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Lee Ritenour is one of my favorite Jazz guitarist. The selections on “Smoke n” Mirrors” is outstanding. This is one of those albums that you can put on and hit the repeat button. I find myself more in the mood for a lot of the old stuff and there is a clip included in this posting of Lee back in 1990.
On a side note, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and my wife and I will be taking in the Brian Culberson “Christmas Tour” this Sunday evening. I plan on featuring a couple Jazz Christmas albums here on Doc’s if I find the time.
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The latest CD by Rit, "Smoke n' Mirrors," is a musical journey from which you don't want to leave! Influenced by his recent trips to South Afica, and by his son's interest in percussion instruments, this album cooks from beginning to end. Unlike many guitarists who deconstruct songs so that the melody is lost, there are times I think Rit is a song-writer like Burt Bacharach - but with a guitar. The album has a little of everything without losing continuity. The title track sets the tone. The hand-clapping toward the end is pulsating! Then, Capetown begins with a James Taylor-like acoustic guitar intro and morphs into a South Afican vibe with a splash of funk. Rit cranks of the volume; the scorching octave volume on "Spellbinder"; the electric volume on "Motherland" (which would be awesome music set to highlights of, say, the Tour de France; and the Al Di Meola-like volume on "4 1/2 Storm" with bassist Richard Bona adding scat vocals! Want to joyfully journey back to the 80s? "Forget Me Nots" does just that! Buy this and be happily fulfilled! 21 &12
I've been listening to Lee Ritenour since the early 80's and love most everything he has done. This CD brings back some memories of older days which frankly I prefer and the sound quality is amazing. Several of the songs are dashboard banging upbeat tunes that are very unique, uplifting and infectous. Highly recomend. My only question to Lee is when are you going to tour again?? - H. Davis “Jazzman”
Stolen Moments – Lee Ritenour and Brian Bromberg
Smoke N Mirrors – Lee Ritenour (That’s Dave Grusin on Keyboards)
On a side note, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and my wife and I will be taking in the Brian Culberson “Christmas Tour” this Sunday evening. I plan on featuring a couple Jazz Christmas albums here on Doc’s if I find the time.
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The latest CD by Rit, "Smoke n' Mirrors," is a musical journey from which you don't want to leave! Influenced by his recent trips to South Afica, and by his son's interest in percussion instruments, this album cooks from beginning to end. Unlike many guitarists who deconstruct songs so that the melody is lost, there are times I think Rit is a song-writer like Burt Bacharach - but with a guitar. The album has a little of everything without losing continuity. The title track sets the tone. The hand-clapping toward the end is pulsating! Then, Capetown begins with a James Taylor-like acoustic guitar intro and morphs into a South Afican vibe with a splash of funk. Rit cranks of the volume; the scorching octave volume on "Spellbinder"; the electric volume on "Motherland" (which would be awesome music set to highlights of, say, the Tour de France; and the Al Di Meola-like volume on "4 1/2 Storm" with bassist Richard Bona adding scat vocals! Want to joyfully journey back to the 80s? "Forget Me Nots" does just that! Buy this and be happily fulfilled! 21 &12
I've been listening to Lee Ritenour since the early 80's and love most everything he has done. This CD brings back some memories of older days which frankly I prefer and the sound quality is amazing. Several of the songs are dashboard banging upbeat tunes that are very unique, uplifting and infectous. Highly recomend. My only question to Lee is when are you going to tour again?? - H. Davis “Jazzman”
Stolen Moments – Lee Ritenour and Brian Bromberg
Smoke N Mirrors – Lee Ritenour (That’s Dave Grusin on Keyboards)
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2 comments:
Hey Doc. I just wanted o say thanks for mentioning Lee's Smoke and Mirrors CD. I've been a big fan of Lee's since the mid 70's and have been listening to a few of his albums recently as well...most notably The Captains' Journey, First Course and Captain Fingers. I also have the full broadcasts of the two YouTube clips featured and I watch them regularly. He's a great talent and a very strong composer and I'm glad to see that he hasn't fallen in popularity like a lot of the 70's session cats. John Tropea, Dave Spinozza and Carlos Rios to name a few. While they are still on the scene, their "brand" has taken a hit in the public eye, so to speak. Thanks again for the post and I'm digging the blog. Take care and all the best.
Lyle
I think I mentioned to you that Harlequin is a great album as well. Legendary Brazilian vocalist Ivan Lins collaborated with Ritenour and Dave Grusin on that one.
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