Customer Reviews

Energy

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this CD without hearing anything on it based on the potential of the musicians that form this group. Their past music has always been very good and pleasant. This CD in my opinion doesn't match their past productions when it comes to the "groove factor", for a lack of a better term. Although this CD shows great musicianship and recording quality, while I was listening it began to remind me of the music I hear in the background at a restaurant. A little too mellow and uninspiring in my opinion. Maybe this is one of those CD's that grow on you over time but again I do not find it very exciting at this point. This is just my opinion of course and you my totally enjoy it upon your first listen.

Fourplay have done really well. Of the plethora of jazz "super groups" that were formed back in the early 90s - and I won't name any names - this one seems to be the only one still standing. Or at least, the only one still putting out consistently decent music, after 17 years and a dozen or so albums.

Bob James (keyboards), Larry Carlton (guitar), Nathan East (bass & vocals) and Harvey Mason (drums) are all well known and respected in their respective fields and have all had, and still have, successful solo careers. Together, I think they're something pretty special. This album is pretty much what I expected from them, which is not a bad thing, and in places, has touches of the old-school sound effects James used to employ on his albums back in the the 70s and 80s. For example, the whistling sounds on "The Whistler". Again, not a bad thing.

I really wanted to be able to give the album five stars but "Cape Town" and "Prelude For Lovers" marred my overall enjoyment of it. I found the beats - they sounded way too mechanical to be real drums - on the former song too clunky and I enjoy East much more when he provides vocal effects, which he does brilliantly on the album closer "Sebastian", than when he actually sings, as he does on "Cape Town" - with members of his family providing backing vocals, apparently. Actually, now I look a bit more closely, "Cape Town" is produced and arranged by Fourplay and Marcel East (Nathan's son, presumably), and that explains a lot. Marcel also takes responsibility for additional programming, percussion, engineering, keyboards & guitar on the song. I'm thinking maybe it should have gone on Marcel East's album.

The latter song features Esperanza Spalding on vocals and I know she's getting a lot of buzz at the minute but her vocals did nothing for me. It's quite possible that I just didn't like the song. I will be checking out Spalding's recent album (Esperanza) though, as it's been getting a lot of praise from people who know what they're talking about. I'm just hoping that I'll enjoy her bass playing and songwriting more than her singing.

But back to Fourplay and this CD. Standout tracks for me include the album opener, the jaunty "Fortune Teller" (written by Nathan East, Bob James & Jeff Babko); "Look Both Ways" (Bob James), which surprised me with its urgency, energy and vitality, as I always found Fourplay to be known for a more laid back sound; and the aforementioned "Sebastian" (also written by James).

All in all though, a pretty decent album.

Really nothing too different from what they have done before....good dinner music but not as listenable as the fist three albums IMHO. Superb recording quality if you want to sit down and appreciate you HiFi. I still miss Lee Ritenour though - felt like he spiced up the music abit more (still think Larry is great though).

Although the musicianship on this CD is exemplary, and many of the cuts are excellent, I agree with a number of previous reviewers re: the elevator music analogy. The SACD is an excellent recording, in and of itself, but come on, guys,..."give up the funk, gotta have some funk!"

One of the reviewers, Olukayode Balogun, wrote that he didn't care for Esperanza Spaldings' vocals in "Prelude For Lovers." Meanwhile, I loved it so much because of her phrasing and pleasant way of singing that I downloaded the MP3 of it from Amazon.

I put together my own collection of Smooth Jazz CD's with Vocals and I just put that song on my latest CD, #141. Then I looked back on my three long lists to see what else she did and I have "Precious" and on CD #121, "Prelude for Lovers." I love the song so much I bought it twice. LOL!

She has a way of making a man feel just like he did when he fell in love with a special woman. She's singing "Hush, there's no need to rush, etc." It just brings back such great memories for me. But if we all agreed, we'd all be after the same woman.

If you check my last review for FOURPLAY, you will see a glowing five stars but not here. It just drags and is so, well, average. I won't blame it on Larry Carlton, the new guy in the four, but something is not "usual" on this CD. It lacks drive. Get other FOURPLAY CD's they are better.

I was very pleased with this album. I've been a Fourplay fan for some time now and I've yet to be disappointed by anything these guys put out! "Capetown" was a different sound from them and was nicely done. Fourplay, just keep it coming!!

As a long time fan of Fourplay, both the group and individual members its of no joy to report that most of this CD sounds like background or elevator jazz music. The title Energy is actually completely misleading, because that is exactly what this CD is missing, ENERGY. If you are a fan of Fourplay or simply interested in the group I cannot recommend this CD, but instead would suggest you procure some of their older, landmark CD's, which can be found on Amazon.

Bob, Nathan, Lee & Harvey we love your music. If you happen to see this review consider it constructive criticism. We will be awaiting your next CD and hopefully a return to the stellar jazz, funk, grooves & medlodic tones that have made Fourplay a Super band.. For now I will have to replay your classic music until the next CD.

I used to be a diehard Fourplay fan but once Lee Rittenhour left the group in 1998 and was replaced by Larry Carlton, they just haven't done it for me. Every album they released after Rittenhour garnered a couple of singles here and there off each album but their sound hasn't been as crisp since Carlton replaced Rittenhour. There just is no comparison between the two. Rittenhour is light years on another level than Carlton is on guitar and it shows in their sound. You can do better than this.

Bob James, Larry Carlton, Nat East, Harvey Mason would have to be the tightest group of players around. These guys just have IT. I'm hoping, one day they will feel like a holiday and come to Perth, Western Australia to play a few gigs. This album is definately recomended. It will both sooth & pump your soul.