Category: Lee Ritenour

Lee Ritenour – Rio (1979)

by Record Facts

Rio is an album by jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour recorded in New York City, Santa Barbara, and Rio de Janeiro. It was released in 1982 in the U.S. on Elektra/Musician Records, then on GRP in 1985 with a different album cover and track sequence.

Recorded by JVC for the Japanese market, first released in the U.S. by Elektra, and now on GRP, Ritenour’s first all-acoustic guitar album was recorded in three far-flung cities with three different bands (how’s that for musical chairs in packs of three?). The New York tracks, which feature Dave Grusin (keyboards) and Marcus Miller on popping bass, have a nice genteel funky flavor not unlike Larry Carlton’s acoustic albums in the next decade. The Rio tracks, with a Brazilian rhythm section and Don Grusin’s keyboards, differ only marginally in feeling, mostly in the use of percussion. Out in Santa Barbara, CA, “Ipanema Sol” sounds even more Brazilian than the Rio tracks, as colored by the flute of Ernie Watts and the percussion battery of Alex Acuna and Steve Forman, while Joe Sample’s “It Happens Everyday” closes the set on a lyrical note. For all of its continent-trotting ways, the record is remarkably unified — thanks in no small part to Ritenour’s intelligent, beautifully felt playing — and makes comfortable listening.

Tracklist

1. “Rio Funk” – 5:10
2. “San Juan Sunset” – 5:37
3. “Rainbow” – 5:48
4. “A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That” – 5:09
5. “Simplicidad” – 4:58
6. “Ipanema Sol” – 5:28
7. “It Happens Every Day” – 5:43

Companies, etc.

Phonographic Copyright (p) – Victor Musical Industries, Inc.
Licensed From – JVC
Manufactured By – Elektra/Asylum Records
Distributed By – Elektra/Asylum Records
Copyright (c) – Elektra/Asylum Records
Recorded At – Estúdios da SIGLA
Recorded At – Santa Barbara Sound Design
Recorded At – A&R Studios
Recorded At – Davlen Sound Studios
Mastered At – The Mastering Lab
Mastered At – A&M Mastering Studios

Credits

Acoustic Guitar, Producer – Lee Ritenour
Bass – Abraham Laboriel (tracks: 6, 7), Luizão Maia (tracks: 3, 5), Marcus Miller (tracks: 1, 2, 4)
Co-producer – Toshi Endo
Drums – Alex Acuna (tracks: 6, 7), Buddy Williams (tracks: 1, 2, 4), Paulinho Braga (tracks: 3, 5)
Engineer – Don Murray, Larry Rosen
Keyboards – Dave Grusin (tracks: 1, 2, 4), Don Grusin (tracks: 3, 5 to 7)
Percussion – Armando Marcal (tracks: 3, 5), Chico Batera (tracks: 3, 5), Jose Da Silva (tracks: 3, 5), Roberto Pinheiro (tracks: 3, 5), Rubens Bassini (tracks: 1, 2, 4), Steve Forman (tracks: 6, 7)
Rhythm Guitar – Jeff Mironov (tracks: 1, 2, 4), Oscar Neves (tracks: 3, 5)
Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Ernie Watts (tracks: 6, 7)

Notes
Released: 1979
Recorded at: Studio Sigla Studio, Santa Barbara Sound, A&R Studio, Davlen Studio
Mastered at: The Mastering Lab and A&M Studio, Hollywood, CA.
Genre: Jazz, jazz fusion
Length: 40:05

Label – GRP, Elektra/Musician

Lee Ritenour – Festival (1988)

cover Festival is an album by American guitarist Lee Ritenour released in 1988, recorded for the GRP label. Festival is a collaboration of New York/LA Jazz musicians and Brazilian musicians. The album reached number three on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart.

Ritenour’s second acoustic album, like his first, has an overall Brazilian theme but this time, he recorded his ensemble of New York, L.A. and Brazilian musicians in one locale, New York City. This is a superior record to Rio, though, because there is a deeper Brazilian feeling to the arrangements, and Lee’s own playing is even more refined and meaningful. “Waiting For You,” a solo track on an acoustic guitar synthesizer, is especially attractive. The core crew consists of a collection of pro’s pros — Ernie Watts on alto and tenor, Dave Grusin or Bob James on keyboards, Marcus Miller or Anthony Jackson on bass, Omar Hakim on drums, Paulinho Da Costa and Carlinhos Brown on percussion — who lay down smooth yet gently grooving backdrops for Rit to ride. Joao Bosco and Gracinha Leporace contribute fascinating Portuguese vocals to the album’s two most appealing and thoroughly Brazilian-flavored tracks, “Latin Lovers” and “Odile, Odila” — and Caetano Veloso brings a softer-focused vocal style to “Linda.”