Captain Fingers

Captain Fingers - Lee Ritenour's second studio album, and what a fantastic album it is! After his first album "First Course", critics complained, saying that his music was too lightweight. This album was his response. Here you will find some of the greatest jazz musicians of the fusion era working in an incredibly tight studio setting led by Captain Fingers himself, Lee Ritenour! From the opening riff of the title track, you know that you're going to be in for a full-on, in-your-face jazz/rock/funk fusion experience.

Guitarist Lee Ritenour had just switched from Epic to Elektra when he cut Captain's Journey in 1978. It was a followup to the successful crossover work Captain Fingers and used a similar strategy: tight, hook-laden arrangements, polished production, and minimal solo space. What individual things it has are dominated by Ritenour, a supremely talented guitarist who doesn't display that much of it with these arrangements.

Guitarist Lee Ritenour had just switched from Epic to Elektra when he cut Captain's Journey in 1978. It was a followup to the successful crossover work Captain Fingers and used a similar strategy: tight, hook-laden arrangements, polished production, and minimal solo space. What individual things it has are dominated by Ritenour, a supremely talented guitarist who doesn't display that much of it with these arrangements.

Between the popular Captain Fingers and his follow-up Rio, crossover guitarist Lee Ritenour recorded a trio of sets for the Japanese JVC label; each of the three have since been reissued on CD. This date matches Ritenour with his pickup group of the time, which was called "the Gentle Thoughts." The lineup is impressive (including Ernie Watts on tenor, soprano and flute, both Patrice Rushen and Dave Grusin on keyboards, electric bassist Anthony Jackson, drummer Harvey Mason and percussionist Steve Forman), but the music is typically lightweight. Rit's fans will be interested to hear a different version of "Captain Fingers" and the guitarist's interpretation of "Feel Like Makin' Love" and Herbie Hancock's "Gentle Thoughts," but most of the playing is best served by being used as moderately funky background music.

Sitting atop the charts in 1975, Elton John and Bernie Taupin recalled their rise to power in Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, their first explicitly conceptual effort since Tumbleweed Connection. It's no coincidence that it's their best album since then, showcasing each at the peak of his power, as John crafts supple, elastic, versatile pop and Taupin's inscrutable wordplay is evocative, even moving…