When keyboardist Bob James, bassist Nathan East, guitarist Larry Carlton and drummer Harvey Mason come together as Fourplay, the result is an undeniable energy that perpetuates itself. This the title of their upcoming release, Energy, makes perfect sense. The acclaimed contemporary jazz quartet is scheduled to release their new album worldwide on September 23rd.

Energy grafts a variety of sounds – R&B, pop, African and more – to Fourplay’s unwavering jazz foundations. In addition to vocals by East – a charter member since the band’s inception in 1990 – the album also features a vocal track by Esperanza Spalding, the upright bassist, composer and vocalist who has recently taken the jazz world by storm with her self-titled debut earlier this year.

“I always feel a special energy coming from all four corners of this group,” says James, who originally came up with the album title. “This combination of passion and intensity is what keeps me coming back for more. The energy is multiplied by a factor of four.”

“The title is a reflection of the various moods captured in the tracks,” East adds. “Whether romantic or sophisticated, upbeat or mellow, each player brings his own unique energy to the music. That combination of energies reflects what this album is all about.”

Spalding appears on the track “Prelude for Lovers” and according to James this track turned out to be “one of the most exciting developments that came about during the recording,” thanks in large part to Esperanza’s guest vocals.

The song was written by James’ daughter Hilary and her husband, Kevin DiSimone, as a showcase for a guest vocalist that had yet to be decided. “Heads Up President Dave Love suggested Esperanza, and the rest, as they say, is history. Talk about energy, she’s got it! Her fresh, intimate style was a perfect match for this song. She was a dream to work with in the studio, full of ideas and confidence.”

Carlton adds: “All I can say about Esperanza’s contribution to this track is ‘Wow!’ She sounds so comfortable in our setting. What a great performance.”

The album’s closing track, “Sebastian,” takes its name from one of the greatest classical composers of all time. “I surprised everyone by bringing in a sketch based on a chord progression from a Bach piano piece I had been playing at home,’ says James. “It occurred to me that it might provide the framework for a Fourplay song. We all have classical backgrounds to some degree, so I thought it would be fun to try something to bring out that aspect of our performing.”

Regardless of the eclectic range of sources – jazz, pop, funk, R&B or even classical – “the overriding goal, as always, was to make the very best CD we could,” says Mason. “Our constant aim is to explore and push the boundaries while still satisfying our longtime fans, who have traveled this journey with us for nearly two decades.”

For more information on upcoming releases you can check out headsup.com.