Search - Lee Ritenour :: Rit

"Rit" Strikes California Gold!

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 04/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The early 80's was a period of exceptional recordings in the jazz/pop/funk genre of music,many of them even with high honors. And for sure "Rit" is among them. With Richard Tee and Greg Phillinganes as keyboard backup and David Foster helping Lee produce this album,the result was tremendous. For the 1981 release date the ideas are musically and often technologically crisp and the production style has held up amazingly well. Having released a series of well received jazz-pop styled instrumental albums in the late 70's Lee chose this time out to embrace R&B/funk into his sound,featuring the then new singer Erif Taff-a guy whose voice was in the Stevie Wonder/Ronnie Laws vein of early 80's soul vocalists. Together they give up the funk right away with the witty

"Mr'Briefcase" and "Just Tell Me Pretty Lies".Being Lee Ritenour is still a guitar player he finds time to insert a little mini instrumental on the dreamy "No Sympathy",Eric's vocals chiming in about midway through to add to the moody ambience."Is It You?"-yes it's very commercial and typical of urban pop at the time but along with George Duke's "Sweet Thing" or Al Jarreau's "We're In The Love Together" not a bad one. Rit throws in two full instrumentals in his traditional style on "Dreamwalk" and "You Caught Me Smilin" but the real treat here is "Countdown (Captain Fingers");now this is a very innovative tune that sounds very very ahead of it's time with it's use of vocorder and electro funk elements;if there was ever a genre such as "funk pop/rock electro fusion" this would be it's poster child for sure!On "Good Question" Lee actually rocks out a bit on a tune that is fairly reminisant of something Toto might've come up with during the same era.A last urban vocal tune "On The Slow Glide" leads to the concluding reprise of "No Sympathy",really an instrumental version. Of the many Lee Ritenour releases this is one that shows the most variety and excellence;the songwriting and production are consistantly strong from start to finish and the playing (Lee AND his fellow musicians) is consistantly creative and appealing at the same time. If poppy R&B styles and funky grooves are not a problem for you,this album will be destined to become a gem of your music collection and is a sure fire keeper!"