Jvc

Miles Davis - At La Villette (2001) [DVD5] {JVC Production}
DVD5 -> 3.54 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 4:3 | Dolby AC3, 2 ch | ~ 60m | ISO Image | Artwork
© 2001 JVC Production | JVC 493
Jazz / Fusion / Trumpet

On 10 July 1991, barely two months before his death, Miles played a remarkable concert at La Villette in Paris. It was remarkable because Miles did something he normally avoided: looking back. But now, Miles was not only playing with his current band, but old repertoire with ex-band members from the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s, including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Dave Holland, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Jackie McLean and Steve Grossman.

This outstanding release, produced by Akira Taguchi, co-creator of the XRCD process, features tracks by five of JVC's critically acclaimed artists and includes the Bill Holman Band's 1998 Grammy award-winning track, "Straight, No Chaser."

Lee Ritenour - Friendship (1978) {JVC - VDJ-1003 rel 1985}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 220 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 91 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 22 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1978, 1985 JVC / Victor Japan | VDJ-1003
Jazz / Crossover Jazz / Guitar

The third of three Lee Ritenour sets originally cut for Japanese JVC and in 1991 reissued domestically on CD matches the studio guitarist with what could be called the "Crossover All-Stars": Ernie Watts (on tenor and soprano), both Dave and Don Grusin on keyboards, electric bassist Abraham Laboriel, drummer Steve Gadd and percussionist Steve Forman. They perform pleasant but somewhat forgettable originals by Rit, Watts and both Grusins, the kind of lightly funky background music that one would expect from expert studio players.

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.

Guitarist Chieli Minucci and percussion maestro George Jinda come pretty close to the lofty status as far as the pop instrumental genre goes, having been cranking out solid hit after hit for GRP and JVC since the early '80s. They cornered the market for a long time in that tasty area where melodic, breezy jazz meets easy worldbeat, but apparently started hitting a few creative walls — as potent as each new disc was, it was merely an attractive variation on previous ones.