Hi all Jazz Crossover fans! I'm Erik, the founding moderator of r/CrossoverJazz. This is a home for a genre that gets talked about constantly and defined correctly almost never, so let's fix that up front.

What "Crossover" Actually Means Here

Crossover jazz isn't a vibe, it's a specific thing: real jazz musicians making records built to land on pop and R&B charts, without ditching the improvisation to get there. That's different from "fusion," which is jazz musically hybridized with rock and funk instrumentation, dense and demanding as often as not (Weather Report, Mahavishnu). And it's different from "smooth jazz," the radio format that kept only the least improvisational, least demanding pieces of the sound.

This sub is about Crossover: George Benson gigging with Jack McDuff's organ combo before "Breezin'" ever charted. Grover Washington Jr. coming out of Prestige and CTI hard-bop sessions before "Just the Two of Us." Bob James producing CTI dates for a decade before "Angela" became the theme to Taxi. Real jazz chops, aimed at a bigger room. That's the whole genre, and we're going to give it more respect than the "elevator jazz" label usually allows.

What to Post

Post anything you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Feel free to share:

• Recordings and live performances by crossover jazz artists (as long as not copyrighted or otherwise prohibited)
• News about gigs, festivals, and reissues
• Deep dives into legends like George Benson, Grover Washington Jr., or Bob James
• Discussions about the CTI/Kudu era, the producers and labels behind it, and how pop, R&B, funk, and soul shaped that "smooth, hook-forward" jazz sound
• Recommendations, questions, and gear talk
• Photos from shows you've attended

Community Vibe

We're all about being friendly, constructive, and inclusive. Whether you're a lifelong fan, a working musician, or just curious what "crossover" even means beyond the elevator-jazz stereotype, you belong here. Let's build a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing and connecting.

How to Get Started

1. Introduce yourself in the comments below, tell us how you found crossover jazz and who you're listening to right now.
2. Post something today! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation.
3. Know someone who'd love this community? Invite them to join.
4. Interested in helping out? We're always looking for new moderators, feel free to reach out.

Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Together, let's make r/CrossoverJazz amazing. 🎷

r/CrossoverJazz

George Benson: The Guitarist Whose One Vocal Track Won Record of the Year

If you read our posts on Bob James and Grover Washington Jr., here's a third name from the same family tree: George Benson, a jazz guitarist and vocalist, also came up through Creed Taylor's CTI Records in the early 1970s, the same label stable that shaped both of their breakthroughs. Benson's own CTI record, 1974's "Bad Benson," topped the Billboard jazz chart before he ever sang a note on tape.

Benson was working before he was a teenager. Born March 22, 1943, in Pittsburgh's Hill District, he sang in a contest at 4, played ukulele for tips in a neighborhood drugstore at 7, and cut his first sides for RCA Victor's Groove label at 9. His debut album as a leader, "The New Boss Guitar of George Benson" (1964), paired him with organist Jack McDuff, and by 1968 Miles Davis had him on guitar for "Miles in the Sky."

The turn that made him a crossover name came in 1976, when he signed to Warner Bros. and released "Breezin'." The album went triple-platinum and hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, but the moment that mattered most was its one vocal track: "This Masquerade," written by Leon Russell, with Benson singing lead for the first time on record. It won the Grammy for Record of the Year, jazz's biggest crossover-into-the-mainstream moment of the decade, for a guitarist nobody had signed to sing.

He went bigger in 1980. "Give Me the Night," produced by Quincy Jones and written by Rod Temperton (the same songwriter behind Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" and "Thriller"), hit No. 1 on Billboard's Soul Singles chart and No. 4 on the Hot 100, Benson's highest pop chart peak. He has ten Grammy Awards total and was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2009. He is still releasing music: July 2024 brought "Dreams Do Come True: When George Benson Meets Robert Farnon," a set of previously lost 1989 recordings with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Where to start listening:

• His official platforms:
  • George Benson's Official Site
  • George Benson's YouTube Channel
  • George Benson's Spotify Page
• "Breezin'" (1976) for the crossover breakthrough, start with "This Masquerade"
• "Give Me the Night" (1980) for the Quincy Jones-produced pop peak, start with the official music video

Also check out our sister community, r/IsraelJazz