Lee Ritenour-Collection (1991)

Lee Ritenour's artistic career is as impressive as it is extensive. For over five decades, this Los Angeles born jazz guitarist has explored a vast array of styles, from jazz to Caribbean sounds and rock. In his early days in the late 1960s, he played with Tony Bennett's band, and a few years later released his first solo album, "First Course" (1976). In the following years, he showcased his guitar prowess with enigmatic works such as "Captain Fingers" (1977), "The Captain's Journey" (1978), and "Rio" (1979). By the mid-1980s, Ritenour had signed with GRP Records, releasing some of his finest jazz fusion albums. Albums like "Harlequin", a collaboration with Dave Grusin, won a Grammy Award in 1985. Other albums such as "Earth Run", "Portrait", "Festival", and "Color Rit" are equally significant contributions. After his time with GRP, Lee Ritenour continued releasing albums with various jazz labels such as Verve and Concord, including "Two Worlds", where he collaborated again with Dave Grusin. Many of these albums received Grammy Award nominations, seventeen in total, while also pursuing a solo career as a session musician, contributing to over three thousand recordings for artists like Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, B.B. King, and Frank Sinatra. In the early 1990s, he formed the fusion band Fourplay with Bob James, Nathan East, and Harvey Mason, releasing three studio albums. Before his departure from GRP, the album "Collection" was released, an excellent sonic document showcasing his outstanding work between 1979 and 1991, reaching number seven on Billboard's contemporary jazz charts.