Lee Ritenour -][- RHYTHM SESSIONS – [Concord Records, 2012] –

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Composer, Concord Records, Dave Grusin, Demetrius Nabors, George Duke, Guitarist, Hans de Wild, hick Corea, Lee Ritenour, Marcus Miller, Michael Feinberg, Producer, Selim Munir, Stanley Clarke, Wesley Ritenour

Lee Ritenour, RHYTHM SESSIONS

Lee Ritenour -][- RHYTHM SESSIONS – [Concord Records, 2012] –

In a career that spans five decades and more than 40 albums, guitarist Lee Ritenour has developed a keen understanding of the symbiotic balance between the frontman and the supporting players, between the wisdom of experience and the enthusiasm of youth. On Rhythm Sessions, he surrounds himself with a cadre of high-profile veterans and promising newcomers all of whom reaffirm the vital role played by the rhythm section in any worthwhile musical endeavor.

Lee Ritenour Announces 2nd Annual Guitar Competition

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Guitar, Jazz, Lee Ritenour, Yamaha Six String Theory Guitar Competition

Lee Ritenour

Back by popular demand, Lee Ritenour has announced the launch of the second annual Yamaha Six String Theory Guitar Competition, in partnership with the Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation and the National Guitar Workshop. Entries will be accepted from February 15-April 30 for rock, blues, jazz/fusion, acoustic, classical/flamenco and country guitar players. Six winners from each musical genre will be invited to Montana for the finals and will receive scholarships to participate in The Crown of the Continent Guitar Workshop. The final competition will take place in conjunction with the workshop’s activities and is scheduled for Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at the Bigfork Performing Arts Center. The event will be open to the public.

The contest is the inspiration of the legendary GRAMMY award winning guitarist/composer and producer, Lee Ritenour, who debuted the international competition in 2010 with the release of his all-star guitar CD, “6 String Theory.” The CD has been named Guitar International’s “Best Album of 2010, ” Jazziz’ “Publisher’s Album of the Year – and culminated in Ritenour recently receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from Guitar Player Magazine. The CD features 20 world-class guitarists including George Benson, BB King, Slash, Vince Gill, Robert Cray, and the winner of the 2010 competition Shon Boublil.

Prizes for this year’s competition include a weeklong stay at Flathead Lake Lodge in Bigfork for a family of four, a potential Concord Records recording contract, a National Guitar Workshop scholarship, as well as many other prizes from Yamaha Guitars, Monster Cable, D’Addario Strings, and others. Competitors are required to send an online video submission.

..:: SOURCE: Jazz News ::..

New Releases [Jazz] … for the Week of 6/28/2010

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Eric Darius, Jazz, Lee Ritenour, New Releases

Greetings’ jazz aficionados, I’m back with an intricate canvas of what’s -cool- and maybe not so –cool– from a optimistic perspective we don’t usually find in the diet of the chromatic pop music culture. The origin of new music featured each week encompasses various branches of jazz, which exudes a wealth of complex and distinctive styles, insinuating textures, immaculate melodies, and relentless rhythms exalted by the definitive voices of creative artists serves up sounds to quench our immutable thirst for quality music.

Featured Album of the Week-6

Lee Ritenour - 6 String Theory

Lee Ritenour -|- 6 String Theory – [Concord Records, 2010]

It’s hard to believe that 2010 marks 50 years since Lee Ritenour starting playing the guitar, setting in motion a career that legends are made of. A career that has earned him 19 GRAMMY® nominations, a GRAMMY Award, numerous #1 spots on guitar polls, A Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian SJ Awards, and the prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” award from USC. During his illustrious career, he has recorded over 40 albums, with 35 chart songs and was a founding member of the group Fourplay, considered the most successful group in contemporary jazz.

As a young guitarist his diverse musical style became the foundation of over 3,000 sessions, covering a broad spectrum of artists ranging from his first session at 16 with the Mamas and Papas, to Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Simon & Garfunkel and Frank Sinatra. On his latest endeavor, 6 String Theory, Ritenour celebrates the instrument that has allowed him this blessing, the guitar; -by producing and assembling a star-studded tribute with the greatest and soon- to- be greatest guitarists of our time. —Concord Records

Flux Music Essentials … [Hargrove, Grusin/Ritenour, Porter, Sanchez & Spalding]

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Dave Grusin, Dave Sanchez, Esperanza Spalding, Gregory Porter, Lee Ritenour, Roy Hargrove

Flux Music Essentials

Greeting’s jazz lovers, I’m back with another tasty serving of who’s who in the world of jazz from the shelves of “Flux Music Essentials.”

Esperanza Spalding, Esperanza

Esperanza Spalding -|- Esperanza – [Heads Up International, 2009]

In recent memory, not many artists can claim victory to the promise land with a splash as the gifted Esperanza Spalding has conquered with her voice of duality as a bassist and vocalist. While petite in stature, as silly as it is some might let this distract them from paying attention to her music. At present, this admirable young lady retains her spot as an incomparable talent that transcends her twenty-three years beyond what jazz enthusiast’s might expect from her sophomore and debut record “Esperanza” on Heads Up International.

On these gorgeous collection of songs, Esperanza’s signature swells with detailed and rhythmic symmetry combined with her adoring voice equals utter splendor to any listener who enjoys a potent injection of jazz coupled with an abundance of Brazilian/Latin music.

Esperanza attaches herself to a core of A-list artist on this record including flamingo guitarist Nino Josele, percussionist Jamey Haddad, and drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez along with Naw-leans saxophonist Donald Harrison. —Rob Young

Flux Music Essentials … [Childs, Coltrane, Hiromi, e.s.t. & Ritenour]

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Billy Childs, e.s.t., Hiromi, Jazz, Lee Ritenour, Ravi Coltrane

Flux Music Essentials

Whass up jazzy people, it’s great to be back in the groove with a few more titles from the shelves of Flux Music Essentials … on today, I’ve got one of my favorite pianist Billy Childs and his Grammy Winning masterpiece titled “Lyric.” As you know, fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane stirs up the pot with the infallible “In Flux” his 2005 project. A fascinating pianist/keyboardist from Japan named Hiromi rips the eighty-eights like nobodies business on her mind numbing release “Time Control.” Europeans jazz enthusiast sorely misses one of the finest innovative pianist in the world named Esbjörn Svensson and his Trio release “Viaticum.” Finally, a gentleman who’s synonymous when it comes to modern guitar Lee Ritenour and his 1993 tribute – “We Bound” on GRP Records to the most influential guitarist in the world Wes Montgomery.

Billy Childs Ensemble - Lyric

Billy Childs Ensemble | Lyric (Jazz Chamber Music Vol-1) – [Lunacy Music/ArtistShare, 2002]

After about two decades of releases as a leader, Billy Childs continues to produce cutting edge performances of his compositions and arrangements at the highest level of musicianship. This latest recording is his most solid work as a leader. It is worth a listen for anyone who is interested in serious music with lyric qualities.

For the past several years, Billy has not released any CDs with himself as a leader that primarily feature his own compositions, but “In Carson’s Eyes” gets things off to a hypnotically beautiful start by telling a musical story that is full of brilliant intricacies. “Goodbye, Friend” and “Prelude in Bb Major” both demonstrate his uncanny ability to move effortlessly between classical music and jazz while at times seeming to give a nod of acknowledgement to Pat Metheny. “Into the Light” is a Grammy Award winning composition that demonstrates a torrent of virtuosity and unpredictable intensity that would be worthy of an artist whose skill reminds the listener of Chick Corea without sounding like Chick Corea in any way.

Lee Ritenour -|- 6 String Theory

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Concord Records, Guitar, Jazz, Lee Ritenour

Lee Ritenour - 6 String Theory

Lee Ritenour -|- 6 String Theory – [Concord Records, 2010] – Release Date: 29 Jun 2010

It’s hard to believe that 2010 marks 50 years since Lee Ritenour starting playing the guitar, setting in motion a career that legends are made of. A career that has earned him 19 GRAMMY® nominations, a GRAMMY Award, numerous #1 spots on guitar polls, A Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian SJ Awards, and the prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” award from USC. During his illustrious career, he has recorded over 40 albums, with 35 chart songs and was a founding member of the group Fourplay, considered the most successful group in contemporary jazz. As a young guitarist his diverse musical style became the foundation of over 3,000 sessions, covering a broad spectrum of artists ranging from his first session at 16 with the Mamas and Papas, to Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Simon & Garfunkel and Frank Sinatra. On his latest endeavor, 6 String Theory, Ritenour celebrates the instrument that has allowed him this blessing, the guitar; -by producing and assembling a star-studded tribute with the greatest and soon- to- be greatest guitarists of our time.

Lee Ritenour | Wes Bound

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African American, Guitar, Jazz, Lee Ritenour, Tribute to Wes

Funny thing, Wes Bound the tribute still resonates in my heart as being one of the finest salutes to the most influential guitar players of the modern jazz era Wes Montgomery. Ironically, this homage is more then just blowing smoke to say it’s done but it comes to us by another master guitarist in his own right Lee “Captain Fingers” Ritenour. With each listen, I venture to say Ritenour’s performance and near flawless tone mirrors to perfection the colors, shapes and textures of this stellar collection of songs as if they were his own confirming why his recordings are admired by his contemporaries and fans alike. ~ The Urban Flux

Lee Ritenour | Wes Bound [GRP Records, 1992] – The Weekend Spin

Lee Ritenour

This album was my first exposure to both Lee Ritenour and Wes Montgomery. Who could ask for anything more? Ritenour gives a stunning tribute to one of the greatest jazz guitarists ever to fret a chord. Montgomery always seemed to be playing effortlessly while always keeping the listener entertained by his rhythms and solos.

Ritenour splits the album by covering Montgomery for half the songs and spends the other half composing songs in the style of Montgomery. Ritenour’s covers have a bit of artistic freedom as he colors the songs to his own style of playing. This album sounds more like a tribute to Ritenour’s hero instead of someone flat out copying the songs note for note.

All of these songs are strictly instrumental (except for “Waiting In Vain“, which really doesn’t fit in with the other songs of the album). Ritenour’s licks are fast, varied and entertaining. He has the classic L5 sound throughout the album that just screams jazz. The backing band gives the album more of a smooth jazz feeling, but Ritenour’s playing stands out. – Russell Diederich

Source: Amazon.com