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Fourplay
Fourplay (stylized as fOURPLAY) is a contemporary American smooth jazz quartet. The original members of the group were Bob James (keyboards), Lee Ritenour (guitars), Nathan East (bass), and Harvey Mason (drums). In 1997, Lee Ritenour left the group and Fourplay chose Larry Carlton as his replacement. In 2010, Larry Carlton left Fourplay and was replaced by Chuck Loeb, who died on July 31, 2017. During Loeb's illness, saxophonist Kirk Whalum joined the group for performances. The group has enjoyed consistent artistic and commercial success by grafting elements of R&B and pop to jazz, appealing to a broad mainstream audience. Their debut album, ''Fourplay'' (1991), sold over a million copies and remained at the number one position on the ''Billboard'' contemporary jazz chart for 33 weeks. Their next album, '' Between the Sheets'' (1993), reached number one, went gold, and received a Grammy Award nomination. In 1995, their third gold album, ''Elixir ELIXIR (the European life- ...
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Fourplay (Fourplay Album)
''Fourplay'' is the debut album by the American smooth jazz group Fourplay which was released in 1991. The group was originally composed by Bob James (keyboards), Lee Ritenour (guitars), Nathan East (bass) and Harvey Mason (drums). The album went to number 1 on the Contemporary Jazz charts, number 16 on the R&B charts and number 97 on the US Billboard 200. Since then the album went Gold according to the RIAA and has sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Overview With this debut LP Fourplay's lineup consisted of keyboardist Bob James, guitarist Lee Ritenour, bassist Nathan East and drummer Harvey Mason. Track listing Personnel Fourplay * Bob James – Yamaha C7 MIDI grand piano, keyboards, synthesizers, programming * Lee Ritenour – electric guitars, classical guitars, guitar synthesizer * Nathan East – 5-string bass, 6-string bass, backing vocals (6) * Harvey Mason – drums Additional musicians * Harvey Mason Jr. – synthesizer programming, computer programming * ...
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The Best Of Fourplay
''The Best of Fourplay'' is a compilation album by American smooth jazz quartet Fourplay, released in 1997. The 2020 SACD remastered edition of the album includes the bonus track, 'The Closer I Get To You,' a duet between Patti Austin and Peabo Bryson. Track listing Personnel As listed in the liner notes. Fourplay * Bob James – keyboards * Lee Ritenour – guitars * Nathan East – basses, vocals (9) * Harvey Mason – drums, percussion Additional personnel * Harvey Mason Jr. – synthesizers (3) * Dan Shea – synthesizers (12) * Take 6 – vocals (3) * David Thomas – lead vocals (3) * El DeBarge – vocals (6) * Chaka Khan – vocals (9) * Phil Collins – vocals (12) References External links Fourplay - ''The Best of Fourplay'' (1997) album review by Richard S. Ginell, credits & releasesat AllMusic Fourplay - ''The Best of Fourplay'' (1997) album releases & creditsat Discogs Fourplay - ''The Best of Fourplay'' (1997) album to be listenedas stream on Spotif ...
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Bob James (musician)
Robert McElhiney James (born December 25, 1939) is an American jazz keyboardist, arranger, and record producer. He founded the band Fourplay and wrote "Angela", the theme song for the TV show ''Taxi.'' According to VICE (magazine), music from his first seven albums has often been sampled and believed to have contributed to the formation of hip hop. Among his most well known recordings are "Nautilus", "Westchester Lady", "Tappan Zee", and his version of "Take Me to The Mardi Gras". Early life and family James was born on Christmas Day of 1939 in Marshall, Missouri, United States. He started playing the piano at age four. His first piano teacher, Sister Mary Elizabeth, who taught at Mercy Academy, discovered that he had perfect pitch. At age seven, James began to study with R. T. Dufford, a teacher at Missouri Valley College. At age 15, James continued his studies with Franklin Launer, a teacher at Christian College in Columbia, Missouri, with more music instruction during high ...
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Nathan East
Nathan Harrell East (born December 8, 1955) is an American jazz, R&B, and rock bass player and vocalist. With more than 2,000 recordings, East is one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of California, San Diego (1978). He is a founding member of contemporary jazz quartet Fourplay and has recorded, performed, and co-written songs with performers such as Bobby Womack, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Joe Satriani, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, Toto, Kenny Loggins, Daft Punk, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock. Career Early life Nathan Harrell East was born on December 8, 1955 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Thomas and Gwendolyn East. He is one of eight children (five boys and three girls) raised Catholic in San Diego, where the family moved when he was four. He is the younger brother of Msgr Ray East of St Teresa of Avila Church in DC. East first studied cello fro ...
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Between The Sheets (Fourplay Album)
''Between the Sheets'' is the second studio album of the jazz group Fourplay which was released in August 1993 on Warner Bros. Records. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 15 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. ''Between the Sheets'' has sold over 500,000 copies in the United States and has thus been certified gold by the RIAA. Critical reception Between the Sheets was Grammy nominated in the category of Best Contemporary Jazz Performance (Instrumental) Track listing Personnel Fourplay * Bob James – Yamaha C7 MIDI grand piano, Yamaha Disklavier piano, synthesizers, string orchestrations, arrangements (1, 3, 4, 7) * Lee Ritenour – electric guitars, guitar synthesizer (2, 3, 5, 8), arrangements (2, 3, 6, 9) * Nathan East – 5 and 6-string bass guitars, fretless basses, lead chant (1), chorus chant (1), lead vocals (3), backing vocals (3), arrangements (3, 5) * Harvey Mason – drums, percussion, marimba, vibraphone, chimes, glo ...
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Harvey Mason
Harvey William Mason (born February 22, 1947) is an American jazz drummer, record producer, and member of the band Fourplay. Mason, who attended Berklee in the 1960s, received an Honorary Doctorate at Berklee's 2015 Commencement Ceremony for his achievement and influence in music and for his enduring contributions to American and international culture. Life and career Mason was born and grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States, and attended Atlantic City High School. He began playing drums at the age of four with the support of his father, a drummer in the army band. Equipment Mason endorses Canopus drums, Murat Diril cymbals, Remo drumheads, DW pedals, and Vic Firth drumsticks. Mason has his own Vic Firth Harvey Mason signature drumstick and Vic Firth Harvey Mason Chameleon signature drumstick. Discography As leader With Fourplay As sideman With Arthur Adams * ''I Love Love Love My Lady'' (A&M, 1979) With Christina Aguilera * ''My Kind of Chris ...
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Lee Ritenour
Lee Mack Ritenour ( ; born January 11, 1952) is an American jazz guitarist who has been active since the late 1960s. Biography Ritenour was born on January 11, 1952, in Los Angeles, California, United States. At the age of eight he started playing guitar and four years later decided on a career in music. When he was 16 he played on his first recording session with the Mamas & the Papas. He developed a love for jazz and was influenced by guitarist Wes Montgomery. At the age of 17 he worked with Lena Horne and Tony Bennett. He studied classical guitar at the University of Southern California. 1976–1988 Ritenour's solo career began with the album ''First Course'' (1976), a good example of the jazz-funk sound of the 1970s, followed by ''Captain Fingers'', ''The Captain's Journey'' (1978), and ''Feel the Night'' (1979). In 1979, he "was brought in to beef up" one of Pink Floyd's ''The Wall''s heaviest rock numbers, "Run Like Hell". He played "uncredited rhythm guitar" on "One of ...
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Energy (Fourplay Album)
''Energy'' is the 10th studio album by jazz group Fourplay, released on September 23, 2008. The cover shows the four members: keyboardist Bob James, guitarist Larry Carlton, bassist Nathan East, and drummer Harvey Mason. ''Energy'' grafts a variety of sounds—R&B, pop, African—to Fourplay's jazz foundation. In addition to vocals by East, a member since the band's inception in 1990, the album includes vocals by Esperanza Spalding. The single "Fortune Teller" was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best Pop Instrumental Performance at the 51st Grammy Awards 2009. This was guitarist Larry Carlton's last Fourplay album before Chuck Loeb joined in 2010. Track listing # "Fortune Teller" (Jeff Babko, Nathan East, Bob James) - 5:53 # "The Whistler" (Harvey Mason) - 5:28 # "Ultralight" (Larry Carlton) - 4:17 # "Cape Town" (Alan Dones, Marcel East, N. East) - 4:57 # "The Yes Club" (James) - 5:07 # "Prelude for Lovers"; feat. Esperanza Spalding (Kevin DiSimone) - 3:12 # "Look ...
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Elixir (Fourplay Album)
''Elixir'' is the third studio album by Fourplay, released in 1995. Among the guest vocalists on this album are Phil Collins, Patti Austin, and Peabo Bryson. Track listing Personnel Fourplay * Bob James – Yamaha C7 MIDI grand piano, keyboards, synthesizers, programming, synthesizer orchestrations, arrangements (4, 8) * Lee Ritenour – electric guitars, classical guitar, guitar synthesizer, additional synthesizer and computer programming, arrangements (3) * Nathan East – 5 and 6-string bass guitars, fretless bass, vocals (5, 9), vocal arrangements (8), arrangements (8), scat (9) * Harvey Mason – drums, percussion, bongos, marimba, Jew's harp, arrangements (8) Additional Musicians * Harvey Mason, Jr. – synthesizer and computer programming, vocal arrangements (11) * Ken Freeman – additional synthesizer and computer programming * Phil Collins – vocals (4) * Patti Austin – vocals (8) * Peabo Bryson – vocals (8) * Vern Arnold – backing vocals (11) * Cisco †...
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Yes, Please!
''Yes, Please!'' is the sixth studio album of the jazz group Fourplay which was released by Warner Bros. Records in 2000. Track listing Personnel Fourplay * Bob James – pianos, keyboards * Larry Carlton – guitars * Nathan East – bass guitars, vocals (6, 7), backing vocals (10) * Harvey Mason – drums Additional Musicians * Ken Freeman – synthesizer programming * Chanté Moore – vocals (6) * Sherree – lead and backing vocals (10) Production * Fourplay – producers (1-9, 11) * Nathan East – producer (10) * Marcel East – producer (10) * Don Murray – engineer, mixing (1-9, 11) * Moogie Canazio – mixing (10) * Steve Mixdorf – mix assistant (10) * Ken Freeman – additional engineer, ProTools engineer * Staffan Karlsson – additional engineer, ProTools engineer * Christian Robles – additional engineer * Dave Fisher – assistant engineer * Jimmy Hoyson – assistant engineer * Charlie Paakkari – assistant engineer * Patrick Q.K. – assistant en ...
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4 (Fourplay Album)
''4'' is the fourth studio album by Fourplay, released in 1998. This is their first album with guitarist Larry Carlton. Track listing Personnel Fourplay * Bob James – pianos, keyboards, programming * Larry Carlton – guitars * Nathan East – bass guitars, bass scat (1), vocals (1, 2, 5, 6, 7), backing vocals (3), scat (7) * Harvey Mason – drums Additional Personnel * Heather Mason – vocals (1, 2, 6) * Kevyn Lettau – vocals (2, 6) * Michele Pillar – vocals (2, 6) * El DeBarge – lead vocals (3) * James DeBarge – backing vocals (3) * Babyface – vocals (5), vocal arrangements (5) * Shanice Wilson – vocals (5) Production * Fourplay – producers * Harvey Mason, Jr. – co-producer (3) * Bob James – executive producer * Brad Gilderman – recording, mixing (1, 3) * Don Murray – recording, mixing (2, 4-10), mastering * Linda Cobb – art direction * Zoren Gold – design, photography ;Studios * Recorded at Sunset Sound and NRG Recording Studios and ...
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X (Fourplay Album)
''X'' is the ninth studio album by Fourplay, released in 2006. Track listing #"Turnabout" (Bob James) – 6:21 #"Cinnamon Sugar" (Larry Carlton) – 4:48 #"Eastern Sky" (Marcel East, Nathan East) – 6:37 #"Kid Zero" (Harvey Mason, Sr.) – 4:48 #"My Love's Leavin'"; feat. Michael McDonald (Vivian Stanshall, Steve Winwood) – 5:11 #"Screenplay" (Bob James) – 6:04 #"Twilight Touch" (Harvey Mason, Sr.) – 4:57 #"Be My Lover" (Larry Carlton, Nathan East) – 4:13 #"Sunday Morning" (Nathan East) – 3:53 Personnel Fourplay * Bob James – keyboards * Larry Carlton – guitars * Nathan East – bass guitar, vocals (1, 3, 8) * Harvey Mason – drums Additional Personnel * Michael McDonald – vocals (5) * Kevin DiSimone – backing vocals (5) * Michele Pillar – vocals (8) Production * Fourplay – producers * Ken Freeman – co-producer, recording, mixing, keyboard technician * Csaba Petozc – assistant engineer * Shannon Forrest Shannon Forrest (born August 22, ...
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