George Benson Wes Montgomery thumb technique 

How can you not appreciate this guy...even if jazz isn't your thing...his playing is just so damn cool.

I think because of George Bensons hits, people sometimes forget just how good he is!! Incredible!!!

I've played guitar all my life and I don't have any idea how GB does his thumb technique. GB is not only a master but a natural master.

George Benson is the most versatile guitar guru I've ever known. Sometimes he's forgotten in Jazz scenes and jazz schools colleges, and universities. The man has got it all!!!

Good King Bad,Summertime,White Rabbit,back to Inflight, Breezing, the biggest selling jazz album of all time. George Benson. I Thank you Oh my

A humble, down-to-earth master player!

2:07 to 2:31 - 50 years plus practice and skill development distilled in 24 seconds. Insane!

Benson is unbelievable…. A true master player…!!!

blows me away that he can blast out those riffs with just his thumb. wow.

This guy is one of the best guitarists in any genre!

The Master !!!! My guitar hero !!!

Don't forget Kevin Eubanks in talking about wonderful jazz players who play thumb-style. Kevin is famous for being the "Tonight Show" guitarist and bandleader, but he is a smoking jazz cat when he feels like it. He plays with his thumb (downstrokes) and forefinger (upstrokes), if memory serves.... G.B. deserves a ton of credit for figuring out how to make thumb-style work for him. Wes Montgomery was unique not only musically, but perhaps in terms of the anatomy of his hands. He had rather large hands and his thumb was atypical in that its tip projected well-beyond the nail bed, allowing him to dig in and play alternate-picking with his thumb. From the video, one can see that Benson plays with his thumb angled to the strings differently than Wes did, but it still sounds great. It is difficult to maintain a consistent sound switching back and forth between pick and the thumb, but Benson, all-time great and master that he is, makes it sound easy. George, if you are reading this: Please cut some more straight-ahead jazz before you hang it up! Do it for Brother Lou Donaldson, and of course your fans...

Georges Benson, a rare example of a guitarist who has succeeded in developing a wild and powerful approach that is at the same time clean and rigorous. And let's not talk about these incomparable rhythmic qualities. A fine example of a hard worker. that's why i love George benson, who also has a direct musical relationship with the only guitar boss: Wes . Raw emotion.

Wow!!! Benson is a master and a legend, I love his style, he's old and new school jazz guitar, I love fingerstyled folk guitar, country, rock and George Benson soul jazz guitar ❤ 😍

I actually forgot how very-very good Mr. George Benson was and is. Much respect to you sir, clearly you are a master. Be well sir.

I’ve been speechless by Mr. Benson every since 1970. Fifty Two Years and counting, as of 2022. Absolutely, Positively, Fantastic!!!!!

What a down to earth, master player….

Thank you, George Benson! You 're a straight-up master of guitar and a 1st class act!

The man is a genius.

Thanks for sharing your gifts & talents Mr B. Amazing stuffs.

the incomparable King George Benson!!

What a fantastic, beautiful guy. George xx

Dang, George, that guitar is a beauty. Love your style. You are right, although Wes's thumb style sounds so cool and looks so effortless, it hasn't got the same attack.

George seems so cool!

Just love George! My favourite artist of all time. He has such a unique style, great singer, great personality and most of all his music is uplifting !!!! Seen him maybe 20 times and hope he carries on for many years yet!!!

This was amazing George Benson is so good on the Guitar.

Howard Carroll of The Dixie Hummingbirds played for year's, with a pick and his thumb very well !

GB frankly just one of the best in JAZZ PERIOD ! THANK YOU GEORGE !

Love George’s playing and his pushing to continue learning.

Phenomenal. Is Mr. Benson still performing these days?. I would love to see him

What a wonderful artist.

The Hollow Electric Guitar is just so nice and easy on the ears. However, it takes a lifetime of practice to grow your style.

I got Jazz thumb after playing Bass at a summer fest. I was a punk/folk/whatever guitarist, before that, but our lead singer got pregnant, so we shuffled our talent. I got bass. Still have that hump on my thumb. Played the bass for three months. On the road, learned as I went. Life, brothers and sisters, is good. Now I have a bass in the corner, part of my old school collection.

I discovered Benson in the early to mid '70s and he has always been my favorite no matter what these young dynamic guys can do today. He's always been a class act, the guy is just full of knowledge and talent. I would love for one day for someone to make a movie or for him to write a book about all of his experiences coming up in Pittsburgh and playing with the early jazz greats. I still follow his career very closely.

The master.

George is the man! So amazing 👏

This dude is a fucking guitar god

He’s just amazing, adore this man

What a nice gentleman and a hard worker and his prosody sounds like Mohamed Ali

Down to earth musicians musician, who also just happens to be a next level genius.

Arguably the greatest jazz guitarist ever recorded. His technical mastery of his instrument is what sets him apart from others in my opinion.

How Sweet it is!!!! JJ

Great post! Keep em coming!!

Wow, just amazing and wonderfully colorful playing

Great interview, thanks!!!

A true Master.

This video was excellent! I always wanted to understand Benson's thumb technique and this video nailed it. Very, very cool!

jeff beck too

amazing, beautiful tone and feel with the thumb

From that album “BLUE BENSON” , especially with his rendition of “WHATS NEW?” one can really hear thet really nice tone he gets from playing with his thumb (vs playing with a pick , which I also like as well in his other settings ) but using the thumb gives such a wonderful deep fat soft feel

The greatest. Irreplaceable.

This is absolute gold. I’ve seen this video multiple times throughout the years and each time it went completely over my head. Only in the last couple of years I started understanding and appreciating all the nuances. We’re so lucky to have access to this. Thank you to George and to the uploader

fantastic interview

Love his technique! Sounds beyond expectation!

A virtuoso- no matter how fast, his tone stays perfect.

Awesome class!

Brilliant playing as you’d expect from Benson. I hadn’t known you could play fast with the thumb!

Love this thanks!

Thank you!

That was great! Thanks

👍🏾👍🏾

I love him!

Fantastic

Awesome.

SO COOL!!!

Brilliant

Wow. What a video

Huge talent forever...

I know! He’s a gem of a human

That guitar is alive and talking through his hands ❤

I love their jam session 3:30 very groovy.

Finally getting the nail/no nail verdict lmao thanks george

So damn good!😀

Jimmy Ponder is another one who was a great thumb player.

He sounds just like george benson, like no one else lol Wonderful. Exquisite tone phrasing & feel. I think he's genuinely a very nice guy too. Wonder what date this vid was made?l

Wow!

Two thumbs up....and down on this video !!!

I always wondered if it was all down strokes only when Benson soloed single notes using his thumb , instead of a pick 🙏🏽

@ MPB - Just have to mention another very gifted player who is an absolute monster playing thumb-style or with a pick. I am talking about the amazing Morten Faerestrand. Morten, who is Danish, is not as well known here in the 'States as in Europe, but he has a sizeable online presence as a teacher. But he is an extremely gifted player, including playing jazz with his thumb. He has a video up on it, so be sure to check him out - you'll be glad you did.

Callouses are more of a beginner problem. Just like your left hand doesn’t get callouses after you’ve played awhile, the skin of your right hand will eventually get stronger/thicker

Super legend ❤️🙏🎵🎼🎶🎸✌️👌🍀🇮🇱

If you like thumb pickers my spirit animal is Toy Cauldwell of Marshall Tucker Band. Incredible thumb picker as well as his brother Tim the bassist was thumb player.Exact opposite Biggest A-hole thumb picker Steven Segal must of came from the Wes Montgomery school.He has video on RU-vid of him playing.

Great technique! I’m kinda trying to develop it using the thumb to pick alternately (up & down ) but i use my pointer finger for upstroke.

Aotearoa always lol for uncle George baby

George to me: play some rhythm for me so I can demonstrate the technique. Me: 🏃‍♀️

❤genio

Which model is GB playing there? I love the puns of Course in his hands and that won’t feed back.

🎉

@7:08 Yeah no shit. So comfortable he could nap!

"Play some of that B flat funk thing." Whoa.

I do two thumbs up like the Fonz 🤩

Anyone found a higher resolution version?

👍✌❤😎

Jim Mullen...classic jazz guitarist outta Scotland morrissey mullen....big thumb player

Hey at 6:30 what is he playing? I can't transcribe that part. Thanks!

I can't play 15 minutes without getting a sore thumb joint.. I'm amazed he has built a career using his thumb this way 🌝

Jeff Beck would agree

Okay, the man is playing the most beautiful guitar's on the planet. So apparently the more you spend the less you Skin

Would anybody tell me who is the person who is interviewing George Benson on this video?

When were these first recorded?