"Breezin'" | ||||
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Single by Gábor Szabó and Bobby Womack | ||||
from the album High Contrast | ||||
B-side | "Azure Blue" | |||
Released | April 1971 (United States) 1972 (Netherlands) |
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Format | 7" single | |||
Recorded | December 1970 | |||
Genre | Crossover jazz, Soul jazz | |||
Length |
3:11 (Album full length) 3:03 (Edit single version) |
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Label | Blue Thumb Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bobby Womack | |||
Producer(s) | Tommy LiPuma | |||
Gábor Szabó singles chronology | ||||
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Bobby Womack singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Breezin'" by Gábor Szabó (1971) on YouTube |
"Breezin'" | ||||
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Single by George Benson | ||||
from the album Breezin' | ||||
B-side | "Six To Four" | |||
Released | September 1976 | |||
Format | 7" single, 12" single | |||
Recorded | January 1976 | |||
Genre | Smooth jazz, Soul jazz | |||
Length |
5:40 (Album full length) 5:20 (Edit single version) |
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Label | Warner Bros. Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bobby Womack | |||
Producer(s) | Tommy LiPuma | |||
George Benson singles chronology | ||||
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Breezin' track listing | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Breezin'" by George Benson (1976) on YouTube |
"Breezin'" is an instrumental song composed by American singer and musician Bobby Womack. It was originally recorded in December 1970 by the influential Hungarian jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó, in partnership with Womack himself. The song was originally released in 1971 on the Szabó's album High Contrast. The song was released as a single in April 1971 in the United States and in 1972 in the Netherlands. The single reached No. 43 on the R&B chart the same year. "Breezin'" was produced by Tommy LiPuma.
The "Breezin'"s full length on the Szabó's album High Contrast is 3:11. The length of only 3:03 is an edited version of the single.
Five years later after Gábor Szabó's original recording, the song became even better known for a successful re-recording by singer and guitarist George Benson, whose 1976 cover was the title track of his album Breezin'. His version was recorded in January 1976 and released as a single in September of the same year, entering for the American charts. Coincidentally, his cover as well as his complete album Breezin' were also produced by Tommy LiPuma. The album and single were released by Warner Bros. Records.
In 1977, Gábor Szabó complained to the audience about George Benson's success with "Breezin'", during an engagement at the Catamaran Hotel in San Diego. Szabó indicated that he had recorded this song before Benson and accused Benson of having plagiarized his arrangement. He expressed disdain for Benson's success with his arrangement that Szabó himself had created.