George Benson: Giblet Gravy (Verve Vault Series) 1LP

Verve, 1968 Giblet Gravy, released in 1968 on Verve Records, documents guitarist George Benson during his early period with the label. Produced by Esmond Edwards and featuring arrangements by Tom McIntosh, the album places Benson within a studio framework that alternates between small-group interplay and expanded ensemble writing. The sessions draw on a range of jazz and studio musicians, including pianist Herbie Hancock, bassists Ron Carter and Bob Cranshaw, drummer Billy Cobham, percussionist Johnny Pacheco, and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, alongside a brass and rhythm section assembled for selected tracks. Across these varied settings, Benson’s fluid articulation, blues-inflected phrasing, and rhythmic dexterity remain the music’s central focus. The repertoire blends contemporary popular material, standards, and original compositions — the title track and “Low Down and Dirty” — illustrating the stylistic breadth that would inform Benson’s later crossover success while remaining grounded in the late-1960s jazz ensemble format. Tracklist & Credits - 1LP Tracklist Side A Along Comes Mary Sunny What's New? Giblet Gravy Walk On By Side B Thunder Walk Sack Of Woe Groovin' Low Down And Dirty The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.