ProJazz.net

Festival is an album by American jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour that was released in 1988 by GRP Records. The album is a collaboration between musicians from New York City, Los Angeles, and Brazil. Festival reached No. 3 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart.

Reception.

The AllMusic review by Richard S. Ginell awarded the album 4 stars and stated:”Ritenour’s second acoustic album, like his first, has an overall Brazilian theme but this time, he recorded his ensemble of New York, L.A. and Brazilian musicians in one locale, New York City. This is a superior record to Rio, though, because there is a deeper Brazilian feeling to the arrangements, and Lee’s own playing is even more refined and meaningful. “Waiting For You,” a solo track on an acoustic guitar synthesizer, is especially attractive. The core crew consists of a collection of pro’s pros — Ernie Watts on alto and tenor, Dave Grusin or Bob James on keyboards, Marcus Miller or Anthony Jackson on bass, Omar Hakim on drums, Paulinho Da Costa and Carlinhos Brown on percussion — who lay down smooth yet gently grooving backdrops for Rit to ride. Joao Bosco and Gracinha Leporace contribute fascinating Portuguese vocals to the album’s two most appealing and thoroughly Brazilian-flavored tracks, “Latin Lovers” and “Odile, Odila” — and Caetano Veloso brings a softer-focused vocal style to “Linda.”

Track listing:
“Night Rhythms” (Ritenour) – 4:32
“Latin Lovers” (Aldir Blanc, Joao Bosco) – 6:17
“Humana” (Ivan Lins, Vítor Martins) – 4:39
“Rio Sol” (Tim Landers) – 5:24
“Waiting for You” (Ritenour) – 2:23
“Odile, Odila” (Joao Bosco, Martinho da Vila) – 4:58
“Linda – Voce E Linda” (Caetano Veloso) – 5:28
“New York/Brazil” (Ritenour) – 4:22
“The Inner Look” (Bob James) – 5:17

Personnel:
Lee Ritenour – acoustic guitar (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9), acoustic guitar synthesizer (3, 5, 6, 8)
Robbie Kondor – synthesizer programming
Dave Grusin – keyboards (1, 2, 6, 7)
Bob James – keyboards (3, 4, 8, 9), keyboard solos (9)
Joao Bosco – acoustic guitar (2, 6), lead vocals (2, 6)
Marcus Miller – bass (1, 4, 6, 9), bass solo (4)
Anthony Jackson – 6-string bass (2), bass (3, 7, 8)
Omar Hakim – drums (1–4, 6–9)
Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 3, 4, 6), bells (7), bongos (7, 8)
Carlinhos Brown – pandeiro (1), djembe (2, 6), cabasa (7), percussion (8, 9)
Ernie Watts – tenor saxophone (1, 4), alto saxophone (3)
Randy Kerber – horns and strings (2, 7)
Larry Williams – saxophones (3, 4, 8), flute (3, 4, 8), strings (3, 4, 8)
Jerry Hey – trumpet (3, 4, 8), flugelhorn (3, 4, 8), strings (3, 4, 8)
Gracinha Leporace – backing vocals (2, 6)
Caetano Veloso – lead vocals (7)

Music arrangements:

Lee Ritenour – rhythm arrangements
Johnny Mandel – horn and string arrangements (2, 7)
Jerry Hey – horn and string arrangements (3, 4, 8)
Dave Grusin – arrangements (6)

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Released: 1988
Recorded: May 16–20, 1988
Studio:
The Power Station (New York City, New York)
Starlight Studios (Malibu, California)
Length: 43:20
Label: GRP
Producer: Lee Ritenour