October 2002

Twenty six years after the release of his debut solo album, First Course, guitarist Lee Ritenour is back in action with a new album on GRP / Verve that sums up his colorful career. Blending straight-ahead acoustic jazz and funky fusion, the twelve cut album is seasoned with Ritenour’s fretboard mastery. According to the guitarist, “The idea behind Rit’s House is creating a collective expression of both of these types of music, while incorporating some of the Brazilian styles I’ve also enjoyed exploring.” For the upbeat and extremely listenable Rit’s House, Ritenour is joined by top jazzers like Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Marcus Miller (bass) and George Duke (Fender Rhodes). Highlights include covers of “Mizrab” written by guitar legend Gabor Szabo and Gary McFarland’s “13”. The jazzy vibe of Rit’s House derives it’s inspiration from ‘60s guitar greats like Joe Pass and Howard Roberts (both of whom Ritenour studied with) as well as modern virtuosos like Beck, Clapton and Larry Carlton. Looking back on Rit’s House, Ritenour adds, “It was as enjoyable an experience as making my first album 26 years ago. That’s a good barometer of the enthusiasm I still have for making the music I love.”
www.vervemusicgroup.com/grp

Keyboard virtuoso Derek Sherinian teams with guitar ace Tony MacAlpine and percussionist Virgil Donati for the latest CD from Planet X on Inside Out Music America. Inspired by the spirit of ‘70s jazz-rock (Return To Forever and Bill Bruford) at it’s best, the group layers their rapid fire performance with a cutting edge, high-tech studio shine and it’s off to the races. Even more over the edge than Sherinian’s superb 2000 solo album Inertia, the 2002 release of Moonbabies will trigger a flurry of interest with Fusionphiles. According to Sherinian, “Because Planet X has total creative control we are able to be completely unrestrained in our creativity, and set the new standard for the genre.” Assisted by several key bass players—and produced by drum legend Simon Philips—Moonbabies packs an out of sight and quite enormous musical punch. www.insideoutmusic.com 

Currently the musical director for the 2002 UK tour of the Buddy Holly musical, Buddy, guitarist Steve Gibb also found time to release an excellent guitar instrumental album this past year called ZigZag. Influenced by early ‘60s guitar heroes such as Duane Eddy and Hank Marvin, the U.K. native and current New Jersey resident graduated from the Royal Academy in London. Although a skilled classical guitar player, he never forgot his rock roots and it all pays off nicely on ZigZag. Featuring Gibb’s electric and acoustic guitars, bass, percussion banjo and mandolins, the instrumental, 12 track ZigZag features various drummers while also adding in background vocals from Steve’s wife Emily Wells. Anyone interested in striking, melodic electric guitar-based instrumental pop albums should check out the fascinating and highly entertaining ZigZag.
www.stevegibb.com

Both Ben Marvin and Warren Bennett come from rock royalty. They are, in fact the sons of two founding members of U.K. instro rock superstars The Shadows—Hank Marvin and Brian Bennett. Like his dad, Ben is a fine electric guitarist and like his dad, Warren is fine drummer, although Warren’s main instruments are guitar and keyboards. A concept album of sorts, the all instrumental Zookeeper finds Ben and Warren driving home memorable pop and rock instro workouts with titles like “Elephant”, “Owl”, “Cow” and “Frog In A Frightened City”. Deftly performed by both musicians, the album sounds great, in part thanks to some nifty mixing by long time Hank Marvin and Roy Wood engineer Dick Plant. Zookeeper transcends guitar genres and wildly succeeds with a parallel Shadows-inspired sound for the 21st century. www.leosden.co.uk

Guitarist Jan Davis has a musical lineage that dates back to the ‘60s and an affiliation with The Ventures and B. Bumble & The Stingers. Years later, in 2000 he finally acted on his love of Flamenco guitar and released Rock ‘N’ Flamenco with his group Jan Davis & The Spain Gang. A veritable 'Picasso' of the modern day guitar, Davis throws in the whole kitchen sink on Rock ‘N’ Flamenco. An “In your face” mix of Flamenco guitars, bass, drums, congas, violins and horns, Rock ‘N’ Flamenco takes the whole flamenco guitar genre to another level. The all instrumental 18 track CD is brilliantly conceived and performed with Davis bridging numerous musical genres with impeccable ease.
www.artists.mp3s.com/artists/438/jan_davis.html

After an eight year wait, acoustic guitar master Steve Tibbetts returns with an amazing 2002 album on ECM Records. The home of seasoned guitar virtuosos like Terje Rypdal and Ralph Towner, ECM is noted for their experimental and atmospheric jazz albums, and Tibbetts—while also a master of the rock and New Age idioms—remains right at home there. Recorded while the guitarist was awaiting wrist surgery following an accident at his Minnesota home, A Man About A Horse is quintessential Tibbetts. A mix of deeply penetrating and highly processed acoustic and electric guitars and wildly exotic percussion, the album is clearly one of his best. Tibbetts harnesses much of the album’s energy himself, receiving like-minded support from several players including his long time percussionist Marc Anderson. A fascinating foray into the realm of modern ambient music, A Man About A Horse is just the kind of acoustic / electric guitar album that Jimi Hendrix (or say, Robert Fripp) would love.
www.ecmrecords.com / www.frammis.com