Lee Ritenour

Recognized to fans as “Captain Fingers” for his unusual dexterity on your guitar, Lee Ritenour is really a observed jazz artist and session musician that has been among the leaders in his field because the early ’70s. Blessed in LA, California on January 11, 1952, Ritenour used your guitar when he was eight yrs . old, and made a decision to make music his profession when he was 12. Ritenour’s parents had been supportive of his ambitions, and organized for him to review with among the better guitar instructors in Southern California. At 15, he became a member of a rock-band known as the Esquires, so when John Phillips noticed Ritenour at the job, he asked him to try out on the next session with the Mamas as well as the Papas; it had been the very first record time for the 16-year-old guitarist. While Ritenour’s preferences had been eclectic and he caused several rock and spirit artists, he previously a special interest for jazz, citing Wes Montgomery as an integral impact, and within a couple of years he was playing esteemed gigs with famous brands Lena Horne and Tony Bennett. Ritenour had taken time faraway from his profession to wait the School of Southern California, where he examined classical acoustic guitar under Christopher Parkening, but he came back to operate after two-and-a-half years. From the middle-’70s, Ritenour was among the best session music artists in LA, lending his abilities to albums by famous brands Steely Dan, Green Floyd, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Natalie Cole, the Bee Gees, and Quincy Jones, in addition to jazz tasks with Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie, Alphonso Johnson, and Stanley Turrentine. Ritenour also acquired a keen curiosity about Brazilian and Latin noises; he toured with Sergio Mendes in 1973, and documented with Flora Purim, Gato Barbieri, and Paulinho Da Costa. In 1976, Ritenour stepped in to the spotlight along with his initial single album, First Training course, a refined jazz-pop work released by Epic Information. After reducing four albums for Epic, Ritenour transferred to the Elektra-distributed Breakthrough imprint with 1978’s The Captain’s Trip, the to begin seven albums he’d trim for Elektra and its own offshoots. In 1985, Ritenour documented Harlequin with pianist Dave Grusin; both would become regular collaborators, and Grusin’s GRP label would discharge the lion’s talk about of Ritenour’s single work well in to the 21st hundred years. In 1990, Ritenour performed on the periods for Bob Adam’ record Grand Piano Canyon, alongside bassist Nathan East and drummer Harvey Mason; the music artists enjoyed working jointly a lot they formed an organization, and Ritenour, Adam, East, and Mason released their first record as Fourplay in 1991. The Fourplay record was a substantial commercial achievement, and Ritenour would cut two even more LPs using the combo, 1993’s In bed and 1994’s Elixir, before exiting the group, with Larry Carlton acquiring his place. While Ritenour preserved a busy plan with his single function and his tasks with Dave Grusin and Bob Wayne, he continued to accomplish frequent session function (it’s been approximated Ritenour has performed on 3,000 different recordings) in addition to performing live all over the world. In 2005, Ritenour transformed labels, liberating his recording Overtime with Concord Information, and this year 2010, he released Six String Theory, where he collaborated having a diverse selection of fellow guitarists, including B.B. Ruler, George Benson, Keb’ Mo’, Pat Martino, and so many more. 2012 discovered Ritenour liberating another collaborative work, Rhythm Sessions, including several stellar guest performers (Dave Grusin, Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Chick Corea, and Patrice Rushen included in this) combined with the winners of the musical skill competition Ritenour structured this year 2010. In 2015, Ritenour came back having a Twist of Rit, which presented new tracks, plus reworkings of slashes off his 1975 debut, Initial Program, and 1981 providing, Rit.