Time: 2008/9/4
Venue: Beijing Exhibition Theater
Price: 380/680/980/1280yuan
Ticket booking hotline: 86-10-64177845(English)
Email/MSN: ponypiaoen@hotmail.com

Booking online now: http://www.piao.com.cn/en_piao/ticket_2070.html

World-class Jazz Superstars Unite for unprecedented China tour

Two of the world’s greatest Jazz superstars, George Benson and Al Jarreau, will unite together in concert for the first time in China.Following a sell-out world tour, this magical collaboration is headingeast for an Asia tour that includes two intimate dates in Mainland China, which promises to be a uniquely spectacular concert experience.

With18 GRAMMY Awards and over 8 decades of performance between them, GeorgeBenson & Al Jarreau are touring together in support of their highlyacclaimed album “Giving It Up”. Friends and label-mates for over threedecades, this release marks the first time that the two Gold andPlatinum selling artists, have recorded together as equal partners.Topping the Contemporary Jazz Charts, as well as netting two GRAMMYs in2007, “Giving It Up” is a testament to these legends at their best.

George Benson
George Benson is a ten-time Grammy winner, a great vocalist and an incredible guitarits, but he's also just a wonderful human beijing.He is however, better known to the public at large as a Pop and R&Bsinger. With millions of fans worldwide, George Benson is described asthe man who “sings through his strings”. Over the course of a 40-yearcareer, Benson has enjoyed success in the jazz, rhythm and blues, adultcontemporary and pop arenas; he is a brilliant musician and impoviser,and also a consummate entertainer. He made "Breezin". the first jazzalbum to attain platinum status. He has reached the Top 10 on the popcharts four times, with "This Masquerade,""On Broadway,""Give Me theNight" and "Turn Your Love Around." His most recent album is theGrammy-winning(Two Grammy awards) "Givin' It Up," an album of duetswiht vocalist Al Jarreau.

Al Jarreau
Anextraordinary vocalist and one of the best singers of his generation,singer/songwriter Al Jarreau has been wowing audiences for over 5decades. His unique and innovative musical expressions have made himone of the most exciting and critically acclaimed performers of ourtime with seven Grammy Awards, scores of international music awards andpopular accolades worldwide.
On his vocal styleAl says, “People have always thought of me as a Jazz singer, but thereal truth is that all my records are R&B/pop with undertones andovertones of Jazz.”

Benson and Jarreau
Benson and Jarreau first met in the mid-1970s at the Coconut Grove Ballroom in the landmark Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.Benson recalls, “Al sang lyrics to ‘Take Five’, which I’d never heardbefore. I’d recorded an instrumental version of the track on my albumBad Benson, so I was really checking this cat out. His style ofimprovising was quite interesting.” Of Benson, Jarreau adds, “Georgeand I share something of the same age, but George can describe thingshe was doing as a professional at the age of 8! He was an idol withinthe jazz community, one that I aspired to, but I didn’t arrive on thescene with my first record until seventeen years later in 1975. Georgewas a hero to me.” “He’s a prolific cat,” finishes the guitarist. “I’vealways loved Al, but I have a different respect for him now.”

Features of the Concert
Togive audiences a taste of the magic these two giants will conjure uplive, the 13 track album Givin’ It Up (see EPK in link below), recordedbetween April and June 2006,
features each ofthe stars on a new arrangement of one of the other’s biggest hits –Jarreau adding lyrics to and singing Benson’s signature instrumentalsmash “Breezin’,” while the legendary jazz guitarist delivers a lovelyinstrumental version of the singer’s eternally charming hit “Mornin’.”Expect this and exquisite renditions of Seals & Crofts’ “SummerBreeze” and Hall & Oates’ (and Paul Young smash) “Every Time You GoAway” along with an instrumental take on John Legend’s GRAMMYaward-winning soul smash, “Ordinary People”, stunning new jazz vocalversions of the Miles Davis classics “Four” and “‘Long Come Tutu” andsome delectable
new compositions.
Such a broad spectrum of musical influences is sure to attract a crowd of all ages.

Here is the list of Grammy wins for George and Al:

Best Pop Instrumental Performance
George Benson & Al Jarreau - Mornin(Track from "Givin' It Up," Concord Records/Monster Music)

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
GeorgeBenson & Al Jarreau featuring Jill Scott - God Bless The Child(Track from "Givin' It Up', Concord Records/Hear Music)