Lee Ritenour: Live in Montreal with Special Guests

I love the cover notes for this DVD, which include the following statement: “For the most part, easygoing and mellow are the watchwords on this program--not surprising, since the players tend to be based in Los Angeles.” Oh, well that explains why this music is so relentlessly insipid. Granted, these guys (guitarist Ritenour, saxophonist Ernie Watts, bass player Abraham Laboriel, and others) are all fine players, but this is dentist's office music--albeit presented in DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound--with its nice melodies, repetitive and gently funky rhythms, and almost nothing that's challenging or even engaging beyond the most superficial level. Plenty of great jazz musicians, like Wes Montgomery (whose influence is apparent in Ritenour's octave-laden “24th Street Blues,” probably the best track here), George Benson, and others, opted to play more commercial music at some point in their careers, and no one can begrudge them the opportunity to make some money and appeal to a wider audience. But unless you're a Kenny G fan, this is an optional purchase at best. Aud: P. (S. Graham)