“Silver commemorates Fourplay’s 25th anniversary by adhering to form. It’s a sleek but relaxed album that highlights the band’s strengths as a rhythm section.”
The New York Times
“The major takeaway from Silver is simply this. Fourplay is not Bob James and his backup band or the Harvey Mason Quartet or the Nathan East Group or the Chuck Loeb Crew. Fourplay is, and has always been a band, and one of the most enduring, accomplished and greatest bands in jazz. Silver is as much a proud statement of resilience as it a triumphant celebration of achievement.’ ****1/2
All About Jazz
“Every Fourplay member, whether current or an alum, has played a role in elevating the contemporary jazz game and popular music in general, and on Silver these jazz legends once again show that the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts. This is a welcome celebration of twenty-five years of excellence.” Recommended.
Soul Tracks
“Silver is jam-packed with sophistication, mastery, melody, and musical majesty…Never disappointing and always more than entertaining (in fact, therapeutic), this iconic band will always stand at the very pinnacle of jazz with few equals.”
TheSmoothJazzRide
“Fourplay celebrates its 25th anniversary with an inspired outing that includes former guitar members Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour as guests.”
Bass Player
“…Fourplay remains one of contemporary jazz’s most popular acts…Silver offers more of the band’s seamless blend of jazz, pop and R&B, and nearly all of the track titles salute the anniversary by referring either directly or indirectly to silver.”
JazzTimes
“…the gold standard of contemporary jazz groups. Silver is a continuation of the group’s smooth, precise sound — pairing interlocking rhythms and sophisticated grooves.” ***1/2
ICON
“Most people listen to groove jazz simply for unobtrusive background noise. Silver, however, transcends background music, with each song engaging listeners from start to finish. If you are new to the subgenre, it would be wise to start your collection with this ten song album from one of the best groove bands still working today. Happy 25th Anniversary, Fourplay. Here’s to another quarter century!”
Black Grooves
“All of the songs have that great feeling of consistent quality and deep grooves that Fourplay and these high-profile guest artists bring to the studio. That sense of fellowship permeates Silver from start to finish and you can be assured that this recording is definitely one that is definitely ‘Sterling Silver.’”
AXS.com
“These guys have made smooth jazz in a way that gives it a good name. Lots to love here.”
Jazz Weekly
“Silver is a mix of funk, fusion, pop, jazz, blues, and that all so familiar tight melodies and the Fourplay exactness from talented musicians at the highest level.”
Luxury Experience
“The disc is silver. Four silver coins adorn the cover. And the music is certainly precious.”
The Jazz Writer
“The album is a work of art…Sophisticated arrangements and ultrafine interplay are their most particular strength.”
First View
“Longevity among jazz groups is a surprisingly rare commodity. With relatively few exceptions, a run of a few years, at most, is standard; for a collective of jazz musicians to stick together for a decade or more is almost unheard of. That puts Fourplay, who celebrates their 25th anniversary this year, in a league of their own.”
Jazz Inside
“Fourplay’s new 10-song CD, Silver (Concord Records) – recorded at Sunset Sound Studio in Hollywood where they cut their self titled debut in 1990 for Warner Bros. – marks the band’s 25th anniversary and is, fittingly, one of its finest, most consistent CDs in some time.”
Urban Music Scene
“ As indicated not only by the title of the CD but also by the titles of several of the ten new songs within the CD, the contemporary-jazz quartet is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and invites a couple former members to join the party.”
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
“Both James and Loeb take many fine solos but it is the sound of the ensembles that gives this group its own personality…Fourplay’s large audience will certainly find Silver enjoyable.”
Jazz Inside
“…a Grammy contender…band members keyboardist Bob James, guitarist Chuck Loeb, bassist Nathan East, and drummer Harvey Mason clearly have lost none of that chemistry that helped define the band’s tight and cohesive sound.”
Call and Response
“When you contemplate the illustrious career of Harvey Mason, your mind HAS to be blown…The associations that this consummate first-call musician has made through five decades is staggering…We dare you to find another legendary drummer who has been involved with more gold and platinum recording sessions…”
Hybrid Jazz from Trish Hennessey