Customer Reviews
Classy meeting of jazz and dance music - By: D. J. H. Thorn, 24 Nov 2006 
I don't have much time for music that goes under the banner of disco, soul, etc., but occasionally those genres throw up something that I can't ignore. I've always had a liking for the title track of this album and, knowing that Benson is a renowned jazz performer & that he has some of the best assistance possible here, I took a chance. What a delight. Benson's jazz background shows up regularly, but 'Give Me The Night' is no less accessible an album. It has strong songs, such as 'Star Of The Story', great grooves & classy arrangements, courtesy of Quincy Jones. Perhaps 'Love X Love' is a touch too mild for an opening track, but 'Off Broadway' certainly kicks off. I'm not so sure Benson did anything as good as this 1980 album again. Later songs such as 'In Your Eyes' seem to be morein the smooth, Luther Van Dross mould & do nothing for me. But 'Give Me The Night' is a fine album.
Goosebumps... - By: Andy Millward, 18 Dec 2003 Remember where you were when you first heard Give Me The Night? I do, vividly. I was hitch-hiking across the USAin summer, 1980, & got a lift with a restaurant designer who took me from Fort Worth, Texas to Phoenix, Arizona. As we drove across the vast expanse of Texas desert, with only coyotes, cacti, oil donkeys, distant mountains & blue sky for company. The guy played this album, fresh out, all through the journey. And what a revelation it was!
What stands outin my memory was the title track, &in particular the eerie backing vocals: "alright...tonight." To this day, I feel a tingle of excitement down my spine when I hear that track, & the whole album come to that. George Benson takes me back to the wide open spaces of George Bush country!
George himself bears parallels to Nat King Cole. Both were talented musicians who unfortunately possessed seductive voices best suited for the smooth & easy end of soul. And who remembers Nat's jazz piano nowadays? George is a brilliant jazz guitarist, but hardly ever breaks out into improvisation these days - why should he when he can make albums like this so effortlessly!
Why only 4 stars? I never did forgive George for the sloppy & sentimental Moody's Mood. Worse still, Amy Winehouse recorded it, too. Still, everyone makes mistakes!
Quality - By: , 02 Sep 2003 
I picked this upin a bargain binin Singapore, along with Morbid Angel's Domination - 2 real fine, if diametrically opposing, guitar albums. I only knew the title track, but it had Quincy Jones' name as producer, so I bet on there being at last a couple more decent tracks - the whole album holds together real well, mixing jazzy instrumental/vocal tracks with more contemporaneous soul gear. Quality late night stuff...
