Takes me back to many thrilling Monday nights back in the 70s at the Baked Potato in North Hollywood, where I'd catch Lee, Ernie Watts, Abe Laboriel, Dave Grusin or his brother Don on keys, Steve Forman and Harvey Mason holding down the rhythm. Some of the best improv and jazz fusion then or to date. Patrice Rushen would often sit in. For those of you who don't know, she had jazz albums out in her teens. Besides her own work, she played keyboards on Jean-Luc Ponty's "Aurora." Great to see them again. My favorite band in those days, freewheeling, notes flying, and you could see them again next week! Check out Lee's early work with this band. Timeless.
I've seen some bad-ass viddies, but THIS has got to be the baddest!!! During my teen years, I was a progressive rock fan (Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and my favorite, Yes!) Until Captain Fingers was my introduction to jazz. Thank you, Lee Ritenour, for changing my life. Patrice knocked me out!
It was indeed Harvey Mason playing on that tune in 1977. I met Harvey Mason in 2008 in my hometown of nowhere, USA. He was in town visiting an old college friend that lives here and is a prominent dentist in town. They came in to listen to my jazz group. I played key bass/piano, there was a drummer and a lady singer. The dentist introduces me to Harvey Mason and says he's an old college buddy. I said, Harvey Mason the drummer? He was flattered that I knew his work. I told him that I loved his playing on the Captain Fingers album and he said, "I remember that album! That was a hard album to make!" I asked him to sit in and he said "No thanks. Love this guy's hands." Our drummer was a guy named Frank Veneziano. RIP, Frank.
Ernie was great with the Doc Severinsen band a few years ago. Funny I didn't miss them not having a guitarist. Lee did play cleaner here than when I saw him last around 1985.
Good grief man you an your section are so inspiring alway love what you do! So many years of amazing playing , you've blessed my ears thanks , cheers to you all!!!
these are immensely talented musicians, I've been listening to Lee since the '70s. These people deserve to make a living like everybody else, however this upload is from the board. I can't imagine how bad these complicated rhythms and melodies sound far back in an outdoor venue. Not conducive to jazz at all. So how do we solve this? I don't know. Ticket prices are an abomination already, charging less people in a smaller venue won't work, the musicians would have to work 24/7 to match what they get for a show like this. Too bad they can't get paid for the recordings like they used to. then tour as much or as lttle as you want. In proper venues. Less money for sports and more for the arts in schools. Do you know how many instruments, instructors and rehearsal space could be bought for the price of a high-school athletic stadium? I don't know either but I bet it's alot. I guess it's better than the Nassau coliseum.
I am surprise that no one notice the errors of the band ..Lee hitting a wrong chord, ernie hitting wrong note,the drummer got silence in a part that was supposed to be played.sound more like rehearsal a day before the real show
And if you REALLY love these guys, you will love their mistakes as much as their moments of genius. :) They are getting older, which also translates into goofs .. who cares, they are the black belts of the industry.
i watched those guys when they started in the 70 they were good ,they created a fusion of jazz avant garde and smooth jazz. sure they are black belt in music ,but they are not consistent anymore.
Lots of child like "adults" here on RU-vid, I should not get so worked up by endless and thoughtless sideline quarterbacking. This is a group of people trying to share their lifetime musical experiences to the world (for literally pennies, if you divide their income by their study time). If you can't think of anything positive to say about them, well, there is nothing wrong with not saying anything at all. Give it a try, you might like it! :)
Well, we are all punks now and then .. I just hate seeing punkish hate directed at elder musical prodigies, gifted men and women that gave us so much and asked for nothing in return... just our ears and an open mind. I used to play that tune .. barely !! I used to play his version of "Valdez in the Country", that tune I could handle :P Great player. Lee, Robbin, Larry .. and the rest of them ... they are all so good. I love them all. I really like Lee's work with Brazilian Jazz.. oh, so nice.
