VOA标准英语2010年-Fourplay Returns With New Member, New

The all-star contemporary jazz group Fourplay recently bid farewell to their longtime guitarist Larry Carlton. But, the four-man band wasted no time finding his replacement¹ and recording² a new album.

Fourplay isn't known for changing personnel. In fact, in its 20 years of existence, the band has only made one change, when Larry Carlton replaced original member Lee Ritenour in 1998.

Carlton, who performed with Fourplay for 12 years, says he wanted to spend more time on his solo career. Living up to his promise, he released the album "Take Your Pick" just two months after his departure.

The new lineup reveals accomplished³ "smooth" jazzman Chuck Loeb, who made his Fourplay debut⁴ at the Seabreeze Jazz Festival in Florida earlier this year. Soon, Loeb was in the studio, accompanying what he describes as "some of the planet's finest musicians" on their latest album, "Let's Touch The Sky."

Chuck Loeb solos on the track "Pineapple Getaway," featuring Fourplay founders⁵ Bob James on piano, Nathan East on bass⁶ and Harvey Mason on drums.

Now approaching its third decade as a top contender in the smooth jazz field, Fourplay prides itself in being a band without a leader. Each player shares in the composing, arranging and producing of their material. As Bob James remarks, "We always aim to be leaders, to take the music to another level and raise the standards higher."

Special guests on "Let's Touch The Sky" include veteran vocalist Anita Baker⁷, and former American Idol⁸ winner Ruben Studdard, who sings the soul classic "Love T.K.O."
 

1 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

2 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

3 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

4 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

5 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

6 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

7 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

8 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。