Lee Ritenour - Mr Briefcase (Video from MTV2)

What this video is

Released on August 1, 1981, 'Mr. Briefcase' was among the first ~20 music videos ever aired on MTV, placing it at the absolute ground floor of music video culture as a medium. The song critiques corporate conformity and music industry commercialism — a pointed irony given its placement on one of pop music's most commercially transformative new platforms. It emerges from the LA West Coast Fusion scene, featuring an…

Why it matters

Represents a critical transitional moment in jazz-fusion's commercial evolution: Lee Ritenour, nicknamed 'Captain Fingers,' was one of the definitive LA session guitarists of the 1970s who pivoted toward pop accessibility with 'Rit' (1981). 'Mr. Briefcase' exemplifies the Westcoast Sound's peak —…