Guitarist Lee Ritenour's versatility has led him to appear on more than 3,000 recordings, including Steely Dan's sophisticated classic “Deacon Blues”; on his own, he helped forge the sound of smooth jazz. In the mid-'70s his tuneful, fluid soloing on songs like “The Captain's Journey” laid his out his deeply melodic style amid slick grooves, but his signature pop-oriented approach surfaced in the ‘80s. The Wes Montgomery influence on “A Little Bumpin'” shows his jazz roots, and a mellow “This Is Love” indicates how he's translated his chill approach to any style.