JOHN SCOFIELD, LIONEL LOUEKE AND GILFEMA ALSO PERFORM

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, AT 8 PM

Media support provided by KKJZ

Lee Ritenour, one of the world's most prolific jazz guitarists, headlines an evening of first-rate jazz on Wednesday, August 15 at 8 p.m. featuring a distinguished line-up of musicians that includes Patrice Rushen, Richard Bona, Alex Acuna, and Brian Bromberg. West African jazz guitarist Lionel Loueke opens with his trio Gilfema, followed by the innovative John Scofield. This is the fifth of eight concerts that comprise the 2007 Jazz at the Bowl series.

Lee Ritenour's distinctive sound and style has garnered 17 Grammy Award nominations, a staggering amount of session work, numerous #1 spots in guitar polls, and notable performances with Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Pink Floyd, and many more. Ritenour is currently working on an upcoming classical crossover album, due out in early 2008.

Joining Ritenour for his Hollywood Bowl performance are longtime collaborators, friends and jazz pioneers. Grammy-nominated bassist, composer, and vocalist Richard Bona, who appears on Ritenour's latest release Smoke 'N' Mirrors, brings a multi-dimensional style that blends influences from around the globe. Multi Grammy-nominated keyboardist Patrice Rushen also appears on Ritenour's Smoke 'N' Mirrors, adding stellar keyboards to a couple of tracks, including her own eternally catchy "Forget Me Nots." Like Rushen, Peruvian percussionist and A-list session drummer Alex Acuna is a Smoke 'N' Mirrors alum whose accomplishments include many projects with Ritenour, including the Grammy-Award winning Harlequin. Bassist, composer and producer Brian Bromberg has released some of the most critically acclaimed instrumental albums in contemporary jazz, including his 2007 reelase Downright Upright, which features Lee Ritenour on guitar. Each has not only received critical acclaim and recognition for their individual accomplishments, but also for their collaborative contributions to the jazz landscape.

Fresh off of his European tour in support of Out Louder, the latest release from Medeski, Scofield, Martin, and Wood, John Scofield adds his signature blend of bebop, fusion, and soul jazz to this evening of guitar virtuosos. Scofield's debut recording for Emarcy, This Meets That, due out on September 18, features original compositions performed by Scofield and longtime collaborators bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart, who are both joining Scofield for this Hollywood Bowl appearance. Multinational trio Gilfema, comprised of West African guitarist Lionel Louke, Hungarian drummer Ferenc Nemeth and Swedish-Italian bassist Massimo Biolcati, is a group whose soul is based on blending everything from their culture to their names to create a unique visionary jazz sound. Described as "hypnotic" by Downbeat magazine, Gilfema unites worldly influences for a singularly smooth and intricate sound.

Other upcoming Jazz at the Bowl performances this summer also include:

• Legendary jazz pianist Dave Brubeck performs his jazz hits and swinging standards on August 22. French-American songstress Madeleine Peyroux opens, and the Bruce Hornsby Trio featuring bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jack DeJohnette close the evening.

• Arsenio Hall hosts Nancy Wilson's 70th Birthday Celebration, with many friends and colleagues from her esteemed career including Patti Austin, Ernie Andrews, Terence Blanchard, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, Nnenna Freelon and Ramsey Lewis on August 29. Legendary jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis

• B.B. King returns to the Hollywood Bowl on September 5 for the B.B. King Blues Festival featuring Robert Randolph & The Family Band, led by searing pedal-steel player Robert Randolph and soul-bluesman James Hunter.

LEE RITENOUR has established himself as one of the world's leading jazz guitarists with a series of accessible albums over three decades. Starting at the age of 16, Ritenour played his first session with The Mama's and the Papa's. Two years later he was backing Tony Bennett and Lena Horne. Know as "Captain Fingers," Ritenour became a sought-after session player in the mid-70's. Starting in 1976, at the age of 24, he began his own solo career which now includes over 30 albums and collaborations. Ritenour has received 17 Grammy nominations, earned several gold albums, numerous #1 spots in guitar polls and the prestigious "Alumnus of the Year" award from USC. In the early 90's, Ritenour teamed up with Bob James, Harvey Mason and bass player Nathan East under the name of Fourplay, who has released a number of soul/jazz/funk fusion albums for Warner Brothers Records. In 2004, Lee Ritenour recorded one of his most ambitious projects, a hi-definition, 5.1 sound DVD called "OverTime." The DVD is 2 1/2 hours long with 19 songs covering his music from the 70's to the current. Musically, it covers 4 distinct areas starting out with acoustic jazz and moving into Brazilian music with Ivan Lins. The second half continues with Lee's early music from the fusion days at The Baked Potato including the original band of Dave Grusin, Patrice Rushen, Anthony Jackson, Harvey Mason, Ernie Watts and Steve Foreman. The DVD concludes with many of his most popular songs from the 80's to 2004 including songs from "WesBound" and "Twist of Motown."

Born in Pativilca, Peru, 100 miles north of Lima, ALEX ACUÑA was born into a musical family and taught himself how to play the drums from the age of four. By the time Alex turned ten, he was already playing in local bands. As a teenager, he moved to Lima and became one of Peru's most accomplished session drummers. In Lima, Alex also earned a glowing reputation for his energetic live performances, and at the age of eighteen, was chosen by the great Latin band leader, Perez Prado, to join his big band. Alex moved to Las Vegas in 1974, where he played with such greats as Elvis Presley and Diana Ross. Between 1975 and 1977, he made part of jazz history when he became both drummer and percussionist for one of the most innovative and pioneering jazz groups of our time, Weather Report. Alex next moved to Los Angeles in 1978, where he quickly earned the position of a valued session drummer and percussionist for recordings, television and motion pictures. His countless album credits include such diverse artist as U2, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Sergio Mendes, Yellow Jackets, Chic Corea, Julio Iglesias, Koinonia, Juan Gabriel, Luis Miguel, Placido Domingo, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul and many more. He became the recipient of many awards and honors including the Emeritus MVP award from NARAS (National Academy of Recording for the Arts and Sciences) and winner of the "Best Latin/Brazilian Percussionist" of Modern Drummer's Readers Poll for five consecutive years. Alex's South American and Caribbean roots, and understanding of contemporary and classical music make him a complete, innovative and skilled master musician.

RICHARD BONA's first three albums Scenes from My Life, Reverence and Munia, allowed listeners to discover a wonderful storyteller, whose spellbinding vocals smoothly wrapped around his unique musical arrangements. His flowing style blends a horde of influences, including jazz, bossa nova, pop, afro-beat, traditional song and funk. This unique combination has given Bona's music a new dimension, one that is unexplored yet genuinely universal. If Bona could create the soundtrack to his dreams, it would sound a lot like his latest self-produced, Grammy nominated album, Tiki. On Tiki, Bona surrounds himself with old friends and special guests (including ATN Stadwijk, Vinnie Colauita, Susheela Raman, Djavan, Mike Stern, Gil Goldstein and multiple Grammy-winner John Legend on "Please Don't Stop.") to create an album with sumptuous arrangements and skillful, polyrhythmic beats. From jazzy ballads ("Esoka Bulu") to sambas revisited ("Akwa Samba Yaya"), from a dreamlike tribute to Jaco Pastorius ("Three Women") to an African nursery rhyme ("Ida Bato"), Tiki showcases Bona's breadth of talent and his maturity.

BRIAN BROMBERG tested out of high school early to dedicate his life to music. The decision would pay off shortly thereafter when he met Marc Johnson, bass player to famed pianist Bill Evans. Sensing a rare opportunity, Johnson kept Bromberg in mind upon learning that sax great Stan Getz needed a bass player to join his quintet. After a successful audition, the freshly nineteen-year old Bromberg joined Getz in December of 1979. It wasn't until 1986's A New Day that he set out to begin a solo recording career. Another dozen releases would follow for Bromberg over the next twenty years - among them a rock experiment with electric piccolo bass (2005's Metal), two acoustic tributes to his Matteo Guersam upright (2002's Wood and the aforementioned, Wood II), and Jaco Pastorius tribute Jaco. This year marks the American release of Downright Upright, a compelling addition to his acclaimed and popular catalog. Downright Upright is a return to the acoustic upright bass Bromberg recently spent time with on 2006's Wood II. Brian Bromberg has become one of the most well-respected virtuoso bass players in jazz, thanks to his A-list studio and touring status as sideman, producer and leader of such diverse stylistic range.

Born in Benin, a small country of west Africa, LIONEL LOUEKE first picked up percussion instruments before choosing guitar at the age of 17. In 1990, he moved to Ivory Coast for a general musical training at the National Institute of Art. In 1994, he was accepted at the American School of Modern Music in Paris, and in 1999, he was awarded a scholarship to Berklee College of Music. In 2001, he auditioned for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, and was selected in a world wide search by a panel of judges including jazz legends Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard and Wayne Shorter. He studied on this full scholarship at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, until may 2003. In 2002, while still at the Monk Institute, he stated playing with trumpet player and film music composer Terence Blanchard. He recorded two albums with him, the second one on the famous Blue Note label. Lionel has also played on Terence Blanchard's last CD and DVD Flow, and Herbie Hancock's Possibilities. He also recorded two CD's under his own name, In A Trance and Virgin Forest.

PATRICE RUSHEN was the first woman to serve as Musical Director for the 46th, 47th & 48th Annual Grammy Awards, the first woman in 43 years to serve as Head Composer/Musical Director for television's highest honor, the Emmy Awards, and the first woman Musical Director of the NAACP Image Awards, an honor she held for 12 consecutive years. In 1998, she received a Grammy nomination for her adult contemporary CD, Signature. Rushen receives some 30 requests weekly to use her music for samples, especially for rap albums. Many more performers have scored their own hits using samples from Patrice's songs. Most notably is the smash hit "Men in Black." The song was sampled from Patrice's 1982 Grammy nominated recording, "Forget Me Nots." Rushen is also an accomplished composer providing musical scores for television movies and series, and feature films. Rushen has performed with Philharmonic Orchestras and has written an award-winning symphony. She has 14 solo albums to her credit and a greatest hits anthology released on Rhino Records in 1997.

Previously recorded outings by JOHN SCOFIELD have found him performing in elaborate settings. His works range from the plugged-in, electronically tweaked jamming of his last Verve release, Up All Night, to the full orchestral setting of the recent Scorched, a collaboration with British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage issued earlier this year on Deutsche Grammophon. But for EnRoute, his seventh release for Verve, Scofield wanted to focus on the high-wire interaction of a small, closely knit band in the heat of a live setting. He arrived at the Blue Note armed only with his trusty guitar, amp and whammy pedal, and left his more elaborate electronic gear at home. On EnRoute, Scofield masters the art of constructing an exceptional live document. In one sense, the album turns the clock back to the formative years of his long, illustrious career as a bandleader: two early live trio albums, Shinola and Out Like a Light, were also recorded during a week of December performances, back in 1981. With Steve Swallow on electric bass and Bill Stewart on drums, EnRoute about three musicians grooving in front of an enthusiastic audience and the special synergy that unfolds between them.

One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the HOLLYWOOD BOWL has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and in 1991 gave its name to the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, a resident ensemble that has filled a special niche in the musical life of Southern California. The 2004 season introduced audiences to a revitalized Hollywood Bowl, featuring a newly-constructed shell and stage and the addition of four stadium screens enhancing stage views in the venue. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's concerts. While the Bowl is best known for its sizzling summer nights, during the day California's youngest patrons enjoy "SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl," the Southland's most popular summer arts festival for children, now in its 39th season. Attendance figures over the past several decades have soared: in 1980 the Bowl first topped the half-million mark and close to one million admissions have been recorded. In February 2007, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the third year in a row at the 18th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards; the Bowl's summer music festival has become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers, and Disneyland.

PLEASE NOTE:

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15 at 8 PM

HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N. Highland Ave. in Hollywood

Jazz at the Bowl

LEE RITENOUR & FRIENDS

JOHN SCOFIELD

LIONEL LOUEKE and GILFEMA

Media support provided by KKJZ

Tickets ($1 - $93) are on sale now at HollywoodBowl.com, at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office (Tuesday - Saturday, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.), or by calling Ticketmaster at 213.480.3232, and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000.

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