Bob and Nathan talk about going to “the danger zone” while recording this extraordinary new album.
THE NEW COOL is coming… 9.18.15. Pre-order now and get an instant track from the new album at smarturl.it/tnc-preorder
More at thenewcoolalbum.com
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HDtracks Master Musicians: Bob James
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James & East keep it COOL
‘THE NEW COOL’ is the title of a new collaborative effort between one half of smooth jazz outfit, Fourplay…. pianist BOB JAMES and bassist NATHAN EAST.
The idea for the album came from Chris Gero, head of the Yamaha Entertainment Group who invited East and James to Nashville to record with state-of-the-art Yamaha instruments. The duo accepted and came up with an audacious 11 tracker that might surprise those who know them chiefly via their work with Fourplay.
The music on ‘The New Cool’ is, well, way cooler… more straight ahead jazz than the smoother sounds that Fourplay are rightly famous for. That fact is evident from the start with the album’s title cut – pastoral piano wanderings engaging with meandering bass lines.
The album is largely a two hander though the strings of the Nashville Recording Orchestra star on several cuts – notably the cinematic ‘All Will Be Revealed’ which also features a touch of East’s celebrated vocalese. Then on the climatic ‘Turbulence’ and the Latino-flavoured ‘Canto Y Danza’ there’s welcome input from percussionist Rafael Padilla and drummer Scott Williamson.
Biggest surprise, however, is the cover of Willie Nelson’s ‘Crazy’. The Nashville strings add plenty of sweetness while Vince Gill (yes, we’re in Nashville, remember) offers his usual authoritative vocal and it’s clear that James and East were having great fun here.
BOB JAMES & NATHAN EAST’S ‘The New Cool’ is released on September 18 on Yamaha Entertainment Records.
〈第14回 東京JAZZ〉、ボブ・ジェームス＆東京フィル公演に渡辺香津美がスペシャル・ゲストで参加
〈第14回 東京JAZZ〉で行なわれるプログラム“the HALL”ボブ・ジェームス＆東京フィルハーモニー交響楽団公演の詳細が決定、日本が誇るスーパー・ギタリストの渡辺香津美がスペシャル・ゲストで参加することが発表されました。この公演は9月5日（土）昼、東京・丸の内 国際フォーラム ホールAにて開催されます。
この日に演奏される楽曲は、ボブ・ジェームスが被災地大船渡を訪問した際にインスピレーションを受け、復興への祈りを込めて書き下ろした大作、「Concerto for Piano & Orchestra」、同じく世界初演の書き下ろし曲「One Afternoon」、そして大胆なアレンジで話題を集めた「禿山の一夜」。
2011年の東日本大震災後から“音楽を通じて困難に立ち向かう人々を勇気づけたい”と国内外でさまざまな復興支援活動をおこなってきたジェームスが、〈東京JAZZ〉で世界初披露するために作曲したコンチェルトをはじめ、渡辺香津美がゲスト参加する「禿山の一夜」など、〈東京JAZZ〉でしか聴けないスペシャルなプログラムです。
また国際フォーラムの地上広場で開催される“the PLAZA”にはトビアス・プライシク・カルテット（スイス）、バーブラ・リカ（カナダ）をはじめ、9月6日（日）には現代ジャズ・ギターのカリスマ、カート・ローゼンウィンケルのソロ公演も決定！見逃せないプログラムが続々と発表されています。詳細は〈東京JAZZ〉の公式サイト（www.tokyo-jazz.com）をご覧ください。
World Premiere of Bob James Piano Concerto
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Bob & Nathan talk Fourplay & THE NEW COOL
Bob and Nathan talk about their Fourplay history and how it relates to this new duo album.
THE NEW COOL is coming… 9.18.15.
Pre-order now and get an instant track from the new album at smarturl.it/tnc-preorder
More at TheNewCoolalbum.com!
Jazz Times chimes in on Fourplay’s SILVER
Fourplay Celebrates 25th Anniversary with “Silver” Third album by group to feature guitarist Chuck LoebThe contemporary jazz quartet Fourplay will celebrate its 25th anniversary with the Nov. 20 release of Silver (Concord), the third album to feature the group’s newest member, guitarist Chuck Loeb. Loeb joins original members bassist Nathan East, keyboardist Bob James and drummer Harvey Mason. Silver also features special guest appearances from guitarists Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour, both early members of the group, and saxophonist Kirk Whalum.
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Fourplay celebrates 25 years with November 20 release of “Silver”
Contemporary jazz supergroup Fourplay celebrates their 25th anniversary with their most wide-ranging and gratifying recording to date.
Silver is the third album to feature the group’s newest member, guitarist Chuck Loeb. Here he joins the all-star lineup of bassist Nathan East, keyboardist Bob James and drummer Harvey Mason. Silver features special guest appearances from guitarists Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour and saxophonist Kirk Whalum.
Following the theme of the occasion, most of the 10 new original compositions comprising Silver play off of the anniversary, bearing titles such as “Sterling,” “Precious Metal” and “A Silver Lining.” Just like its namesake, Silver shines, each track a brilliant example of what has made this formidable ensemble—each of whom also has a highly successful career outside of the band—one of the most respected in the jazz world.
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The New Cool | “The Anchor” | Bob James & Nathan East
Bob talks about how Nathan’s bass became “The Anchor” of this extraordinary new album.
Smooth Jazz Therapy is THE NEW COOL
Although the buzz surrounding ‘The New Cool’ by contemporary jazz keyboard player Bob James and bass-man Nathan East is all about ‘how different it is’ from the output we have come to expect from these icons of the genre, those who have been with Bob James for the long haul will instantly connect it with his 1990 project ‘Grand Piano Canyon’ on which East also featured. Make no mistake this is not smooth jazz of the sort which is the staple of outdoor summer concerts and as such will not be for everyone. However it is music to be played late at night, with the lights dimmed and with a glass of good red wine close to hand. Quite simply, this is music that epitomizes sophisticated jazz.
James and East produced ‘The New Cool’ with Yamaha Entertainment Group president Chris Gero as an acoustic set built around what is primarily original material but with a few select classics thrown in for good measure. The focus is to celebrate instrumental music being played in a real sense and for the listener to experience real instruments playing music in what might be regarded as the old-fashioned way. One interesting stand-out is an imaginatively-arranged version of Willie Nelson’s ‘Crazy’ with vocals in the unlikely but expert hands of country star Vince Gill.
Check it out. You might be surprised to find you like it.