Bob James : Fourplay - Elixir :Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards

Bob James & Fourplay - Elixir
Released 1995

1. Elixir
2. Dream Come True
3. Play Lady Play
4. Why Can't It Wait Till Morning - (with Phil Collins)
5. Magic Carpet Ride
6. Whisper In My Ear
7. Fannie Mae
8. Closer I Get To You, The
9. East 2 West
10. Licorice
11. In My Corner

Listen to Earl Klugh talk about Bob James

Fourplay: Nathan East (vocals, fretless, 5- & 6-string basses); Lee Ritenour (guitar, synthesizer, programming); Harvey Mason (jew's harp, marimba, drums, bongos, congas); Bob James (keyboards, synthesizer, programming). Additional personnel: Phil Collins, Patti Austin, Peabo Bryson (vocals); Ken Freeman, Harvey Mason, Jr. (programming); Heather Mason, Vern Arnold, Cisco (background vocals). ELIXIR was nominated for a 1996 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance. Fourplay are the reigning champions of urbane sophistication, bringing a sublime sense of form and interplay to the contemporary jazz genre. Taken as individuals, Bob James, Lee Ritenour, Nathan East and Harvey Mason are among the most persuasive, engaging improviser/arrangers in all of popular music, with scores of hit albums behind them as producers, leaders and sidemen. Taken as a whole, Fourplay elevate the quiet storm aesthetic to a new level, with a deep, slinky groove and an innate sense of the appropriate instrumental color. Consider how the title track sets the tone for the remainder of ELIXIR. Distant keyboard colors swirl about as West and Mason enter with a phat, pliable, bottomless groove. Guitarist Ritenour snakes in and out with latin effects and subtle chords, as keyboardist James essays the theme; the guitar soon returns for the chorus with a darkly articulated, romantic secondary theme. The mentholated instrumental jaunts serve only to deepen the groove, as Mason's crisp backbeat floats up to meet them. The production values on ELIXIR are phenomenal, thanks to the larger than life soundstage of engineer Don Murray. The bottom end is enormous but clear as a bell, every electronic nuance captured with the transparency and detail of an acoustic instrument--listen to the swirling interplay between bass and keyboards, Ritenour's Wes Montgomery-styled solo lines and octaves, and Mason's propulsive syncopations on the dreamy "Dream Come True," the funkified "Play Lady Play" and the latin R&B swing of "Magic Carpet Ride." Fourplay also take their soulful synthesis of jazz and R&B to the very edge of pop acceptance with some tender ballads. Phil Collins is featured on his own "Why Can't It Wait Until Morning," the super-duo of Peabo Bryson and Patti Austin shine on "The Closer I Get To You," and bassist East takes a couple of engaging vocal turns. For fans of the quiet storm, ELIXIR is irresistable.

"As some people may know I am from the Caribbean Grenada to be exact and I remember, getting turned on to Bob James's music in the late seventies. When a friend of mine relocated from the United States back to Grenada, and loaned me one of his records. I was so hooked on Bob James that I would sneak out of Baird in the middle of the night put on my headphones turn on the stereo I listen to Bob James and everything that he did and pray to God that I do not get caught listening to Bob James at 2 a.m. in the morning. As a youngster, I was fascinated with all his arrangements at all the different artists that he worked with. I remember getting the records and looking at the photographs of the musicians in the studio working with him and dreaming someday that could be me. Bob James was a major influence in my development as a musician and arranger/producer. In closing I would like to say how happy I am that were able to on the Bob James for a job well done." - Eddie Bullen

"Bob James never ceases to amaze me. When I first met him he was sitting in front of a piano not looking at all like a pianist, so I didn't expect very much from him. Especially since he was about to accompany one of the greatest singers of our time, Ms. Sarah Vaughn, but when his hands touched that piano his brilliance became clearly evident. His musicianship reflected both his jazz and classical experience. He enhanced her performances beautifully. I later found him to be an incredible arranger who had a flair for pop music mixed with jazz and R&B. His recordings as a stable mate on CTI Records reflected a very listenable modern approach to jazz. As a producer he has created records that started a trend that transcends its time. As a member of the group Fourplay, Bob has once again shown his unlimited ability to adapt to any musical environment.

It is an honour to recognize Bob James as the first recipient of the George
Benson Lifetime Achievement Award." - George Benson

"Bob James embodies the exact type of musician I have always, and will continue to strive to be. He does it all : he plays, composes, arranges, produces, improvises, and does it all in a way that, while always staying creative and fresh, still connects with the hearts of every segment of the listening audience, whether they be sophisticated musicians or just lovers of good music. AND - on top of all that he is the most user friendly, down to earth, cool dude you'd ever want to be on the road with. Bob - you may be the recipient of a lifetime achievement award - but you got a lot of achieving left to do! Love ya" - Chuck Loeb