Jazz Reviews : George Benson Concert Drowns in Loudness at Wiltern

Crash! Bam! Boom! Slam! Sock! Pow! Thud!

Those were just a few of the sound effects that dominated too much of the George Benson concert Friday at the Wiltern, the first of two evenings supposedly devoted to the artistry of the vocalist/guitarist.

To those for whom ear-splitting volume and a terrible sound mix are no problem, it was a glorious evening. For others, who may have hoped that Benson might re-create the good vibes of his recent album with McCoy Tyner, it was a bitter disappointment.

For most of the first half in this two-hour, intermissionless presentation, the sound was so loud on Gerry Brown’s drums, and on the rest of the rhythm backing, that the listener was lucky to understand every 10th word of Benson’s vocals.

Obviously the Tyner experiment was just an aberration, an indulgence Benson does not think he can afford to duplicate in public. He did, however, offer a couple of numbers out of that album, “Mambo Inn” and “Stardust,” that were among the better moments of the evening, though David Garfield replaced Tyner.

Benson still sings “Moody’s Mood for Love,” with the female vocal interlude charmingly supplied by percussionist Kate Markowitz. He paid his respects to Nat King Cole, singing “Unforgettable” pleasingly to a forgettable arrangement that used the 23-piece string ensemble. “Here, There and Everywhere” and “The Greatest Love of All” also were effective in showcasing Benson’s engaging vocal personality.

There were a few delightful guitar passages, especially those in which he sang and played in unison. As the show neared its close the inevitable early hits reared their aging heads: “This Masquerade” and “On Broadway,” the latter involving a drum solo that elicited pandemonium from the audience.

Given his unquestionable financial security, it is surprising that Benson still feels the necessity to make so many concessions to the marketplace. Regrettably, the “Tenderly” LP turned out to be a flash in the pan.