Esprit De Four Fourplay
December 4, 2012 in News by Michele Wilson-Morris
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Fourplay, the contemporary jazz group known for their incredibly smooth jazz, recently released their newest album, “Esprit De Four”. Let me just say this: Some things only get better with time, and Fourplay appears to be in that category. The album is sizzling hot from the moment it begins until the very last note is played, and has been met with critical acclaim and garnered praise from fans as well. How do they do it? I think the proper word is SYNERGY. The four (keyboardist Bob James, bassist/vocalist Nathan East, guitarist Chuck Loeb, and drummer/percussionist Harvey Mason) are immensely talented musicians individually. However, their combined efforts are greater than the sum of their individual greatness. SYNERGY. They’ve got plenty of it, and there’s enough on the album to satisfy the most discerning of jazz fans. Released on Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group, “Esprit De Four” belongs in every jazz connoisseur’s collection.
“Esprit De Four” embodies contributions from all members of the group, which for more than two decades has been making us feel the groove. “Esprit De Four” debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart, which speaks volumes. So does the album, and listeners will love what it’s saying.
“December Dream” begins simply and then flows to a full stream and out into a ocean of music. This group simply overwhelms me with their sound. It is pure and very sophisticated as they play in a synchronized flow that is perfectly connected. It doesn’t matter which of the four is taking the lead, one can count on it to be consistently outstanding. “December Dream: sets the stage for everything that follows on this very beautiful CD. The overall theme is mellow, however, with Fourplay, even mellow is enormous. This is an album from a very special place of creativity and distinction, and no amount of words that I write can prepare you for just how great it is. This is one of those CDs that you “Run, don’t walk, and buy!!
