Patrice Rushen was also among the honorees, while guests included Herb Alpert and legendary songwriter Mike Stoller.

(L-R) Mike Stoller and George Benson Hugo Chinchay

Ten-time Grammy Award winner George Benson is the 2026 recipient of the Tommy LiPuma Award for Recording Excellence. The honor was presented by the Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) during its fundraising event at Vibrato Grill Jazz in Los Angeles on Sunday (Nov. 1).

The evening’s additional lifetime achievement honorees included four esteemed musicians saluted together as Titans of Jazz: pianist/NEA Jazz Master Patrice Rushen (also known for her 1982 R&B/dance hit “Forget Me Nots”), saxophonist Azar Lawrence (whose credits include Elvin Jones and Miles Davis), bassist Henry “The Skipper” Franklin (Roy Ayers, Hugh Masekela) and drummer Roy McCurdy (Cannonball Adderley, Ella Fitzgerald).…