Jazz being the most spontaneous and improvisational of all musical forms, it's often best appreciated in a live setting, where artistry can take over for commercial considerations and jamming for minutes on end is encouraged.
Lee Ritenour has enhanced his pop-jazz catalog in recent years with projects featuring tunes that would lend themselves to such creative stretching, and so wraps up his long run at GRP with
Alive in L.A., a brilliantly realized, no-overdubs-allowed ensemble date that delves into his diverse interests, from Brazilian to straight-ahead trio jazz and blues. Fans who know him best from his lighthearted radio fare may just be astounded at his chops, which do proud the grand traditions of his idol
Wes Montgomery, and even try to reach a bit beyond. Recorded over three nights at the Ash Grove in Santa Monica, CA,
Ritenour finds a gang of musicians even more explosive than his
Fourplay pals in saxman
Bill Evans (who wails heartily on
Wes Montgomery's odd metered "4 on 6"), keyboardists
Alan Pasqua and Barnaby Finch, and drummer
Sonny Emory.
Rit's clearly in charge, but it's the energetic company he keeps that makes this a hard-grooving, unforgettable date. ~ Jonathan Widran