Lee Ritenour:  August 1st - 2nd   jazz cafe 

World leading Jazz guitarist & Grammy Award winner plays exclusive show with fusion all star line up.

Lee Mack Ritenour, was born 11 January 1952, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Starting at the age of 16, Ritenour played his first session with The Mama’s and the Papa’s. Two years later he was backing Tony Bennett and Lena Horne .Know as “Captain Fingers,” Ritenour became a sought-after session player in the mid-70’s. Starting in 1976, at the age of 24, he began his own solo career which now includes over 30 albums and collaborations. Although heavily influenced in his early days by the relaxed styles of Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass and Barney Kessel, he now has his own distinctive sound and fluid style. Along the way, Ritenour has received 17 Grammy nominations, earned several gold albums, numerous #1 spots in guitar polls and the prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” award from USC. In 1981, he scored the pop15 hit “Is It You,” featuring vocalist Eric Tagg, which has also become a smooth jazz radio classic. He joined GRP Records in 1985 after recording for Electra the previous 7 years. At that time, he recorded the magnificent “Harlequin” album with GRP co-owner Dave Grusin. It was nominated for 4 Grammy”s and won 1 that year.

In the early 90’s, Ritenour teamed up with Bob James, Harvey Mason and bass player Nathan East under the name of Fourplay, who has released a number of soul/jazz/funk fusion albums for Warner Brothers Records. The first Fourplay album in 1991 spent an unprecedented 33 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart.

In 1993, Ritenour topped the Billboard jazz chart with his accomplished tribute to Wes Montgomery. In 1997, Ritenour was a founding partner of i.e. Music at Polygram Records. The first release on i.e. music was a “Twist of Jobim” paying tribute to the great Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. In 2000, he and Dave Grusin returned to their classical roots with “Two Worlds,” which remained on Bilboard’s classical charts for 51 weeks. His latest release Smoke N’ Mirrors was Inspired by his very first trip to South Africa in 2005, where he performed five hugely successful concerts at festivals in Johannesburg and Capetown, with Smoke N’ Mirrors, Ritenour takes an expansive, polyrhythmic approach, working with musicians from South Africa, Cameroon-West Africa, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and India.

Keyboardist/singer/songwriter/arranger/musical director Patrice Rushen has had an outstanding career with several Top Ten R&B hits, including “Haven’t You Heard,” “Forget Me Nots,” “Feels So Real,” and “Watch Out.” “Forget Me Nots” was the basis of Will Smith’s “Men in Black” from the blockbuster movie of the same name on Big Willie Style.

Lee Ritenour - Guitar

Patrice Rushen - Keys

Melvin Davis - Bass

Will Kennedy - Drums

And a good night was had by us all…

Melvin Davis pictured below in the middle of the Bass pack,

A master of the Bass Guitar a good friend and a brother in Christ..

Keep doing what you do..

God Bless.

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And here is a treat for you,

Lee Ritenour, George Duke & Marcus Miller

- It’s On, Ramsey lewis Legends of Jazz…

click video Link below to view…

Melvin Lee Davis interview

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Our Gigs attended (the Bass Pack) so far this year

2008..

The journey,             june 21st

George Benson,        july 1st

Victor Wooten,         july 5th

Return 2 Forever,     july 21st

Chaka Khan,             july 22nd

Lee Ritenour,           August 2nd

Stevie Wonder,         September 8th

Mark King(Level 42), October 19th

Music Live,               November 8-10th

Bass Day U.K. 2008,  November 9th

Richard Bona,           November 12th