JAZZ REVIEW : Lackluster Show by High-Powered Band : At Coach House Concert, Fourplay Shows Little of What Has Made It a Supergroup

It’s a record marketer’s dream: hook up four of the biggest names in electric instrumental music, turn up the volume and let them cook.

But that’s not exactly how it happened when Fourplay, the current heavyweight champ of the contemporary jazz charts, played the first of two sold-out shows Sunday at the Coach House.

For most of the concert, sound volumes were moderate--you might even say sedate. And rather than highlighting the playing abilities of the foursome--keyboardist Bob James, guitarist Lee Ritenour, bassist Nathan East and drummer Harvey Mason--the set, pulled entirely from the “Fourplay” album that’s now spent 25 weeks atop Billboard’s list, was more a showcase for their compositional skills.

And that would have been fine if the compositions had been equal to their composer’s reputations. But most of the tunes offered little in the way of melodic interest or even a decent rhythmic hook, while played at a pace as sedate as the volume. Though many were involved excursions with plenty of rhythmic and harmonic variations, few were memorable. It wasn’t until near the end of the concert that the material, and the band, began to show some life.

Even worse were the hit-and-miss results of the ensemble playing, more lax and sloppy than loose and free (unlike the album, on which the band is tight and on the money). Despite all this, the band was well-received by the crowd.

There were moments when the high-powered quartet showed its potential. James’ relaxed, uncluttered work during Ritenour’s “Fourplay” was rich with feeling. East showed mettle on his own “101 Eastbound” with guitar-pure tones and ringing double stops.

Ritenour ignited moments of flash with his trademark accelerations and lush chording. On James’ “Quadrille,” he dampened a series of repetitive lines, giving them an echo-like quality, before whipping up rhythmic excitement with crisply strummed chords.

The most consistent member of the group was Mason. His tempos provided solid direction, but didn’t always guarantee tight ensemble work. He remained appropriately reserved during quieter passages, while adding color with cymbal and snare combinations. And when he was called on to rock, he peppered the backbeat with marches and off-beat tom-tom combinations.

By the time the group got to the drummer, “Max-O-Man,” a blend of reggae-flavored funk and classical figures, things began to cook. East underlined the beat with strong, low-end lines and up-register accents while James swirled through a minuet-like figure. The band would suddenly drop the volume at different points in the tune before cranking it up again when springing one of the soloists.

East did a competent job singing the lyric to Marvin Gaye’s “After the Dance” (sung by El DeBarge on Fourplay’s recording), while bringing some of Gaye’s clarity to his falsetto. He also vocalized in unison, much like George Benson, on some of his bass solos. Though it is no longer a novelty, this blend of voice and strings still adds warmth to single tones.

Though certainly a democratic institution--the members took turns introducing each other’s songs, and the brief solo spots were spread around evenly--Fourplay should look to allowing its members more improvisational freedom, and concentrate on material that will emphasize individual expression. That would help it live up to its supergroup status. As it was Sunday, the bright musical moments were almost less frequent than double-entendre references to its name.