benson grew up in Pittsburgh, learned guitar as a child, joined Brother Jack McDuff's quartet at nineteen, and by his mid-twenties was working with Miles Davis and recording for Columbia with a group that included organist Lonnie Smith and baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber. His guitar style drew directly from Wes Montgomery, particularly in its use of octave playing and a warm, rounded tone, though Benson's technique was arguably more versatile and his bebop fluency more pronounced. Davis used him on "Paraphernalia" from "Miles in the Sky" in 1968, and the following year producer Creed Taylor began recording him at A&M before bringing him to CTI in 1970. The CTI albums, made with house rhythm sections that included Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter, and Billy Cobham, are where most jazz collectors focus: "Beyond the Blue Horizon" and "White Rabbit" (both 1971) in particular have held their reputation across decades. Taylor also pushed Benson's vocals forward during this period, a strategy that anticipated the commercial turn that followed when "Breezin'" (Warner Bros., 1976), produced by Tommy LiPuma, became the first jazz album certified platinum and redirected his career entirely toward pop and R&B.