Lyle Ritz sadly passed away this year. He was probably best known for his session work as a bass player – his credits included playing on the Beach Boys ‘Good Vibrations’. He was so much more than that though, as this album demonstrates. This album is not just an amazing ukulele album, its an amazing album period.
The album mainly focuses on Lyle’s amazing ukulele skills. He was previously famous for using chord shapes to play lead ukulele, but on this album he does a lot more solo’s and intricate arpeggio runs. The album opener, ‘A Felicidade’ is a great example of Lyle’s intricate runs. Behind the sublime ukulele work (which at times barely sounds like a ukulele, but never loses its vibrant sound) are Lyle’s awesome bass riffs. The bass walks along in typical jazz style, complmenting the ukulele without stealing the limelight. The whole album was recorded by Lyle in a hotel room using an Apple Mac and Garageband software.
The album takes a very gentle stroll through originals and jazz standards. Numbers like ‘No moon at all’ mix lush ukulele solo’s with intricate chord work. Sliding effortlessly between complex 7th’s and 9th’s chords Lyle showcases just what a ukulele is capable of. ‘Blue Monk’ would not be out of place on any classic Jazz album. If you are a ukulele fan, this album is a must. If you are a music fan, this album is a must. Lyle pushed the boundaries of what the ukulele was capable of and this album is a true masterclass in jazz ukulele.