Monterey International - Lee Ritenour Bookings

Growing up in L.A. in the 60’s, Grammy
award winning guitarist Lee Ritenour
received a rich cross section of exposure
to jazz, rock and Brazilian music. From
one of his first sessions at 16 with the
Mamas and Papas to accompanying Lena
Horne and Tony Bennett at 18, his forty
year eclectic and storied career is
highlighted by a Grammy Award win for
his 1986 collaboration with Dave Grusin,
Harlequin; 17 Grammy nominations;
numerous #1 spots in guitar polls and the
prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” award
from USC. He has recorded over 40
albums, with 35 chart songs, notably the
Top 15 hit “Is It You,” which has become
a contemporary jazz radio classic. In the
90s, Ritenour was a founding member of
Fourplay, the most successful band in
contemporary jazz, with keyboardist Bob
James, bassist Nathan East and drummer
Harvey Mason. The first Fourplay album
in 1991 spent an unprecedented 33
weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s
contemporary jazz chart. Adding to this
legacy is his latest CD Smoke ‘n’
Mirrors; the recently completed Grammy
nominated recording Amparo, (a followup
with Dave Grusin to their highly successful
2001 Grammy Award nominated contemporary classical
crossover CD) and producer of Gordon
Goodwin’s Big Phat Band’s latest CD
Act Your Age (which is nominated for 3
Grammys.

It’s been a long road since the seventies,
when Ritenour’s legendary Tuesday
night appearances at the famed Baked
Potato, with a band including Dave
Grusin, Patrice Rushen, Harvey Mason
and Ernie Watts became part of the
musical landscape for five years. Eric
Clapton, Jeff Beck, George Benson, Al
Jarreau, Joe Sample, and even Bob
Dylan and Joni Mitchell could be seen in
the audiences that would pack the house
till the wee hours of the morning. From
rock to blues to jazz, his diverse music
became the foundation of over 3,000
sessions as a young guitarist with a broad
spectrum of artists such as Pink Floyd
(The Wall), Steely Dan (Aja), Dizzy
Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson,
B.B. King, Frank Sinatra, Simon &
Garfunkel, Ray Charles, Peggy Lee,
Aretha Franklin and Barbra Streisand.
Not to forget the dazzling array of talent
appearing on his solo works and
collaborations, notably-- Phil Collins,
Brazilian greats Ivan Lins, Caetano
Veloso, Djavan and Jao Bosco, George
Benson, Chaka Kahn, Herbie Hancock,
Michael McDonald and opera great
Renee Fleming.


	Lee Ritenour Generally Available Responsible Agent: Paul Goldman + View Upcoming Dates + www.leeritenour.com + Myspace Page Growing up in L.A. in the 60’s, Grammy award winning guitarist Lee Ritenour received a rich cross section of exposure to jazz, rock and Brazilian music. From one of his first sessions at 16 with the Mamas and Papas to accompanying Lena Horne and Tony Bennett at 18, his forty year eclectic and storied career is highlighted by a Grammy Award win for his 1986 collaboration with Dave Grusin, Harlequin; 17 Grammy nominations; numerous #1 spots in guitar polls and the prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” award from USC. He has recorded over 40 albums, with 35 chart songs, notably the Top 15 hit “Is It You,” which has become a contemporary jazz radio classic. In the 90s, Ritenour was a founding member of Fourplay, the most successful band in contemporary jazz, with keyboardist Bob James, bassist Nathan East and drummer Harvey Mason. The first Fourplay album in 1991 spent an unprecedented 33 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart. Adding to this legacy is his latest CD Smoke ‘n’ Mirrors; the recently completed Grammy nominated recording Amparo, (a followup with Dave Grusin to their highly successful 2001 Grammy Award nominated contemporary classical crossover CD) and producer of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band’s latest CD Act Your Age (which is nominated for 3 Grammys. It’s been a long road since the seventies, when Ritenour’s legendary Tuesday night appearances at the famed Baked Potato, with a band including Dave Grusin, Patrice Rushen, Harvey Mason and Ernie Watts became part of the musical landscape for five years. Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, George Benson, Al Jarreau, Joe Sample, and even Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell could be seen in the audiences that would pack the house till the wee hours of the morning. From rock to blues to jazz, his diverse music became the foundation of over 3,000 sessions as a young guitarist with a broad spectrum of artists such as Pink Floyd (The Wall), Steely Dan (Aja), Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, B.B. King, Frank Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel, Ray Charles, Peggy Lee, Aretha Franklin and Barbra Streisand. Not to forget the dazzling array of talent appearing on his solo works and collaborations, notably-- Phil Collins, Brazilian greats Ivan Lins, Caetano Veloso, Djavan and Jao Bosco, George Benson, Chaka Kahn, Herbie Hancock, Michael McDonald and opera great Renee Fleming. made in chime/PROD Any use of any material on this site, including but not limited to any images, is strictly prohibited without the prior written approval of Monterey International.