The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Posts 26 to 43 of 43
  1. #26

    User Info Menu

    I'd say it's the smooth jazz thing that doesn't get mentioned on a mostly straight ahead jazz guitar forum.
    There's some very talented players in that genre like Norman Brown, Nick Colione, Paul Jackson jr, etc., oh, and some cat named Benson when he chooses to and who also happens to be one of the main players those guys emulated when you think about it.
    I don't listen to smooth jazz but there are some excellent players.

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

    User Info Menu

    Could be that his diversity as a guitarist is the reason his name doesn't come up often here.

    In terms of music genres, he has a massive wingspan. Six String Theory is one album that illustrates that to the nines. He recorded jazz tunes with Scofield, Stern, Martino, Benson, and DeFrancesco; blues with Taj Majal, Bonamassa, Cray, and BB King; rock with Lukather, Slash, and Schon; and acoustic guitar with Andy McKee. I have left out numerous others ...

    I make a point to catch Lee's shows whenever he is in town. He is one of my favorite guitar players. I count 10 of his albums in my music library.

  4. #28

    User Info Menu

    I grew up on Ritenour seeing him at The Baked Potato back when he was 21 or so. Had a table right next to his parents and had a nice chat with them. Lee and I were in the head with Lee in front of me. On the wall was 'Joe Pass pissed here'. After Lee was 'done' he said "I'm not sure I should be here then!'. I told him he was ready, because he was. His early stuff was full of energy and I didn't classify it as smooth jazz (but yea he wasn't playing standard). The band was great with Patrice Russian on piano, Harvey Mason on Drums and Abe Loboriel on bass.

    I had to order coffee to meet the 2 drink minimum since I wasn't 21. Great times. Since I got into that jazz-thing from Beck's Blow-by-Blow, Lee's music was a good fit. But as I progressed backwards towards Tal, Jimmy, Barney, Wes, Grant,,,,, I stop paying much attention to the type of jazz Lee etc... were making. I did see Lee about 20 years after that, and the event was nice but it was a mix of various styles and for me the favorite part was when he played an archtop in the style of Wes.

  5. #29

    User Info Menu

    He is obviously a great player. Volumes could be written on how he and Larry Carlton have managed to have very successful careers spanning 4 decades despite not being vocalists.

    Being able to change with the times...that’s the key.

  6. #30

    User Info Menu

    He's a great player, so far beyond me it's not even funny, but can you recognize his playing if it comes on the radio/playlist/stream? Honestly I can't. I can hear some track and think there's some really accomplished playing there, and it will be Ritenour. But I've never learned to recognize a playing identity, the way I can pick out contemporaries like Carlton or Ford. Maybe that's a limitation of mine, but if I had to point to a thing that keep him for getting the recognition he perhaps should, it's that lack of identity.

  7. #31

    User Info Menu

    Not me, Ritenour is very reconizable to me.

    In my teens in the 1970s I saw Ritenour many times, and listened to him a lot. I also had all his albums. He does have a certain vocabulary and feel that I recognize.

  8. #32

    User Info Menu

    "Lee Ritenour??? That guy sounds like he should be wearing a damn Bunny Suit when he plays". ~ Scott Henderson.

    LOL

    The merits of his playing not withstanding, that quote always cracks me up.

    Cheers

  9. #33

    User Info Menu

    Lee has an album with Carlton..Larry & Lee...and there are some UTUBE vids of them playing together...a study in contempory guitar styles..

    He is not recognized as a "jazz" player..like Carlton his style embraces a wide variety of music..and if he wanted to he could just play jazz ..now many consider his
    recent music "soft jazz" and yep he is played of soft jazz stations..but every so often I do hear him on a "real jazz" preset...

    over the years I have seen many takes of Lee..he can play crunchy hard rock with the best of them and be authentic...from acoustic nylon to a modded les paul..

    he has played with many top jazz icons and is respected ...and like Larry Carlton..he does his own style and tours around the world with top players

    I try to incorporate some of his "feel" in my playing..when it happens its a joy to be able to play it...
    Last edited by wolflen; 05-09-2020 at 07:00 PM.

  10. #34

    User Info Menu

    Boss City


  11. #35

    User Info Menu

    And when he was 16:


  12. #36

    User Info Menu

    Lee's "Stolen Moments" and "Wes Bound" CD's get played rather often around here, as does my Gibson Lee Rit L-5 Signature.

  13. #37

    User Info Menu

    Those are my two favorite Ritenour CDs as well. I wish he'd do another more straight ahead jazz project. Lee certainly has the chops.

  14. #38

    User Info Menu

    Can definitely play but the Scott Henderson quote comes to mind in the first clip posted here. Just an opinion.

  15. #39

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Rhythmisking
    …. I had an SG 2000 for a while as well; great guitar but just too darn heavy.
    revstars (with fixed bridges) gravitate around 8 pounds, mine is 3.74 kg, easily acceptable

  16. #40

    User Info Menu

    Funny, I forgot about this thread, this is probably what originally got me interested in the Revstar. I got the Rs620 and its my favorite guitar. The "dry switch" seems to just be a high pass filter and cleans up the low end, by the time you get to the third E note and higher, I can't hear an affect of the switch. When I mix my tracks I'm pretty much always putting a high pass filter on all my guitars anyways.

  17. #41

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by fep
    And when he was 16:

    I saw Ritenour at the Baked Potato in West Hollywood many times. He was around 20 or so. One night I go with a few friends. I get a table. One of my friends sits at the choices table in the joint. It has a "reserved" sign on it. Joking I tell my friend "hey, that table is reserved for Lee's parents". Well a few minutes before the show is too start, a couple come in and are taken to that table. My friend is told to leave because that table is for Lee's parents! The clown has to stand in the back all night because we didn't have any room at our table.

  18. #42

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by wintermoon
    I'd say it's the smooth jazz thing that doesn't get mentioned on a mostly straight ahead jazz guitar forum.
    There's some very talented players in that genre like Norman Brown, Nick Colione, Paul Jackson jr, etc., oh, and some cat named Benson when he chooses to and who also happens to be one of the main players those guys emulated when you think about it.
    I don't listen to smooth jazz but there are some excellent players.

    See also Andy Brown.

  19. #43

    User Info Menu

    [EDIT] Someone told me on FB. Its

    What is the name of the first tune here. Thanks.
    Last edited by velja; 04-11-2023 at 04:52 PM.