Fourplay - Between the Sheets [2LP]

Fourplay's Between the Sheets is the sound of four virtuosos playing for the song rather than the solo, and this double vinyl pressing gives the 1993 favourite plenty of room to breathe.

Pianist Bob James, guitarist Lee Ritenour, bassist and vocalist Nathan East and drummer Harvey Mason had already proved the supergroup idea worked on their debut. Their second album refined it, pairing polished studio craft with grooves that sit somewhere between contemporary jazz, R&B and quiet-storm soul. It became one of the defining records of the smooth jazz era, and it's easy to hear why.

The title track is the obvious centrepiece, a sultry remake of the Isley Brothers' slow jam with Chaka Khan trading lead lines with East over a cushion of lush background harmonies. "Chant" rides a chugging funk pulse beneath East's soft, atmospheric vocals, while "Amoroso" lets James and Ritenour swap sparkling solos over a lively, simmering groove. "Li'l Darlin'" slows things to a gentle sway, a graceful nod to the Count Basie band's famous ballad.

Spread across four sides, the album's spacious production and immaculate musicianship come through with warmth and detail. It's grown-up, unhurried music, ideal for low light and good company, and a reminder of how elegant this line-up sounded at its peak.