Today, January 11th, ContemporaryJazz.com celebrates the birthday of one of contemporary jazz’s most enduring guitar voices: Lee Ritenour. Known affectionately as “Captain Fingers” by peers and fans alike, Ritenour has spent decades defining the sound of contemporary jazz and fusion.

A Destiny with the Strings

Born in Hollywood in 1952, Lee felt a “natural attraction to the strings” as early as age four, when he started plucking rubber bands on broomsticks. By age seven, he says, “I was stuck with it,” and at thirteen, his father introduced him to the music of Wes Montgomery, which “really stuck, right from the beginning”.

A founding father of contemporary jazz guitar, his versatility is rooted in a formal, classical foundation. Ritenour has shared that his early discipline allowed him to “devour” rock and roll and pop while maintaining the surgical precision that became his trademark. As he describes it:

“I was classically trained. I had a lot of jazz studies and devoured rock and roll and pop… I was always attracted to the whole package”.

A Legacy of Versatility and Collaborative Spirit

Ritenour’s career is a remarkable study in musical exploration—whether he’s working as a sought-after session player or leading collaborative projects.

• The Session Ace: He has contributed to nearly 2,000 recordings, working with artists ranging from Pink Floyd and Steely Dan to Quincy Jones and Barbra Streisand.
• A “Solid Group Sound”: As a founding member of Fourplay, Lee relished the band’s unique dynamic, noting that while each member had a distinctive solo style, “something special happened when we merged those together… the whole was definitely greater than the sum of its parts”.
• Music of the Mind and Heart: Lee views his instruments as having distinct voices. He has noted that the acoustic guitar offers a “more lyrical, romantic sound” perfect for Brazilian styles, while the electric guitar is “more cutting” and inspires “intense, rhythm-oriented jazz-rock”.

Evolution and Mentorship (The Modern Era)

Lee continues to find new ways to express his artistry and give back to the musical community:

• Returning to the Source (2024): This past year, Lee reunited with his longtime collaborator Dave Grusin for their newest album, Brasil, a vibrant conversation between American and Brazilian jazz.
• A “First” at 68: In 2020, Lee released Dreamcatcher—his first-ever purely solo guitar album, a deeply personal project written after the loss of his home and vintage guitar collection in the California wildfires.
• Mentoring the Future: Since 2010, his Six String Theory Competition has become a global phenomenon, discovering and mentoring the next generation of musical prodigies from over 170 countries.

The “Wes Bound” Spirit

One of the most significant moments in Lee’s career was his 1993 tribute to his hero, Wes Montgomery. For Lee, making the album Wes Bound was a “labor of love” and a chance to make a formidable acoustic statement. It serves as a reminder that no matter how far he travels into fusion or pop, his heart remains with the pure, melodic jazz that first inspired him as a teen.

Lee Live

In 2017, my son and I saw Captain Fingers in concert at the Folly Theater in Kansas City. In addition to the emotional impact of our first father-son jazz show, it was wonderful hearing what selections he had from such a lasting career. He did a “jazz talk” interview before the performance, which lent an additional personal aspect to the night. After the show, the band (which included Patrice Rushen and Wesley Ritenour) sat and greeted fans.

Happy birthday, Captain Fingers!