Is Color Rit a good place to start with Lee Ritenour?

Yes, Color Rit is recommended as a starting point for new Lee Ritenour listeners. A vibrant fusion of jazz, funk, and reggae rhythms that showcases intricate guitar melodies and rich instrumental textures. Released in 1989, Color Rit marked Lee Ritenour's twelfth album and followed his successful collaborations in the jazz fusion genre. At this point in his career, Ritenour had established himself as a prominent guitarist known for blending various musical styles, building on the momentum from previous albums like Festival in 1985.

Who is Color Rit for?

Color Rit works well if you're into steady mid-tempo groove exploration, melodic rhythms for casual listening and for afternoon unwind.

How many songs are on Color Rit?

Color Rit has 10 tracks, running approximately 43 minutes.

Color Rit

Lee Ritenour · 1989

43 min · 10 tracks · jazz

A vibrant fusion of jazz, funk, and reggae rhythms that showcases intricate guitar melodies and rich instrumental textures.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Bahia Funk Start here — This track opens the album with infectious grooves and showcases Ritenour's virtuosic guitar work, setting a lively tone for the record.
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Mister Reggae — Blending reggae influences with jazz elements, this track exemplifies Ritenour's ability to cross genres while maintaining rhythmic complexity.
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Color Rit — The title track encapsulates the album's essence with its melodic sophistication and intricate arrangements, highlighting Ritenour's signature style.
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I Can't Let Go — This piece stands out for its emotive guitar lines paired with a smooth vocal delivery, showcasing the softer side of Ritenour's artistry.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

58 /100

Treeline

Higher than 49% of albums we've rated

Color Rit blends jazz, funk, and reggae with strong guitar work but lacks some cohesion in its flow.

What we noticed

The album opens with a lively track that features syncopated rhythms and intricate guitar solos, setting a high-energy tone.
Several tracks incorporate reggae influences, with offbeat guitar strumming and laid-back grooves that contrast with the more traditional jazz elements.
The final track is a solo guitar piece that slows down the pace significantly, providing a reflective conclusion to the album.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 7/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 5/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

steady mid-tempo groove exploration
melodic rhythms for casual listening
for afternoon unwind
rich textures for detail lovers

Maybe skip if you

seeking fast-paced excitement
prefer standalone hit tracks

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Breakthrough — Color Rit significantly contributed to Ritenour's recognition in jazz fusion.
Career context: Released in 1989, Color Rit marked Lee Ritenour's twelfth album and followed his successful collaborations in the jazz fusion genre. At this point in his career, Ritenour had established himself as a prominent guitarist known for blending various musical styles, building on the momentum from previous albums like Festival in 1985.
Stylistic neighbors: Larry Carlton· Pat Metheny· Al Di Meola