Lee Ritenour - Rit's House

Styles: Fusion
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:50
Size: 141,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Module 105
(4:59)  2. "13"
(5:23)  3. Mizrab
(5:37)  4. 78th & 3rd
(5:03)  5. Rit's House
(5:13)  6. A Little Dolphin Dreamin'
(4:00)  7. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
(5:13)  8. Condor
(5:09)  9. Olinda
(6:22) 10. Night Owl
(4:18) 11. Party Time
(5:58) 12. Just Listen

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   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/rits-house-mw0000221004

Rit's House

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