Irreplaceable (George Benson album)

Irreplaceable
Irreplaceable
Studio album by George Benson
Released	2003 (first edition); June 8, 2004 (second edition)
Genre	Contemporary R&B, Smooth jazz
Length	41:32 (first edition); 39:36 (second edition)
Label	GRP Records
Producer	Joshua Paul Thompson, Hakim Bell, William Irving, Joe Thomas
George Benson chronology

Last updated July 27, 2022

Irreplaceable is a studio album by American musician George Benson. The album, released by GRP Records in 2003, was recorded in contemporary R&B style. However, four songs were re-recorded in a more smooth jazz style and released in 2004, together with three new songs, and leaving out three songs from the original 2003 edition.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
Tom Hull	C−^[2]

Tom Hull dismissed the album as a "dud" in his "Jazz Consumer Guide" for The Village Voice in September 2004.^[3] In a commentary published on his website, he explained, "The three instrumentals are minor groove pieces for uninspired guitar and synth beats, but at least they don't have to carry the exceptionally lame lyrics of the other seven songs. The songs come with neatly groomed layered voices. We tend to classify this sort of soul fluff as easy listening, but easy playing is more like it. It's not like anyone can actually listen."^[2]

Track listing

First edition (2003)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Six Play"	Mike Clark, John Fiore, Joshua P. Thompson	4:13
2.	"Whole Man"	Hakim Bell, William Irving, Shoshyne, Hasan Smith, Joshua P. Thompson	3:52
3.	"Irreplaceable"	Mike Clark, John Fiore, Joshua P. Thompson	4:17
4.	"Loving Is Better Than Leaving"	Mike Clark, Joe Thomas, Joshua P. Thompson	4:15
5.	"Strings of Love"	John Fiore, Allan Rich, Joshua P. Thompson, Philip White	3:27
6.	"Cell Phone"	Randy Beasley, Joshua P. Thompson, Stephanie Thompson	4:12
7.	"Black Rose"	Joe Thomas, Joshua P. Thompson	4:40
8.	"Stairway to Love"	Olivia Longott, Quincy Patrick, Joshua P. Thompson	4:20
9.	"Reason for Breathing"	Scott Andrews, Quincy Patrick, Joe Thomas, Joshua P. Thompson, Warren Wilson	4:50
10.	"Missing You"	Tim Kelly, Bob Robinson, Joe Thomas, Joshua P. Thompson	3:22

Second edition (2004)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Irreplaceable"	Mike Clark, John Fiore, Joshua P. Thompson	4:17
2.	"Cell Phone" (Remix by Paul Brown & DC)	Randy Beasley, Joshua P. Thompson, Stephanie Thompson	3:44
3.	"Black Rose" (Remix by Joshua P. Thompson & John Roper)	Joe Thomas, Joshua P. Thompson	4:40
4.	"Take You Out"	Warryn Campbell, Harold Lilly, John Smith	3:54
5.	"Strings of Love"	John Fiore, Allan Rich, Joshua P. Thompson, Philip White	3:28
6.	"Missing You"	Tim Kelly, Bob Robinson, Joe Thomas, Joshua P. Thompson	3:22
7.	"Six Play" (Remix by Paul Brown & DC)	Mike Clark, John Fiore, Joshua P. Thompson	4:04
8.	"Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise"	Sigmund Romberg, Oscar Hammerstein II	3:58
9.	"Stairway To Love" (Remix by Paul Brown & DC)	Olivia Longott, Quincy Patrick, Joshua P. Thompson	3:59
10.	"Arizona Sunrise"	George Benson, Paul Brown, Thomas Klemperer	3:58

Personnel and credits

Musicians

George Benson – lead vocals, backing vocals (1-4, 6-10), electric guitar (1, 3, 7), lead guitar (2, 5, 8, 10)
Joshua Paul Thompson – keyboards (1, 3, 5), acoustic guitar (1-4, 7, 10), bass (1, 6), drum programming (1, 3), vocal arrangements (1-8, 10), synth bass (3), harmony guitar (5), guitar (6), strings (7)
Joe Thomas – keyboards (4), electric guitar (4), keyboards (4), drum programming (4), backing vocals (4, 6), vocal arrangements (4, 6)
Bill Blast – electric piano (2)
Melvin Lee Davis – Hammond B3 organ (2)
Bobby Douglas – keyboards (6, 7, 9)
Georg Wadenius – rhythm electric guitar (2), electric guitar (8), guitar (9)
Richard Bona – bass (2-10), percussion (4, 8), chant (5), vocal arrangements (5)
David "Pic" Conley – drum programming (1, 3, 5, 6, 8), flute (7)
Hakim Bell – drum programming (2)
Ali Jackson – drum programming (7, 9, 10), live cymbal (9), live hi-hat (10)
Mike Hobbs – finger snaps (1)
Grégoire Maret – harmonica solo (8)
Terry Carpenter – backing vocals (1, 3), additional vocal arrangements (1)
Philip White – backing vocals (1, 3, 5), vocal arrangement (1, 3, 5)
Chyna Royal – lead vocals (1)
Hasan Smith – backing vocals (2, 7), vocal arrangement (2, 7)
Randy Beasley – backing vocals (3)
Nakiea – lead vocals (3)
Shoshannah – lead vocals (4)
Andrea Simmons – lead and backing vocals (6)
Sean Albrecht – backing vocals (9)
Lisa Fischer – backing vocals (8), vocal arrangement (8)
Carlos Ricketts – backing vocals (9, 10), vocal arrangements (10)
John Fiore – backing vocals (9)

Production

Producers – Joshua Paul Thompson (Tracks 1, 3, 5-10); Hakim Bell and William Irving (Track 2); Joe Thomas (Track 4).
Recorded and Mixed by John Roper at Tallest Tree Studio (West Orange, NJ).
Mastered by Tom Coyne at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
Album Coordinators – Kelly Pratt and Robert Silverburg
Art Direction – Hollis King
Design – Rika Ichiki
Photography by Kwaku Alston, David Alan Brandt and Donna Ramieri.
Management – Dennis Turner and Stephanie Guervitz-Gonzalez for Turner Management Group, Inc.

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References

↑ Widran, Jonathan. George Benson: Irreplaceable > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
1 2 Hull, Tom (September 28, 2004). "September 2004 Notebook". tomhull.com. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
↑ Hull, Tom (September 28, 2004). "Jazz Consumer Guide (2): The Caribbean Tinge". The Village Voice . Retrieved June 25, 2020– via tomhull.com.

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[1] Widran, Jonathan. George Benson: Irreplaceable > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved May 12, 2013.

[Hull2-2] 1 2 Hull, Tom (September 28, 2004). "September 2004 Notebook". tomhull.com. Retrieved June 26, 2020.

[Hull-3] Hull, Tom (September 28, 2004). "Jazz Consumer Guide (2): The Caribbean Tinge". The Village Voice . Retrieved June 25, 2020– via tomhull.com.

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v t e George Benson
Discography
Studio albums	The New Boss Guitar of George Benson It's Uptown The George Benson Cookbook Giblet Gravy Shape of Things to Come Goodies Tell It Like It Is The Other Side of Abbey Road Beyond the Blue Horizon White Rabbit Body Talk Bad Benson Good King Bad Benson & Farrell Breezin' In Flight Livin' Inside Your Love Give Me the Night In Your Eyes Pacific Fire I Got a Woman and Some Blues 20/20 While the City Sleeps... Collaboration Twice the Love Big Boss Band That's Right Standing Together Absolute Benson Irreplaceable Givin' It Up Songs and Stories Guitar Man Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole Walking to New Orleans
Live albums	In Concert-Carnegie Hall Weekend in L.A.
Compilations	Space The George Benson Collection The Greatest Hits of All The Very Best of George Benson: The Greatest Hits of All The Essential George Benson
Singles	"This Masquerade" (1976) "Breezin'" (1976) "The Greatest Love of All" (1977) "On Broadway" (1978) "Love Ballad" (1979) "Give Me the Night" (1980) "Love X Love" (1980) "What's on Your Mind" (1980) "Never Give Up on a Good Thing" (1981) "Turn Your Love Around" (1981) "Inside Love (So Personal)" (1983) "Lady Love Me (One More Time)" (1983) "Feel Like Makin' Love" (1983) "In Your Eyes" (1983) "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You" (1985) "Shiver" (1986) "Teaser" (1986) "Let's Do It Again" (1988)