Fourplay – Fourplay (30th Anniversary Remastered) – 180g Chesky Records 2LP Vinyl

Between the Sheets is the second studio album of the smooth jazz group Fourplay – comprised of acclaimed jazz musicians Bob James (piano), Lee Ritenour (guitar), Nathan East (vocals/bass), and Harvey Mason (drums). The album is well-regarded as a defining album in the smooth jazz generation.

There was no great cunning master plan that brought noted jazz instrumentalists Bob James (keyboards), Lee Ritenour (guitar), Nathan East (bass) and Harvey Mason (drums) together to form a supergroup.

Released in October 1991, Fourplay – aided by the success of the smash single ‘After The Dance’ – peaked at No. 1 in America’s Contemporary Jazz charts for 33 weeks and sold over a million copies. It rose to No. 16 in the R&B rankings and No. 97 in America’s list of top pop records, The Billboard 200.

Thanks to the group’s impeccable musicianship and its internal creative chemistry, Fourplay created an immediately identifiable signature sound, setting the gold standard for smooth jazz in the 1990s. Now three decades old, the band’s self-titled debut album was not only the blueprint for the group’s sound but also functioned as a foundation stone upon which Fourplay built a remarkable career. Originally released in September 1991, Fourplay is now reissued by evosound, to celebrate the album’s 30th Anniversary. The remastering of the album was undertaken using the high-resolution digital transfers from the original analogue master tapes.

re and was released in August 1993 to rapturous acclaim. The album is certified gold by the RIAA, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 15 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and selling over 500,000 copies in the United States.

The album is known for its iconic smooth jazz tracks, like the slow, sensuous ballad “Between The Sheets,” a remake of the 1983 hit by R&B group the Isley Brothers. It features vocals from legendary soul singer Chaka Khan, whose lead voice duets with Nathan East against lush background vocals from noted singers Chante Moore, Phil Perry, and Earth, Wind & Fire’s Philip Bailey. Then there is “Amoroso,” a sprightly tune featuring sparkling solos from James and Ritenour while East and the song’s composer, Mason, keep a lively groove simmering. Lastly, “Chant” is an elegant Bob James’ tune propelled by a chugging funk rhythm and features East supplying soft, atmospheric vocals and a sinewy bass line.

Track Listing

1. Bali Run
2. 101 Eastbound
3. Foreplay
4. Moonjogger
5. Max-O-Man
6. After The Dance
1. Quadrille
2. Midnight Stroll
3. October Morning
4. Wish You Were Here
5. Rain Forest
6. After The Dance (Long Version) feat.El Debarge