Jazz master George Benson [ tickets ], who hasn't released a new album in nearly three years, is stringing together a series of tour dates that stretch into November.

Benson's schedule includes a May 16 performance at the Verizon Music Festival in New York City. The three-day event will also feature Erykah Badu, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater and others.

Benson released his most-recent album, "Absolute Benson," in May of 2000. The singer-guitarist sang on only three of the album's nine tracks, and left the rest as instrumentals.

According to his official website, Benson has been in the studio as of late, recording the follow-up to "Absolute Benson." No release date has been announced.

Though his recording career dates back to the mid-'50s, Benson didn't rise to fame until the 1976 release of "Breezin'." The album spawned the Top 10 hit "This Masquerade."