No one better !
by EMMcL on 6/11/14North Charleston Performing Arts Center - North CharlestonRating: 5 out of 5Fourplay is a must see performance! Each time I have seen them has been phenomenal....

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FOURPLAY IN CONCERT:
Iconic smooth jazz quartet Fourplay hold the distinction of being the only music group in history to be recognized by the United States Congress, and it's easy to see why. Comprised of some of the best jazz musicians in the world, the supergroup never fails to dazzle with their virtuosic playing and electrifying chemistry on stage, creating an outsized live sound that belies their humble setup. Featuring selections from more than two decades of recording, Fourplay's 2013 shows hit all the right notes, building excitement for their 2014 tour dates.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Formed in 1990 by Bob James, Harvey Mason, Nathan East, and Lee Ritenour, Fourplay made their self-titled album debut in 1991, topping the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart for a whopping 33 weeks. Their potent blend of pop, R&B, and smooth jazz clearly struck a chord with audiences — 1993 sophomore album Between the Sheets was a similar success, also topping the charts and receiving a Grammy nomination. Over the years, they've been joined on their recordings by a range of celebrated pop vocalists including Phil Collins, Patti Austin, and Babyface, and they hold the honor of being the only musical group ever honored by the United States Congress. With a host of highly anticipated tour dates scheduled for 2014, fans eagerly await a follow-up album to 2012's lauded Esprit de Four.
FANS WHO BOUGHT TICKETS SAY:
"These guys are the most professional, tight, hard playing SMOOTH jazz band I've had the pleasure of seeing live. They played continuously and ebulliently for almost 2 hours!"
"It's hard to believe that two guitars, a piano and drums can put out the sound that Fourplay does. What a talented foursome."
"The musicianship was impeccable, the mood was enchanting, and the energy was electric."
Encore
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Fourplay is a must see performance! Each time I have seen them has been phenomenal....
The concert was awesome!! It was sad that Charleston did not turn out with a huge crowd, but I am so happy the concert was not canceled. I was able to take pictures with Paul Taylor and pictures of Fourplay as they signed my CD, I would recommend this concert as a couples night....AGAIN IT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME!
Having been a fan of the group in all of its iterations, it was great to finally see the group in person. Bob James, Harvey Mason, Nathan East, and Chuck Loeb are definitely masters of their craft, able to blend their particular styles into something uplifting and enjoyable. My only complaint is that more people didn't either know, or care about, seeing this group. These are some of the best in the business, and it's almost embarrassing to see such a low turnout for this show. Even with them coat-tailing in during Spoleto, they should have drawn a larger crowd from the out-of-towners that know their works.
We were excited to finally hear a backup band that was fantastic- Paul Taylor put on a great show and was so personable. His trip while soloing into the audience for over 5 min was tops. What a nice guy without a prideful attitude, loved what he was doing and wanted to make sure you had a good time. Fourplay was second to none. Loved Em' . So synchronized and excellent. Couldn't believe more people were not there.
As always, Fourplay was fantastic on June 7 in Charleston, SC. They are some of the most talented and professional jazz musicians in the world and they obviously love playing together. This was the third time I've seen them in the last four years. I hope I'll be lucky enough to get to see them again soon.
First, Paul Taylor was incredible. How can you do better than that for an opening act? I hope he comes back to Charleston soon on his own tour. I can't say enough about Four Play. Each ones of those guys is an amazing artist in their own right, but when you see them play together it is simply magic. One of the best concerts I have ever been to.
FourPlay was fantastic...as usual. The Birchmere is the perfect setting to see this enormously talented group. All the guys were on their A+ game.
these guys were on their 'game'.. amazing & songs were tight... bass player rocked the house..
What an enjoyable show. Fourplay was just fantastic. It was great to hear some of their best tunes and mix in some of their new album. What I like about the shows at the Birchmere is that you get to meet the musicians after the show.
These guys are the most professional, tight, hard playing SMOOTH jazz band I've had the pleasure of seeing live. They played continuously, and ebulliently for almost 2 hours!!! The venue is no less than amazing, our happen-chance seats were comfortable, with an excellent view of Bob's hands on the keys, Nathan's prowess on his many basses, and just enough view of Chuck's guitar shredding and Harvey's steady exciting pulse to tease us!! Their music is unparalleled and of course, they played all the old favorites, along with some swingin' new grooves from their latest album: Esprit de Four. Thanks for a GREAT CONCERT, and for being such great human beings to stay around afterwards for us to enjoy the pleasure of meeting you in person. Unforgettable indeed! ...my wife is still floating on cloud nine, btw
So wonderful (and so rare) to see four extraordinarily talented/skilled/experienced musicians playing live and relying "only" on what they do best. They love what they're doing, they love doing it together, and it shows.
Great seating, Outstanding music, overall, just fabulous!
My years of enjoying live music, Fourplay ranks in top 5%. Nathan East didn't carry the quintet by himself but was more than instrumental. I'm 60 years young and have a great appreciation of jazz. Thank Bob James for being a cornerstone of life. GrizzlyMonk
It's hard to believe that two guitars, a piano and drums can put out the sound that Fourplay does. What a talented foursome. Their performance ranks as one of the top acts I've ever seen - and I've seen quite a few.
Another great experience at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville with Fourplay. The group is awesome, their sound was great as always!
I've been a fan of this group for years!!!! It was a thrill to see them in action LIVE in such a great venue. My husband really enjoyed the performance too....and he wasn't familiar with them. Makes for a great evening out. Just LOVED watching these guys play together.
Five Stars is not enough to rate Four Play!! We drove 6 hours to hear them and every minute of the drive was worth it. I have never witnessed such a display of individual and collective talent. I am on the band wagon to get them to perform in my city.
Really enjoyed four world class musicians. Particularly loved the performance turned in by Nathan East.
We were blessed to be able to hear, see and feel the groove of fourplay in Jacksonville FL. James is a master of the piano and a great orchestrator for this talented quartet. I waas most impressed by Nathan East and Harvey Mason laying down the foundation for the groove. Mr. East now plays a six string bass and adds a new dimension with the bass able the be in the forefront, and when he plucks the standup bass all is great. Chuck Loeb especially warmed up in the second set and smoked with his own composition. I was not familiar with theire new songs but they definitely hit high points with loyal fans with their classics.
Seeing Fourplay is always a unique experience. All consummate players, the band played a mixed bag of songs from most of their earlier CDs, as well as their new one, Espirit de Four. The audience cheered with each song and it was a fun night of grooving with some of the best SJ musicians in the world. Highly recommend!