Lee Ritenour - Rit's House (2002) flac

Tracklist:

[4:32] 01. Lee Ritenour - Module 105
[5:01] 02. Lee Ritenour - 13
[5:27] 03. Lee Ritenour - Mizrab
[5:38] 04. Lee Ritenour - 78th And 3rd
[5:05] 05. Lee Ritenour - Rit's House
[5:14] 06. Lee Ritenour - A Little Dolphin Dreamin'
[4:02] 07. Lee Ritenour - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
[5:14] 08. Lee Ritenour - Condor
[5:11] 09. Lee Ritenour - O'linda
[6:24] 10. Lee Ritenour - Night Owl
[4:19] 11. Lee Ritenour - Party Time
[6:00] 12. Lee Ritenour - Just Listen

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ABOUT THE ALBUM
1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
Total length: 01:02:00
Main artist: Lee Ritenour
Composer: Various Composers
Label: GRP Records Inc.
Genre: Jazz
© 2002 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
℗ 2002 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Creatively, Lee Ritenour has had his ups and downs over the years. Many of the guitarist's commercial pop-jazz efforts have wasted his skills as an improviser; when Ritenour is catering to NAC/smooth jazz radio, improvisation is the usually the first thing to go. But when Ritenour does have a chance to stretch out, he can be an appealing improviser. Although quite accessible, Rit's House is among his more memorable and substantial efforts. This 2002 release has a soul-jazz/post-bop outlook that often recalls the late '60s and early '70s; for the most part, it is the sort of album that guitarist Grant Green would have been comfortable recording during that era. But Ritenour's guitar playing owes a lot more to Wes Montgomery, who is obviously his primary influence on Gabor Szabo's "Mizrab," as well as original tunes like "78th & 3rd" (which features organist Joey DeFrancesco) and the dusky "Olinda." One of the CD's best tracks has nothing to do with jazz: "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." Featuring former Doobie Brothers vocalist Michael McDonald, this interesting remake of the Police's 1981 hit is not only a departure from the rest of the album -- it is also a big departure from the original version. While the Police's version was up-tempo pop/rock, Ritenour and McDonald transform "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" into an adult contemporary/quiet storm ballad. That track is the CD's only vocal offering; the rest of Rit's House is instrumental. Arguably, 1992's Wes Bound is still Ritenour's best studio album -- certainly from a jazz perspective. But this CD is also respectable, and those who enjoyed hearing the guitarist stretching out on that mostly straightahead disc will also find a lot to enjoy about Rit's House.

© Alex Henderson /TiVo




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