LEE RITENOUR – DAVE GRUSIN: TWO WORLDS Lee Ritenour – guitar; Dave Grusin – keyboards; Renée Fleming – soprano; Gil Shaham – violin; Julian Lloyd Webber – cello Decca 467 132-2 £££ Bach: Concerto in a minor; Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras; Moreno: Sonatina; etc; TPT 57’52

Anyone who has seen the 1980s film The Fabulous Baker Boys will be aware of Dave Grusin’s extraordinary talent as a jazz musician. Forgive the indulgence of a middle-aged man, but little since has matched Michelle Pfeiffer, dressed in scarlet, Makin’ Whoopee on top of a Steinway, whilst Grusin provided a stunning original accompaniment. Both Grusin and Ritenour are known for their individual compositional style, which came to represent the GRP (Grusin’s own label) sound of the 80s and 90s; it is quite surprising, therefore, that Decca should choose to release a disc which, in all essence, could be directly from his own catalogue. Despite a title that accurately conveys its content, Two Worlds has the Grusin stamp all over it.

There is no disputing that the term ‘crossover’ is applicable to this disc: music from Bach to Villa-Lobos is treated to Grusin’s individual restyling and, although Classically-minded purists will find something to moan about (after all, we cannot possibly have the first movement of Bach’s a minor concerto for four harpsichords and strings performed by a piano and guitar), the arrangement and infusion of new musical perspectives is charmingly approached.

Forget snobbery…sit back, relax and enjoy some exciting arrangements and stunning playing.

So why, then, do I think this album will have even less appeal to classical music apparatchiks than the Viktoria Mullova release, reviewed in last month’s MusicTeachers.co.uk’s Online Journal? Well, the answer is simple: whilst Mullova’s disc featured music by a host of artists from the Bee Gees to Miles Davis, its arrangements are cerebral and, whilst as attractive as the arrangements here, still have the touch of the virtuoso about them – we know that Mullova has a remarkable technical facility and sense of musicianship, and we are not allowed to forget it. Grusin and Ritenour’s album, on the other hand, is unashamedly simplistic in both its approach and the requirements it makes of its musicians…instead of virtuoso techniques, we become caught up in the music’s intensity in a way that Mullova would never allow. Take, for instance, the two traditional songs admirably performed by Renée Fleming; along with touches of the score of On Golden Pond, an armoury of musical Americanisms seem to follow on, one from the next; it’s neither great music nor virtuoso, its interest lies elsewhere. Gil Shaham’s cameo appearance, in a performance of Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances, in which Ritenour also features, is a most welcome item. As usual, Shaham is on top form – interpretation, intonation and style are all excellent, and even Julian Lloyd Webber’s performance is bearable with its rich accompaniment at the hands of both Ritenour and Grusin. But it is Grusin’s compositions that make this disc magical, especially Canto Invierno, which contains some of the most evocative writing of the collection.

There are times when even the most serious of us have to mellow, to chill out and get away from either the harsh realities of criticism or such debatable issues as historical performance practice versus contemporary interpretation. What a vessel for doing just that Two Worlds provides! Forget snobbery…sit back, relax and enjoy some exciting arrangements and stunning playing.

Ian le Prévost