Lee Ritenour - 1981 - Rit

Type: Studio Album
Genre: Smooth Jazz / Crossover Jazz
Original Release: 1981 Discovery Records
Audio CD Release: 1981 Discovery Records [71013]
Audio CD Release: 2009 Warner Music Japan [WPCR-13456]
Total Playtime: 00:36:40

01. [03:29] Mr. Briefcase
02. [04:14] (Just) Tell Me Pretty Lies
03. [04:48] No Sympathy
04. [04:29] Is It You
05. [01:48] Dreamwalk
06. [04:26] Countdown (Captain Fingers)
07. [03:43] Good Question
08. [04:09] (You Caught Me) Smilin'
09. [04:09] On the Slow Glide
10. [01:59] No Sympathy (Reprise)

Source [APE.image.cue] : Vesna80 = http://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3206840

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Featuring:
- Lee Ritenour - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Arranger, Composer, Guitar (Electric), Special Effects, Vocals, Guitar (Synthesizer), Producer, Executive Producer, Vocoder
- John Pierce, Louis Johnson, David Hungate, Abraham Laboriel, Sr. - Bass
- Michael Boddicker - Synthesizer
- Richard Tee, Don Grusin, Greg Mathieson - Keyboards
- Bill Champain - Vocals
- Gary Grant, Chuck Findley - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
- Jerry Hey - Trumpet, Arranger, Flugelhorn
- Lou McCrary, Charles Loperá Bill Reichenbach Jr. - Trombone
- Harvey Mason, Sr. - Percussion, Arranger, Drums, Producer, Digital Drums
- Steve Forman, Paulinho da Costa - Percussion
- Jeff Porcaro, Alex Acunaá Rick Shlosser - Drums

Credits:
- Kevin Rice - Producer
- Humberto Gatica, Ralph Osborne, Don Murray - Engineer
- Eric Tagg, Bill Champlin - Composer, Vocals, Lyricist
- Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart - Composer
- David Foster - Arranger, Keyboards, Producer
- Johnny Mandel - Arranger, String Arrangements
- Kathy Morphesis, Ron Coro - Art Direction
- Joe Garnett - Logo Design
- Aaron Papoport - Photography

Recorded at Sunset Sound, Monterey Studio, Kendun Records, Santa Barbara Sound, Davlin Studio
Produced by Harvey Mason, David Foster, Lee Ritenour

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- Review by Thom Jurek - allmusic.com
Session ace Lee Ritenour once more employs the cream of L.A.'s studio crop to come up with a drab, utterly unimaginative slab of nondescript pop. With guest vocalists like Eric Tagg and Bill Champlin (who also contribute as composers), Ritenour and his cohorts -- among them Jeff Porcaro, Harvey Mason, David Foster, Alex Acuna, and Richard Tee -- craft a pristine sonic foray into early-'80s production styles without a memorable song in ten. This is especially exasperating considering that Ritenour had the audacity to cover Sly Stone's "(You Caught Me) Smilin'" and murder it. Simply lifeless and dreadful.

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- Review to 24bit digital remastering reissue
Everybody knows that there are many albums of Lee Ritenour to be reviewed. Having said so, among AOR/Westcoast lovers, this album should be the highest priority CD to be listened because of its production with David Foster. Otherwise, this is the best Eric Tagg featured albums. Mr. Briefcase", the opening track of this album is really the masterpiece tune. Generally, this album is well-known for "Is It You"? which reached #15 position on the US chart.
This album has been reissued on CD several times. Probably, the first reissue was done in 1994 by Discovery Records, USA. Therefore, most of this blog readers seems to possess this album already on CD like me. And there is not necessary for you to read how this album is awesome. Comparing 2007's 24 bit digital remastered CD with the 1994 release, the 2007 CD is far better in terms of clearness and powerfulness. Worth considering whether you will replace this masterpiece now!
Label: Warner Music Japan (WPCR25049) (Original Release: Elektra Records, USA)
Release Date: June 27, 2007 (Original Release: 1981)