I don't know what's more unbelievable: that I found this CD for $2 on a clearance shelf or that I didn't already have this smooth jazz gem. It's a solid album and ten times more interesting than anything Rit was doing with Fourplay at the time.
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart
Peak on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart: #4 (ironically kept from moving higher by a Fourplay album, among others)
Tracks: Today I'm digging the pseudo-reggae title track, the laid-back Can You Feel It? (with a nice solo from Bob James), a fantastic take on Sonny Rollins' Alfie's Theme (with a show-stealing B3 solo from Ronnie Foster), Ooh-Yeah, and an interesting extended re-do of Dreamwalk, which originally appeared on Rit. There's a couple of vocal tracks on here, a Ritenour original and a Randy Newman cover, and while vocal cuts on an otherwise instrumental album normally distract me, these seem to sequence perfectly. The only misstep is an attempt at turning Gabriel Fauré's Pavane into a jazz chart. It's a beautiful piece and might have worked as a solo acoustic track, but this moody mid-tempo arrangement does nothing for me, even with an Ernie Watts solo.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I got to see Mr. Ritenour play a short set at last year's Jazz’SALive festival in Travis Park. He played a track from this release (Ooh-Yeah) along with other favorites. However, he never dipped back to the early '80s to play any Westcoast/AOR tunes although I was hoping Eric Tagg would walk out for a special reunion appearance. Alas, 'twas not to be, but a great show nonetheless. Rit's son, Wes, who I'm guessing is named after Wes Montgomery and appears on the above album cover, played drums at the concert and more than held his own.
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| September 22, 2018 |
Previously revisited for the blog:
Rit's House (2002)
Larry & Lee (1995)
Stolen Moments (1990)
Festival (1988)
Harlequin (1985)
On The Line (1983)
"Rit" (1981)
Rio (1979)
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