Search - Lee Ritenour :: Sugar Loaf Express

Fun in the studio

Joachim Tromark | Sweden | 04/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is quite rare maybe that's why nobody has reviewed it. It's recorded live in the studio in 1977 and it has become one of the "forgotten" albums by Ritenour. It might be considered a duo album between Ritenour and studio fellow guitarist Eric Gale (who unfortunately passed away not long ago). The other musicians are Patrice Rushen, Harvey Mason, Abe Laboriel and Steve Forman. The music is what you might expect from these professionals, tight, funky contagious fusion.

Among the highlights on this album is a fast version of Dave Grusin's "Slippin'In The Backdoor" and a great version of "Morning Glory". If you dig that old 70's fusion west coast sound this is definitely something for you. However since it's originally a direct to disc album it has a very good sound for being such an old recording. The live situation really delivers the club date feeling to the project and it sounds as if they had great fun in the studio during the process of making it."