Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal Vol. 138 - Featuring Great Works by Master Producers Part 1 - Tommy LiPuma and George Benson

Music associated with great producers becomes a brand

While writing the previous article on Astrud Gilberto, I was reminded of the significant role producers play.
Many of the records and CDs I favor have been produced by Creed Taylor. Noticing that a CD I liked was produced by the same person... Creed Taylor was such a producer.
The same applies to musicians: thinking a guitar solo is wonderful, checking the credits, and finding it’s played by a favorite player. This was true for pianists, drummers, and bassists as well.
I’ve often chosen records and CDs by looking for the names of not only bands but also musicians and producers. This was my method to find music I liked without much disappointment. Of course, there were misses, but over time, I learned it was an efficient way to increase the chances of finding hits.
Tracing musicians’ names is a direct musical approach, but when viewing an entire album, the nuance changes. For example, a producer’s role strongly influences the overall touch and mood of an album.

The Mood Created by Producers

I once spoke with film director and producer Kazuyoshi Okuyama, who directed the film RAMPO, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Edogawa Rampo’s birth.
RAMPO incorporated a subliminal effect by inserting a single frame of a scene different from the actual footage, aiming to appeal to the subconscious of the viewers.
When asked why he used the subliminal effect, Director Okuyama replied that it was to create the mysterious mood of the film RAMPO.
This is precisely akin to the work of a producer in music. Producers don’t play the music themselves (though there are exceptions) and aren’t directly involved in the performance. However, their significant role is in creating the overall mood of the album, which becomes a brand.

The Luxury Feel Created by Tommy LiPuma

Returning to Tommy LiPuma, he was an American music producer born in 1936, known for producing artists like Miles Davis, George Benson, Yellowjackets, and Diana Krall. Throughout his prolific career, he won multiple Grammy Awards.
LiPuma’s produced works always exude a certain elegance, giving a sense akin to encountering a high-end brand.
A producer’s insight, the ability to discern an artist’s characteristics, the gimmicks to highlight them, the choice of musicians, and the selection of songs all strongly influence the mood. The producer likely envisions the album’s overall picture in their mind. How they paint that picture depends on the producer’s skill.
This sentiment can also be felt in the works of Quincy Jones and Creed Taylor, though their flavors differ subtly.

■ Recommended Album: George Benson - Breezin’ (1976)

Among George Benson’s career, this masterpiece achieved the most commercial success, topping the Billboard charts in the Pop, R&B, and Jazz categories. Accomplishing the feat of impacting the pop charts within the jazz category, it won the 1977 Grammy Awards for Best Instrumental Performance and Best Album Engineering, and the song “This Masquerade” won Record of the Year. The producer, Tommy LiPuma’s gimmick, led to the album’s success. He had George Benson, previously categorized as a jazz guitarist, sing and added scat matching his guitar solos.
Although Benson boasted overwhelming skill as a guitarist, in the jazz category, record sales were limited. LiPuma’s gimmick enhanced Benson’s guitar play by having him hum the same phrases, adding color to his performance. This achieved the feat of blending the opposing categories of pop and jazz.
On the other hand, traditional jazz listeners criticized it as pandering to customers, stating it wasn’t jazz and that Benson wasn’t originally a musician who played such music, expressing disappointment.

Recommended Song: “This Masquerade”

A famous song that won a Grammy Award. It opens with Jorge Dalto’s acoustic piano leading into Benson’s guitar and unison scat.
Beyond the song’s quality, it has the taste of touching a beautiful jewel.
Benson’s muffled singing elevates the shadowed song’s level. Though the arrangement is simple, this simplicity accentuates Benson’s vocals and unison scat with his guitar.
I am convinced that the skill of refining Leon Russell’s original song to this extent is LiPuma’s forte.

Musicians, Albums, and Recommended Tracks Featured in This Article

• Artists: George Benson, Jorge Dalto, and others
• Album: Breezin’
• Recommended Track: “This Masquerade”

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