JAZZ REVIEW : Ritenour Tunes Up for Summer Tour

“Very special guest guitarist” was Le Cafe’s somewhat enigmatic description of the featured performer for Saturday night. But since the other players included bassist Brian Bromberg, saxophonist Bill Evans, pianist Dave Witham and drummer Sonny Emory--all members of Lee Ritenour’s new road band--it was pretty obvious that the flash fusion guitarist was planning a not-so-secret small-venue warm-up for his upcoming summer tour.

The program balanced straight-ahead jazz pieces from Ritenour’s current GRP album, “Stolen Moments,” with one or two typically funk-oriented fusion pieces. Evans was at the peak of his form, soaring through virtually every solo with an energetic propulsion that moved from hard-driving blues to wild, multi-note flurries. More than ever before, one sensed the emergence of a uniquely original voice in his playing.

Ritenour did not seem quite as comfortable with the mainstream jazz rhythms as he was with the funk numbers. A bit less reliance on Wes Montgomery-like octaves and a larger serving of his fleet single-note lines would have made for more savory solos.

Still, it was a very early performance by an ensemble that has considerable potential. If it fulfills the promise suggested by Saturday night’s late set, Ritenour’s new band will be one of the highlights of the summer jazz season.