4 in Bloomington, MN

Album number four for this popular electric
jazz
quartet heralded a significant change in personnel;
Lee Ritenour
exited to run his new record label and
Larry Carlton
stepped in to fill the guitar slot. On paper, this switch would seem to signal a tougher, funkier edge for this band -- and
Carlton
's playing on the album is somewhat more rhythmic and upfront than that of his predecessor. But in practice, little has changed for
Fourplay
; their forte remains smooth-running, polished mood
with a gentle
rock
beat, soft-textured vocals, and good-natured interplay. Indeed,
emphasizes the idea of continuity by adopting
Ritenour
's velvety octaves and generally taking a restrained approach. Such a concept, though, generally stands or falls on the quality of the material -- and the compositions of
Bob James
,
Nathan East
Harvey Mason
, and
are mostly wanting in memorability, although the CD picks up speed near the end with
James
' funky
"Vest Pocket"
and
's catchy, looping
"Swamp Jazz."
Also, sometime guest vocalist
El DeBarge
returns with a pro forma falsetto performance of another
Marvin Gaye
song,
"Sexual Healing,"
which neither transforms the tune nor erases memories of its composer. Though
4
was recorded well before
's first live performances with
in June 1998, their early gigs mostly confirmed the impression left by this low-key album; no one wants to rock this lucrative boat. ~ Richard S. Ginell