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Southeastern Michigan Jazz Association ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN SEMJA UPDATE is published monthly.  It is edited by Lars Björn and Piotr Michalowski with additional assistance from Barton Polot (production editor and Webmaster), Judy Alcock, Margot Campos, Lynn Hobbs, and Marcel Niemiec. Contact: update@semja.org

George Benson To Receive SEMJA Award

Tenorist and educator George Benson has been chosen as the recipient of this year's Ron Brooks Award from SEMJA for his contributions to the Detroit jazz community. The award ceremony will take place at Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit on Saturday, May 30, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Music will be provided by Benson’s quartet which includes Charles Boles (right) on piano, John Dana on bass, and Wendell Robinson on drums. Emcee for the event will be Jim Gallert, well-known broadcaster, jazz historian, and activist.

George Benson grew up on the west side of Detroit and attended Northwestern and Northern High Schools. He has been active on the local scene since the mid-1940s when he had his first gig on alto at the Three Star Bar on Hastings Street. Benson says that he learned a lot about improvisation in King Porter's jump band, which played the Royal Blue Bar around 1950, but most important for his musical maturation was playing with piano legend Willie Anderson a few years later.

In the early 1950s he recorded his first record, "The Nearness of You," on Savoy. About the same time he formed his own band to play Tate's in Toledo, where they played jazz in the first half of the night (the band included pianist Tommy Flanagan) and more blues oriented material in the second half (often featuring singer/guitarist Calvin Frazier). He served in the army during the Korean War and played with future tenor great Johnny Griffin.

Benson switched to tenor sax in the mid-1950s and led the last house band at the legendary Flame Showbar in 1963. The band included Earl Van Dyke on organ.

His most recent CD is George Benson Sax Master on Alembic Arts. Over the years, he has done a lot of teaching, most recently in Wayne State's jazz program.

For the Award celebration, SEMJA will charge $10 at the door to cover the costs of food and music. Any questions about the event can be directed to SEMJA at 734-668-7470.

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1. GEORGE BENSON   2. DONALD WALDEN TRIBUTE
3. BOOK REVIEW   4. AROUND TOWN
5. SONNY FORTUNE
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