Au Privave – 2006

George Benson & Joey DeFrancesco

It only happened once

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Guitarist George Benson and organist Joey DeFrancesco only recorded one song together during their careers: a 2010 version of “Moon River.”

Yet at the legendary Steamers Club in Orange County in 2006, they fit together quite well.

The Joey DeFrancesco Trio with guitarist Ron Eschete and drummer Ramon Banda welcomed Benson out of the audience to sit in.

On an uptempo version of the Charlie Parker blues “Au Privave,” Benson first appears as a singer, scatting up a storm in a way that he rarely did on records or during his own live performances.

Eschete takes a long solo while Benson watches closely, DeFrancesco plays some extremely fast lines on organ, and then the guest does quite well during his own guitar solo.

After an organ/drums tradeoff, George Benson takes it out vocally.

A unique performance.

-Scott Yanow

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