Bob James talks about the single “Put Our Hearts Together“, from Fourplay’s new album Esprit de Four, and his personal connection to the people and culture that makes Japan so special.

‘Esprit De Four’ is still working over the top of the charts…

Currently #7 on the Contemporary Jazz Chart!

Heading into their third decade of making multi-faceted recordings that perfectly blend pop accessibility, rhythmic R&B and colorful jazz improvisations, Fourplay in 2010 issued a challenge to their listeners on their second Heads Up date: Let’s Touch The Sky. This project marked the group’s first with Chuck Loeb, a veteran jazz guitarist whose resume includes everyone from Stan Getz and Steps Ahead to a two decade catalog of contemporary and traditional jazz solo recordings. Joining founding members Bob James (keyboards), Nathan East (bass/vocals) and Harvey Mason (drums/percussion), Loeb follows in the formidable footsteps of founding Fourplay guitarist Lee Ritenour and Larry Carlton, who toured and recorded with the group for 12 years. Six of the supergroup’s 12 recordings since 1991’s self titled debut have hit #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

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Fourplay’s new recording, Esprit de Four, is another fine example of contemporary jazz. This is the kind of music that connects with its soul-searching passion and its sweetness of heart. Among the more notable tracks is the Bob James’s composition “Put Our Hearts Together,” which he wrote for a concert in a region of Japan severely impacted by the tsunami of 2011. It appears as both an instrumental and vocal version on the CD. Japanese pop star Seiko Matsuda lends her voice to this moving tribute.

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“How does one attain the type of musical diversity, popularity, and longevity in the music business as grammy winning bassist, songwriter and vocalist Nathan East?

Find out…

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Fourplay serenades the seas of the Mediterranean with Dave Koz.

For over 20 years, the collaborative ensemble Fourplay has grown ever more cohesive in its approach to modern jazz. When the three founding members added guitarist Chuck Loeb to the lineup for 2010’s Let’s Touch the Sky, the group attained perfect dialogic balance.

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Keyboardist Bob James, bassist/vocalist Nathan East, guitarist Chuck Loeb and drummer/percussionist Harvey Mason offer listeners a solid program of brand new compositions written by each of them on their latest release titled Esprit de Four.

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Jazz Group Fourplay Reaches #1 on Billboards Contemporary Jazz Charts This Week with “Esprit de Four”!

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