Overtime [Blu-ray] [2012]

Yeah! Lee has really come across full strength with this DVD. The sound is excellent, crisp and clear with a nice 5.1 sound mix. He has some of the best musicians on the planet playing at these gigs. Harvey Mason is mind-blowing on the drums and with Anthony Jackson's pumping bass and Alex Acuna's percussion it is one of the stongest and tightest rhythm sections I have ever heard. The vocalists were also amazing. Loved hearing them do Captain Fingers - Absolutely incredible! Lee's guitar playing really burns it up. This is essential music for anyone who truly loves great music.

I have to admit that Lee Ritenour has never been my absolute favorite jazz guitarist but he's always been good enough to hold a decent amount of respect in my book. Well this Blu Ray raises that admiration several notches.

The audio quality on the DTS HD is absolutely stunning. If you have a good system this is among the best HD audio you can find. Completely blown away from song one.

This is set in a very intimate setting with no more than 50 or so in the audience. More of a private / studio setting. Lee surrounds himself with some of the biggest names in jazz along with a few newcomers. They play some older standards along with some of Lee's more well known work. The results are fantastic. Some outstanding musicianship. First class all the way.

If you consider you self even a modest audiophile this is a MUST have for your collection. Even if it's not your favorite musical genre you will be very happy.

The production / mixing / mastering on this disc is among the best I have heard. Highly recommended.

I first heard Lee Ritenour when I started listening to Fourplay. Before then, I didn't really listen to much jazz. A friend got me hooked on Pat Metheny, and it all started there.

This DVD is an important contribution to any jazz fan's collection. It spans Ritenour's career from the 70s to now, and it does it by featuring not only the music but also the people he played with. And the atmosphere is not what I thought it would be: rather than a "this is Lee Ritenour, and these are the people who I have decided to allow to play with me on this project," it was "these people are good in their own right: I brought them here to celebrate history, and to make a little as well." The DVD is also NOT an extended guitar solo. It is very much Lee Ritenour and Friends.

The interaction between artists in this setting is amazing to watch. The fact that they can all improvise so well, and stay close to the theme of the piece, and bring everything back together when it's time says a LOT for the quality of the musicians that Ritenour assembled for this project. Dave Grusin, Ernie Watts, Patrice Rushen, Anthony Jackson and more - these are not just studio musicians hired to make one man look good. The whole in this case is indeed greater than the sum of it's parts.

Some standout moments on the DVD:

* A set featuring the Brazilian music of Ivan Lins, including "Harlequin."

* Ritenour's hand-punishing "Captain Fingers."

* My personal favorite: A rendition of Miles Davis' "Blue in Green." When I was 10, I used to listen to an AM station in Washington DC that played jazz every Friday and Saturday night from about midnight to six in the morning. This song reminded me a LOT of the songs I used to listen to with that transistor radio under my pillow.

The interviews that are included add a lot to the historical value of the DVD set. This can't be stressed enough - this is a DVD that has some long-term value to people who are serious fans of jazz, because of the way it covers a 30-year span of time. It's also a great collection for someone whose jazz collection is looking a bit thin, because right here you can see and hear some great talent.

It's clear that after 30 years of playing jazz, Lee Ritenour hasn't lost a step. This collection proves it, and is highly recommended.