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Legendary guitarist/vocalist George Benson revisits the music of Nat King Cole and adds some of his own amazing hits for good measure in this concert at the TSB Bank Arena, Wellington on 18 November 2010.

It takes a legend to successfully pay homage to one – and that’s just what ten-time Grammy Award-winner George Benson demonstrates during his elegant performance of “An Unforgettable Tribute to Nat King Cole.” has thus far, been a resounding success.

The Los Angeles Times said Benson’s connection with Cole was not based on simulations but on ‘the ability of two fine jazz artists to successfully, and musically, reach out to a beyond-genre audience.”

Benson and his ensemble, joined by a six-piece choir and a 28-piece string orchestra conducted by Randy Waldman (conductor for Barbara Streisand, Josh Groban and others), pays tribute spanning classic Nat King Cole hits with lush orchestrations and, at times, delightful be-bop “King Cole Trio” interpretations. 

With precision and innovation, Benson delivers Cole favorites such as “Mona Lisa,” “Stardust,” “Route 66,” “Looking Back,” “We’re Too Young,” and “Nature Boy,” along with all the greatest of  Nat’s many hits, including a bring-the-house-down performance of “Unforgettable,”

The show concludes with Benson’s incomparable combo joining him on stage for a set of vintage Benson hits such as “Give Me The Night,” “Breezin’,” “Moody’s Mood For Love,” and “On Broadway.”

Benson will be supported by the Vector Wellington Orchestra and chorus in this concert.

George Benson

From hard bop guitarist to R n B/pop superstar, eight-time Grammy winner George Benson has worn a wide variety of hats over the years. R n B lovers know him as the guitar-playing vocalist who is responsible for such hits as "Give Me the Night", "Turn Your Love Around," “On Broadway” and “This Masquerade”, while the jazz world continues to treasure his classic instrumental albums of the 1960s and early 1970s. And it goes without saying that Benson's million-selling Breezin' album of 1976 practically defined the contemporary jazz radio format.

When one thinks of improvisers who defined straight-ahead jazz guitar in the 1960s, Benson's name is inevitably mentioned along with Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, and Grant Green. But Benson was never a jazz purist, and his love of R n B, rock and pop became increasingly evident throughout his career. While Benson is still best known as a jazz instrumentalist he never hesitates to incorporate funk, soul, and rock rhythms or interpret the popular soul, pop and rock songs of the day.

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