Lee Ritenour - 2006 - Smoke 'n' Mirrors

Type: Studio Album
Genre: Smooth Jazz / Crossover Jazz
Original Release: 2006 Peac Records (Aug 22, 2006)
Audio CD Release: 2006 Peac Records [PKD-30018-2]
Audio CD Release: 2006 JVC Victor [61381]
Audio CD Release: 2007 Astra Records [0888072300187]
Total Playtime: 01:10:55

01. [05:09] Smoke 'n' Mirrors
02. [04:41] Capetown
03. [06:14] Southwest Passage
04. [03:55] Waters Edge
05. [05:16] Blue Days (Dias Azuis)
06. [05:50] Spellbinder 
07. [02:17] Memeza
08. [06:43] Povo
09. [05:58] Lovely Day
10. [05:21] Township
11. [04:46] Forget Me Nots
12. [04:42] Stone Cool
13. [04:27] Motherland
14. [05:34] 4 1/2 Storms
...[CD'2006 I.E. Music [2937] with bonus tracks]
15. [__:__] Wes Nile 

Source [FLAC.tracks.cue] : simple.i = http://torrents.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2410756

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Featuring:
 - Lee Ritenour - Synthesizer, Guitar (Acoustic), Arranger, Composer, Guitar (Electric), Keyboards, Programming, Producer, Engineer, Liner Notes, Executive Producer, Mixing, Synthesizer Bass, Audio Production, Guitar (Baritone)
- Patrice Rushen - Organ, Piano, Arranger, Composer, Vocals (bckgr), Fender Rhodes
- Richard Bona - Bass (Electric), Guitar (Bass), Vocals, Clapping, Shaker, Scat
- Alex Acuna - Percussion, Bongos, Conga, Drums, Clapping
- Sheila E. - Percussion, Korg Wave Drum, Sound Effects
- Steve Tavaliogne - Soprano Saxophone, EWI, Alto Flute
- Danilo Caymmi - Flute
- Dave Grusin - Piano
- Daniel Jobim - Keyboards, Vocals
- Erik Pilani Paliani - Guitars
- John Patitucci - Acoustic Bass
- Brian Bromberg - Bass (Acoustic), Bass (Upright)
- Melvin Davis - Electric Bass
- Abraham Laboriel - Electric Bass
- Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums, Clapping
- Wesley Ritenour, Oscar Seaton - Drums
- Eric Ferguson - Percussion Programming
- Paulinho da Costa, Tlale Makhene - Percussion
- Mea Noite - Percussion
- Alberto Lopez - Wood Percussion
- Satnam Ramgotra - Tablas
- Bryan Taylor - Hand Claps
- Joyce, Zamajobe - Vocals
- Phutuma Tiso, Nondumiso Zondeki, Tita Lima - Background Vocals

Credits:
- Abbey Anna - Art Direction
- Adam Barber - Audio Preparation
- Riku Campo - Grooming
- Mark Wexler, Andi Howard - Executive Producer
- Bill Withers, Gabor Szabo, Freddie Hubbard - Composer
- Daniel Jobim - Arranger, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Vocals (bckgr), Producer
- Gary Lee - Photography, Technician, Librarian, Transcription
- Heidi Meyer - Production Coordination, Photography
- Randee St. Nicholas, Billy Mims - Photography
- Don Murray - Engineer, Mixing
- Andrew Pham - Art Direction, Package Design
 - Doug Sax - Mastering

Recorded at Sunset Sound and Starlight Studios (Jan 2006-May 2006)

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Billboard Charts:
- 2006 - Top Contemporary Jazz #6

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- Review by Unnown Reviewer 1
В 2006 году джазовый гитарист Lee Ritenour выпустил новый альбом "Smoke 'N' Mirrors". Для его записи Lee пригласил более двадцати музыкантов, в т. ч. пианиста Dave Grusin, добавившего акустических пассажей композиции "Southwest Passage", а так же южноафриканскую вокальную сенсацию Zamajobe, спевшую в трёх композициях. Именно путешествие в Южную Африку и выступление на джазовых фестивалях в Йоханнесбурге и Кейптауне в 2005 году, по признанию самого музыканта, повлияло на процесс возникновения нового альбома. И поэтому, в данном альбоме отчётливо прослушиваются не встречавшиеся ранее в его творчестве африканские мотивы. Lee Ritenour продолжает успешную сольную карьеру со времени ухода в 1998 году из популярного джазового квартета Fourplay. В своих композициях он часто совмещает акустический джаз, рок, фанк, блюз, реггей и бразильскую музыку. В сочинении "Smoke 'N' Mirrors" гитаристу помогал бразильский композитор Daniel Jobim, внук известного джазового композитора Antonio Carlos Jobim. Совместно с ним была создана композиция "Blue Days".

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- Review by Unnown Reviewer 2
Первое, чем впечатляет новый альбом Ли Ритенауэра – это масштабность. К работе над проектом Ли привлек столько партнеров, что условно их можно разделить на две группы – знаменитости и очень интересные незнакомцы. Если говорить о первых, то это мощная команда басистов, прекрасные пианисты Дэйв Грузин и Патрис Рушен, опытнейший перкуссионист Алекс Акуна. Из второй группы прежде всего надо отметить молодую южноафриканскую певицу Замаджобе. У себя на родине она стала открытием 2005 года. Ли познакомился с ней во время своих гастролей в ЮАР и немедленно пригласил к сотрудничеству. В итоге Замаджобе не только украсила альбом своим самобытным вокалом, но и принесла в него свою собственную композицию Memeza. Очень любопытно было познакомиться в композиции Blue Days c Даниэлем Жобимом, внуком знаменитого бразильского короля босса новы. Ну и, наконец, не обошлось без семейственности: к пьесе Stone Cool приложил руку 13-летний сын автора проекта Уэсли Ритенауэр. В целом же, помимо американцев, над проектом работали музыканты из Камеруна, ЮАР, Бразилии, Колумбии, Перу и Индии.
Сам Ли при исполнении четырнадцати композиций, вошедших в альбом, использовал двенадцать гитар – цифра просто удивительная! Но дело, конечно же, не в цифрах. Виртуоз гитары, один из мировых лидеров гитарного smooth – джаза показал, что он, несмотря на уже почти тридцатилетнюю карьеру в музыке, и сейчас находится в блестящей творческой форме. Последние десятилетия его имя справедливо называли среди представителей такого направления, как crossover джаз. Это не синоним smooth – джаза, а скорее его разновидность. Новый альбом показывает, что Ли, оставаясь в этих рамках, все более интересуется этническими мотивами. В Smoke N’Mirrors к уже привычным для него бразильским влияниям добавились еще и африканские. На мой взгляд, это пошло альбому только на пользу. Даже если вы прохладно относитесь к smooth – джазу, этот диск, думаю, доставит вам немало удовольствия.

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- Review by Matt Collar - allmusic.com
Featuring a bevy of world music guests, guitarist Lee Ritenour's Smoke 'N' Mirrors is a stylish, joyous, and laid-back multicultural affair. Among the guests are Brazilian vocalist and keyboardist Daniel Jobim, South African vocalist Zamajobe and guitarist Erik Pilani Paliani, West African bassist Richard Bona, as well as such well-known contemporary jazz icons as pianist Dave Grusin, bassist John Patitucci, percussionist Sheila E., and others. Judiciously, Ritenour has made room for a wide musical palette including funky jams, melodic soul vocal tracks, inspired rhythmic passages, and of course straight-ahead jazz improvisation. While this is an impeccably crafted effort in the tradition of past Ritenour albums, it never comes off as anything less than organically heartfelt. 

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- Review at http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=25882
With a deep admiration for Wes Montgomery and a penchant for Brazilian music, Lee Ritenour is one of the most prolific guitarists in modern jazz. Whether as a front man, sideman or member of a group, "Captain Fingers can always be counted on for quality music. A Grammy winner, Ritenour has performed or recorded with several jazz, pop and R&B acts throughout his career, including Steely Dan, Bob James, Tony Bennett, The Mamas and the Papas and the Brothers Johnson, and he was a founding member of the super-group Fourplay. Among his classic recordings are "Is It You, "Harlequin, "Portrait, "Night Rhythms and the Brazilian-themed "Rio Funk.
Ritenour continues his tradition of excellence with Smoke 'n' Mirrors. He is joined by a stellar lineup that includes, among others, Patrice Rushen, John Patitucci, Vinnie Colaiuta and Ritenour's son Wesley. The album mixes a handful of covers with several original compositions, including the title song, "Stone Cool, which he co-wrote with Wesley, and a few tributes to South Africa.
"Smoke 'n' Mirrors starts things off with Ritenour playing true to form on the electric guitar, supported by bassists Melvin Davis and Richard Bona, Colaiuta, Alex Acuna and Sheila E. Daniel Jobim, grandson of legendary Brazilian musician and songwriter Antonio Carlos Jobim, wrote, performs lead vocals and plays keyboards on the elegant "Blue Waters (Dias Azuis)," also featuring fellow Brazilian Paulinho Da Costa on percussion, Dave Grusin on piano and Patitucci on acoustic bass.
Ritenour does justice to the Freddie Hubbard classic "Povo. Rushen gives this selection some extra juice with her Fender Rhodes piano solo. The track closes with a percussive showcase with Sheila E. on percussion and Oscar Seaton on drums. The track is followed by a cover of Bill Withers' "Lovely Day, led by vocalist Zamajobe. The last of the covers is a delightful take on Rushen's own "Forget Me Nots. Led by Zamajobe, it features a brief African rhythm interlude, with Rushen on background vocals, Fender Rhodes and an organ solo.
The album ends with three originals, starting with "Stone Cool, followed by "Motherland and "4 1/2 Storms. Ritenour is in perfect form throughout, although the guest musicians and vocalists are more out front than usual. Smoke 'n' Mirrors is Lee Ritenour, but it's also the excellent cast of supporting performers—a formula that works well.

Personnel: Lee Ritenour: arrangements, acoustic, electric guitars, baritone guitar, acoustic hi-strung guitar, synth bass, keyboards and programming; Melvin Davis: six-string electric bass (1, 9), electric bass (8, 11, 13); Richard Bona: electric bass fills, hand claps (1), electric bass (2, 4, 10, 14), shaker (4), vocal scat (14); Vinnie Colaiuta: drums (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 14), hand claps (1); Alex Acuna: bongos, hand claps (1), congas (2, 14), percussion (3, 4, 6, 10), drums (5, 12); Sheila E.: Korg wave drum (1, 14), hand claps (1), percussion (8, 11), sound effects (14); Brian Taylor: hand claps (1); Eric Ferguson: percussion programming (2); Dave Grusin: acoustic piano (3, 5, 9); John Patitucci: acoustic bass (3, 5); Paulinho Da Costa: percussion (3, 5); Daniel Jobim: lead and background vocals, keyboards (5); Joyce: lead vocals (5); Danilo Caymmi: flutes (5); Brian Bromberg: acoustic bass (6); Satnam Ramgotra: tablas (6, 10); Zamajobe: vocals (7, 9, 11); Erik Pilani Paliani: acoustic and electric guitars (7), background vocals (9), rhythm guitars (9, 11); Phutam Tiso and Nondumiso Zondeki: backing vocals (7); Wesley Ritenour: drums (7); Tlale Makhene: percussion (7); Alberto Lopez: wood percussion (7); Patrice Rushen: Fender Rhodes piano (8, 11, 12), organ solo and background vocals (11); Oscar Seaton: drums (8, 11, 13); Tita Lima: background vocal effects (9); Steve Tavliogne: soprano saxophone, EWI and alto flute (10); Abraham Laboriel: electric bass (12); Mea Noite: percussion (13).