Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin with Brasilian Friends featuring Ivan Lins (2024)

LEE RITENOUR & DAVE GRUSIN WITH BRASILIAN FRIENDS FEATURING IVAN LINS
Music composed by Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, Ivan Lins & more
Guitar & Music Director: Lee Ritenour
Piano & Keyboard: Dave Grusin
Vocals & Keyboard: Ivan Lins
Vocals: Tatiana Parra
Bass: Bruno Migotto
Bass, Vocals & Guitar: Munir Hossn
Drums: Edu Ribeiro
Drums: Wesley Ritenour
Percussion: Marcelo Costa
November 19, 2024
Blue Note Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan

PART 1: ONLY LEGENDS IN THE BUILDING

“Do you know who he sounds like?  He sounds like Dave Grusin.”

– Lee Ritenour on Dave Grusin, November 19, 2024 at Blue Note Tokyo

Nothing truer could have been said last night about the iconic and inimitable sound and piano stylings of legendary composer and performer, Dave Grusin.

But yesterday’s concert was not just about Dave Grusin – it was also a night showcasing two other legends of the jazz fusion and Brazilian music worlds: Lee Ritenour and Ivan Lins.

PART 2: BRASIL COMES TO JAPAN

The three are currently in Japan on their Asia Tour to promote their latest album, BRASIL. This tour also sees them playing gigs in China, Hong Kong, and South Korea.

This time, I was very fortunate to attend one of many sold-out shows at Blue Note Tokyo.  As my third consecutive year seeing Grusin and Ritenour at the Blue Note, I can only say that the shows have been getting even better and better – as if the benchmark set at previous concerts wasn’t already impossibly high!

PART 3: INTRODUCING DAVE AND HIS FILM MUSIC

After opening with a fine performance of “Pearl,” Ritenour took to the mike to proudly confess that Blue Note Tokyo is his favourite performance venue in the world.

He then affectionately introduced Dave Grusin, who according to Ritenour has a list of credits and accolades that would take “thirty minutes to read on Wikipedia.”

Grusin briefly greeted the adoring audience before being beckoned by Ritenour to play a solo piano piece. Based on the last two times I saw Grusin and Ritenour at the Blue Note, I knew that he would be playing a piece of film music (and hence the inclusion of this report on this soundtrack concert report website).  Last year, he performed the theme from THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER.  

Before playing his piece, Grusin quipped that he didn’t remember what film it came from yet could clearly remember the melody.  And with that he gave a warm and delicate performance of his gorgeous theme from RANDOM HEARTS.  When the piece ended, he suddenly recalled the film’s title and that it starred Kristen Scott Thomas and Harrison Ford, yet did not do well at the box office.  Despite this, he remains very fond of the melody – in fact, he played the same piece when I first saw him at the Blue Note in 2022.

(According to reports, the iconic “It might be you” from TOOTSIE was performed the night before – oh what I would have given to hear that live!)

Ritenour then turned to the audience and said, “Do you know who he sounds like?  He sounds like Dave Grusin.” 

We all nodded in agreement.

You’d be truly hard-pressed finding anyone even close to replicating Grusin’s superlative technique, inventiveness or style.

PART 4: LAYING IT DOWN LIKE A BOSS

Things immediately shifted up a gear as Ritenour started gleefully hammering away at that killer opening guitar line of “Lay it Down.” As with previous years, I was once again blown away by how much mileage Ritenour gets out of his guitar with seemingly so little effort. 

I wrote in a previous concert report that Ritenour looks like your average dad who picked up a guitar by mistake in a store sale. But the reality is that he is arguably one of the greatest guitarists of all time – in any genre.

“Effortless” is really the only word I can think of when describing how Ritenour plays. While ripping through complex solos or captivating the audience with slow and reflective refrains on his guitar, he barely moves or breaks a sweat – playing comes so naturally and effortlessly to him that it’s almost like he was born with a guitar in his hand.

PART 5: BRINGING BRASIL TO THE BLUE NOTE

It was now time to showcase some selections from their newest album, BRASIL, which is described on Ritenour’s website as “a bracing survey of contemporary Brazilian sounds featuring some of that country’s most notable young musicians.”

For this Asia tour, those notable young (and old) musicians included Marcelo Costa on percussion, Edu Ribeiro on drums, Bruno Migotto on bass and Tatiana Parra on vocals.

“Cravo e Canela” was the first piece to be performed and it featured some wildly infectious vocals lines by Parra and bassist Munir Hossn. The piece later featured some stunning interplay between the drums and percussion. 

The next piece was “For the Palms,” a slightly melancholic piece featuring some excellent piano improv by Grusin. Ritenour described the piece as being not particularly Brazilian in feel, but was nevertheless composed for the BRASIL album.  Ritenour’s website reveals that it was written in response to the distraught his wife (who is Brazilian) felt when “several majestic palm trees (from his fire ravaged Malibu home) had to be removed due to construction guidelines.”

PART 6: IVAN LINS AND THE QUINCY JONES CONNECTION

Ritenour talked about Quincy Jones (R.I.P.) and how they both recognized the brilliance of young Brazilian composer and singer Ivan Lins and wanted to collaborate with him. So, they brought him over to the US to make an album in the ‘80s and the rest, as they say, is history.

And with that Lins came out on stage to TREMENDOUS applause. He is clearly a beloved and respected musician in Japan (and the world!), and rightly so. I couldn’t help but smile in agreement when he stated that it was a “pleasure to do music, and a pleasure to hear it.”

Lins started his part with “Love Dance,” one of Quincy Jones’ favorites from Lins’ long list of hit songs.

Written for his wife, Lins gave a touching performance with his trademark vocals that are both sharp and full of sincerity.

A gorgeous rendition of “Vitoriosa” came next, and it was clear from his expression and performance that the piece means a great deal to him.

Also written for his wife, the piece was performed in his native language with deep and naked emotion. 

Lins opened the piece, but was later joined by Parra on vocals to create a truly transcendent feeling in the room… it was pure magic.

To go further about Lins, I was completely bowled over throughout the night by not only his clear and impassioned vocals, but by the way he used his voice in certain pieces for percussive effect – sometimes softly in the background, and other times to help push a piece forward. I’ve never heard voice being used this way in a live setting before – to say it was amazing is an understatement.

PART 7: HARLEQUIN AND THE AUDIENCE

It was now time for what the audience had been waiting for: a barnstorming performance of “Harlequin,” the title track of the Grammy-winning album which happened to be celebrating the 40th year of its release.

With Lins – its original composer and performer – and Grusin and Ritenour, who had also performed and produced on the original recording, leading the night’s performance, the audience was whipped up into an absolute frenzy, especially when we were called upon to join in on that iconic chorus! 

I imagine there were people in the audience that had waited close to forty years for this moment – there were tears of joy and smiles all around. What a privilege it was to be there to experience it!

PART 8: GO HARD (ON THE TRIANGLE) OR GO HOME

The night ended with no less than two encores.

After checking the time on his phone, Ritenour turned to the audience and cheekily quipped, “do we have time for one more?” OF COURSE YES!

The band enraptured the audience with a blistering performance of perennial crowd favorite, “Stone Flower.” With show-stopping solos by each instrument in the band, most were particularly floored by the CRAZY triangle solo by the percussionist, Marcelo Costa.

It initially began with confusion over who would be taking the next solo, Costa or Lins. As this was happening, Costa continued to bang away at his triangle – out of time and in an overly simplistic way.

When it was finally decided that Costa would go first, he proceeded to give the most insane triangle solo any of us had ever seen or heard – it had to be seen to be believed!

After strong encouragement from the audience, a second encore* was played followed by deafening applause and a lengthy standing ovation – something I have never seen in the last six visits I have made to the Blue Note.

* the name of which escapes me!

And that ended an incredible evening with three legends of music and their incredible band.

See you next year?  Please 😉

PART 9: OFFICIAL PHOTOS & REPORT

As taking photos or videos during live performances is frowned upon in Japan, we’ll have to make do with the official photos taken during the concert. You can find them here along with an excellent mini report in Japanese.

PART 10: THE ARTIST COCKTAIL

Every time an act comes to Blue Note Tokyo, a special cocktail is created and sold to honor their visit. “Brasil Wow!” was the drink this time, and it certainly wowed!

PART 11: MERCHANDISE & LINKS

On very rare occasions, signed albums are on sale in the foyer, but alas none were offered this time. You could only buy the Japanese CD/LP release of BRASIL as well as a handful of CD reissues including HARLEQUIN.

Here are some useful online purchasing links for BRASIL:

• BRASIL (signed by Lee Ritenour!) – click
• BRASIL (Japan-only release on a hybrid SACD) – click (Amazon Japan) / click (Record label) 

CD and LP copies signed by both Ritenour and Grusin were also available online but quickly sold out… 😭 Can any kind soul out there help a brother out with a copy signed by the masters?! I’d be forever in your debt!

PART 12: OVER TO YOU

Did you also go to this concert? How did you like it?

And what did you think of my report? Feel free to comment below or reach out to me directly in the “Contact Me” section.