Is This Is Love a good place to start with Lee Ritenour?

Yes, This Is Love is recommended as a starting point for new Lee Ritenour listeners. A vibrant blend of smooth jazz and intricate fusion, inviting listeners into a world of melodic exploration. When 'This Is Love' was released in 1998, Lee Ritenour was already an established figure in the jazz fusion scene, known for his versatile guitar work. This album followed his successful 'Collection' album from 1997 and marked a continuation of his exploration into melodic and sophisticated compositions that showcase both technical prowess and emotional depth.

Who is This Is Love for?

This Is Love works well if you're into mellow grooves for relaxed evenings, cascading melodies that evoke nostalgia and sophisticated arrangements for intimate gatherings.

How many songs are on This Is Love?

This Is Love has 11 tracks, running approximately 59 minutes.

This Is Love

Lee Ritenour · 1998

59 min · 11 tracks · jazz

A vibrant blend of smooth jazz and intricate fusion, inviting listeners into a world of melodic exploration.

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Top tracks — play these first

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This Is Love Start here — The title track encapsulates the album's essence with its lush harmonies and romantic undertones, making it a quintessential example of Ritenour's signature style.
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Street Runner — This track features an infectious groove paired with elaborate guitar solos that showcase Ritenour's technical skills while maintaining an accessible feel.
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Can You Feel It? — Combining rhythmic complexity with soulful melodies, this track exemplifies Ritenour's ability to fuse various influences into a cohesive musical statement.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

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

Instrumental

46 /100

Foothills

Higher than 10% of albums we've rated

The album showcases solid musicianship but lacks standout compositions that elevate it within the genre.

What we noticed

The album features a consistent use of smooth jazz guitar melodies layered over lush keyboard and horn arrangements.
Each track maintains a relaxed tempo, with several pieces incorporating extended improvisational sections.
The last three tracks gradually reduce the tempo, creating a calming conclusion to the album.

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

Influence 2/10

Little footprint beyond its audience. 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

mellow grooves for relaxed evenings
cascading melodies that evoke nostalgia
sophisticated arrangements for intimate gatherings
uplifting tracks for reflective moments

Maybe skip if you

prefer high-energy, fast-paced music
want abrupt transitions and surprises

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Deep Cut — A solid entry that showcases Ritenour's style but isn't widely recognized.
Career context: When 'This Is Love' was released in 1998, Lee Ritenour was already an established figure in the jazz fusion scene, known for his versatile guitar work. This album followed his successful 'Collection' album from 1997 and marked a continuation of his exploration into melodic and sophisticated compositions that showcase both technical prowess and emotional depth.
Stylistic neighbors: Larry Carlton· Pat Metheny· Al Di Meola