We are thrilled to welcome back the internationally-acclaimed American pianist and arranger Dave Grusin, live on stage with the legendary jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour.
Growing up in L.A. in the sixties, guitarist Lee Ritenour received a rich cross section of exposure to jazz, rock and Brazilian music which has informed his dazzling playing ever since. From one of his first sessions at 16 with the Mamas and Papas to accompanying Lena Horne and Tony Bennett at 18, his forty-year career is highlighted by a Grammy Award win for his 1986 collaboration with Dave Grusin, Harlequin; 17 Grammy nominations; numerous #1 spots in guitar polls and the prestigious Alumnus of the Year award from USC. He has recorded over 40 albums, with 35 chart songs, notably the Top 15 hit Is It You, which has become a contemporary jazz radio classic. In the 90s, Ritenour was a founding member of Fourplay, the most successful band in contemporary jazz.
It’s been a long road since the seventies, when Ritenour’s legendary Tuesday night appearances at the famed Baked Potato. Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, George Benson, Al Jarreau, Joe Sample, and even Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell could be seen in the audiences that would pack the house ’til the wee hours of the morning. From rock to blues to jazz, his diverse music became the foundation of over 3,000 sessions as a young guitarist with a broad spectrum of artists such as Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, B.B. King, Frank Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel, Ray Charles, Peggy Lee, Aretha Franklin and Barbra Streisand. Not to forget the dazzling array of talent appearing on his solo works and collaborations, notably Phil Collins, Brazilian greats Ivan Lins, Caetano Veloso, Djavan and Jao Bosco, George Benson, Chaka Kahn, Herbie Hancock, Michael McDonald and opera great Renee Fleming.
If ever there was a renaissance man in jazz and popular music, Dave Grusin would be it. In a career that spans somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 recordings across five decades, he has been highly successful in so many roles – pianist, composer, performer, bandleader, producer, arranger and record executive to name just a few. His work as a composer reaches far beyond that of the typical solo recording artist and deep into the realm of film and television scoring – a venture that has resulted in 10 Grammys and an Academy Award since the late 1960s. Anyone with even a casual interest in jazz, film or television over the past half-century has encountered Dave Grusin and his music somewhere along the way.
Advance booking strongly recommended for what promises to be an unforgettable night.
A Band on the Wall Fundraiser Event
The Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open beforehand for delicious food and drinks.