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Lee Ritenour made his name in the late 70s as part of the GPR set up lead by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen but this is his chance to get in on the all-star act as his guests include B.B. King, Robert Cray, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal, John Scofield, George Benson, Slash, Steve Lukather, Vince Gill, Johnny Lang, Joey DeFrancesco, Andy McKee, Pat Martino, Joe Robinson, Neal Schon, Mike Stern, Joe Bonamassa, Tomoyasu Hotei, Gutherie Govan and many more.

What a collection of guitarist’s guitarists on the one part and musicians that have shaped the history of popular music on the other; all on one album. It could be messy and brown nosed affair you think? Far from it, 15 tracks featuring different guitarist solos/combinations on various genres of 6-string music.

You’d guess that jazz would be the most prominent with his background but he’s clearly a big fan of the blues. Obviously BB King can do no wrong (‘Why I Sing The Blues’), Robert Cray and Joe Bonamassa do a fine rockin’ blues version of Tracy Chapman’s ‘Give Me One Reason’ and Keb’ Mo’ & Taj Mahal combine on ‘Am I Wrong’.

Arguably, the best track is the opener that’s a mix of blues rock jazz fusion, a guitar duel between Ritenour and John Scofield (also check Scofield at his best on The Metropole Orkest/Vince Mendoza album 54) that’s a superior jam as they ‘Lay It Down’ with the skill and easy of true legends.

After Grant Green and Ritenour, the biggest name in jazz guitar is George Benson (one for fans of Wes to discuss) and Benson gets to play on two tracks with the up-tempo groovin’ acid jazz version of ‘Moon River with Joey DeFrancesco on organ being yet another stand out track. And DeFrancesco stars on another highlight in this mode as Ritenour and Pat Martino exchange leads and solos on ‘L.P. (For Les Paul)’; for the record, Ritenour plays a Gibson Les Paul Custom ‘59 Re-issue amongst many other guitars.

So who is missing? Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, JJ Cale, Nguyên Lê, Charlie Hunter, James Whiting, Nicolas Meier, Billy Jenkins; you’ll have you own list of great players of the world’s most popular instrument that could have made the gig. But he has chosen well as those that have, really work to make this a team project, when ego’s could have run away with themselves.

And whilst mentioning Beck (that’s Jeff, not the other one), for those who loves his Blow By Blow/Wired period, rock your jazz-socks off to ‘Freeway Jam’ and ‘Fives’ with (“British rock/fusion phenomenon) Guthrie Govan and Tal Wilkenfeld (on bass). Both are fantastic and they each renew your faith in axes and axe heroes.

Then you can’t get much more of axe icon than Slash (panned centre) on ‘68’ with Steve Lukather (1st solo, left) and ‘Neal Schon (2nd solo, right) that surprisingly fits in rather well on the CD.

This doesn’t sound like smooth GRP jazz sound and you’d be right. But to cover that one, there’s a dreamy electric/acoustic track ‘Shape Of My Heart’ that’s fit for soft rock FM. Not to be left out there’s some acoustic trickery with Australian Joe Robinson (‘Daddy Longlicks’) and the set ends on a classical piece with Shon Boublil (the winner of a complimentary X-Factor style competition for guitarists to perform on a track on the finished project: and congrats to him as he’s only 16).

Subscribers to Guitarist magazine will know all these guys, what guitars they play, the amps they use and their plectrums of choice but what’s best about the latest in approximately 3000 of Ritenour’s recording sessions and his 40 album appearances is that Lee Ritenour’s 6 String Theory is all about the music.

A suitable celebration of Ritenour’s 50 year anniversary of playing the instrument his loves and and that’s why we all sing the blues.

Reviewed: Lee Ritenour - Lee Ritenour’s 6 String Theory (Concord Records) Cat. No. CRE-31911-02 Release date: 23rd August 2010.
Tracklisting:
1. Lay It Down
2. Am I Wrong
3. L.P. (For Les Paul)
4. Give Me One Reason
5. “68”
6. In Your Dreams
7. My One And Only Love
8. Moon River
9. Why I Sing The Blues
10. Daddy Longlicks
11. Shape Of My Heart
12. Drifting
13. Freeway Jam
14. Fives
15. Caprices, Op. 20, Nos. 2 and 7.

Links:
www.leeritenour.com
www.myspace.com/leeritenour