GeorGe Benson

While the jazz legend’s latest album may’ve felt like a departure from his famed style, we discover how rock ’n’ roll is deeply rooted in his legacy – and that it’s really all about the audience

It’s been 55 years since the release of George Benson’s explosive debut album, The New Boss Guitar Of George Benson, and this year, the jazz legend released an album dedicated to two of his childhood heroes, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino. Walking To New Orleans may seem somewhat of a departure for someone known for his jazz prowess and his string of pop hits in the 80s, but as it turns out, it’s just another day at the office for this open-minded and genre-busting legend…

What prompted you to make the new album,

Walking To New Orleans – your tribute to Chuck Berry and Fats Domino? “When I was coming up, it was the late 50s into the early 60s, and that’s the time period I was most familiar with regarding these two guys. They dominated the radio and jukeboxes at that time. They were both superstars with completely different personalities but equal and as good as each other in what they did. They had fans that anybody would envy – not just for sheer numbers, but for the fact that nobody ever said anything bad about them. They were both heroes to us kids at that time.” What were the differences for you between the rock ’n’ roll stars and jazz musicians around at the time? “Well, the pop and rock ’n’ roll musicians had a specific commercial audience that they were trying to reach. It’s different for jazz musicians; it’s a lot more open. You go to a jazz concert and you don’t really know what you’re going to hear because the jazz guy doesn’t really know what he’s going to play… until he plays it. There was a lot about that that interested me. When I heard Charlie Parker play, I learned what an