White Rabbit

George Benson serves up an eclectic stew of musical styles, a fantastic blend of psychedelica, jazz and latin stuff. The album begins with a rousing version of Jefferson Airplane's hippie anthem, "White Rabbit." Another highlight is an energetic rendering of Brazilian classical composer Heitor Villa-Lobos' "Little Train". But maybe the best songs on the album are saved until last. Here George Benson turns in a blistering over seven minutes rendition of the Mamas & Papas' "California Dreaming" which is for sure a killer version. Finally this brilliant album ends with "El Mar", a Benson-composed, Spanish-tinged epic that features a blossoming 17 years young Earl Klugh on acoustic guitar.