Lee Ritenour reveals the live version of ‘Cravo E Canela,’
taken from his forthcoming album Live At Ronnie Scott’s.
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The album will be released on 23 October via The Players Club / Artone Music Group.
Check out the previous single ‘Is It You.’
Pre-order / pre-save HERE.
| Lee Ritenour has revealed the latest track, ‘Cravo E Canela,’ taken from his forthcoming album, Live At Ronnie Scotts, which will be released on 23 October via The Players Club / Artone Music Group, and will be available on LP, CD and digitally. Talking about the song he says, ““That’s a fantastic Milton Nascimento tune that’s been around for quite a few years. We did it on the Brasil album with David Grusin, and we’ve been doing it live for some time with this particular band, with Munir on bass/vocals and Tatiana on vocals. And y’know, Wes is half-Brazilian, so he’s got that feel on the drums, and then Giorgi on piano. And then, of course, it has my guitar chops on it. Even though we recorded it just a couple of years ago for the Brasil album, it felt like it definitely had a place on this record.” When Ritenour takes the stage, all bets are off. For almost 60 years, the Grammy-winning LA guitarist has chased his muse through a kaleidoscope of genres, conjured alchemy alongside the scene’s greatest players, shed his creative skin whenever it got too comfortable, and walked the high wire each night as the crowd held its breath. So when it came to catching the sparks on his latest live album, the 74-year-old naturally turned to the fabled London club that shares his rebel ethos. He has already released ‘Is It You’ from the record. “This one has definitely evolved. There’s some videos out there of people recreating the ’80s version, and they do it very well. But I’ve taken a different approach with the tune, because it was such a big hit, but it was never an easy tune to play live – it was always challenging for everybody. So when you hear this version from this band, it completely has its own flavour. The reason being that the two singers on it are both Brazilians, Munir Hossn, the bass player, and Tatiana Parra, the female singer.” Performing a total of eight shows at the iconic Soho club in March 2026 – with a fresh setlist each time – was the only way this prolific artist could hope to represent every side of his career. Across his 50-strong back catalogue, Ritenour has shapeshifted from ’70s fusion hotshot to ’80s chart-crossover star, from the honorary ambassador for Brazilian jazz to one quarter of ’90s supergroup Fourplay – and beyond. Every song feels fresh and alive, thanks to the bandleader’s bold arrangements and the rip-it-up energy of a young band featuring Giorgi Mikadze (keys), Munir Hossn (vocals/bass), Grégoire Maret (harmonica), Tatiana Parra (vocals) and Ritenour’s son, Wes, driving the shows from his drum stool. “I’ve had the chance to play every kind of music with every kind of artist,” reflects Ritenour, “and that’s the way Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club is set up too. Obviously, since 1959, it’s seen the history of jazz, from Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis and Nina Simone, to Jeff Beck and Jamie Cullum. But also rock, soul, blues, you name it – it’s all been through there.” “I have a history at Ronnie’s, going back to the ’70s. It’s such an iconic room, and the audience is so sophisticated. If you don’t deliver, it’s probably not good. But this band has been playing together consistently for the last few years, so we came into Ronnie’s already very glued, and the audience felt it from the very first song.” |
