Eight-time Grammy Award winner George Benson treated a near-capacity crown at Birmingham NIA to a rare musical odyssey through his near-peerless jazz career.

The 65-year-old, still going strong and having battled through many a different musical era, was dressed smartly in a sharp black shirt and trousers, equipped with his trademark guitar.

A typically laid-back gig with a few more uptempo numbers on provided fans with the chance to dance in the aisles.

This was a complete homage to a career than has spanned the best part of four decades, from straight-up jazz to the more commercially-sounding r’n’b he was belting out in the 80s with some of the industry’s leading producers such as Quincy Jones.

Benson is famous for moving with the times, updating his jazz for a contemporary audience.

Many of his greatest hits have been covered by a number of rock royalty, with Benson’s music also used in the ultra-cool Grand Theft Auto computer games.

Benson now moves on to a two-day stint at the historic Royal Albert Hall, in London.

Review by Lee Perry. Picture copyright of Jason Sheldon.