The Fourth Way (band)
Encyclopedia
The Fourth Way was a jazz
quartet comprising Eddie Marshall
, Mike Nock
, Michael White
, and Ron McClure
. They formed in 1967 and worked primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area
through the early 1970s, releasing three albums. Like their contemporaries Weather Report
, they were early pioneers of electric jazz fusion
, with Nock's Fender Rhodes piano
run through many effects pedals
including ring modulation
, Michael White's electrically amplified violin, and Ron McClure's electric bass.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
quartet comprising Eddie Marshall
Eddie Marshall
Edwin "Eddie" Marshall was an American jazz drummer.-Biography:Marshall was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He played in his father's swing group and in R&B bands while in high school. He moved to New York City in 1956, developing his percussion style under the influence of Max Roach and Art...
, Mike Nock
Mike Nock
Mike Nock is a jazz pianist, currently based in Australia. He began studying piano at 11 and by 18 was performing in Australia. He headed a trio that toured England in 1961 and then attended Berklee College of Music...
, Michael White
Michael White (violinist)
Michael Walter White is an American jazz violinist.White was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in Oakland, California, taking up the violin when he was nine years old. He first became known in 1965 when he played with the John Handy Quintet at the Monterey Jazz Festival, and recorded three...
, and Ron McClure
Ron McClure
Ron McClure , a bassist, has played in hard bop, jazz-rock, and free and bebop sessions and bands.He started on piano at age five, and later played accordion and bass...
. They formed in 1967 and worked primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
through the early 1970s, releasing three albums. Like their contemporaries Weather Report
Weather Report
Weather Report was an American jazz-rock band of the 1970s and early 1980s. The band was co-led by the Austrian-born keyboard player Joe Zawinul and the American saxophonist Wayne Shorter...
, they were early pioneers of electric jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
, with Nock's Fender Rhodes piano
Rhodes piano
The Rhodes piano is an electro-mechanical piano, invented by Harold Rhodes during the fifties and later manufactured in a number of models, first in collaboration with Fender and after 1965 by CBS....
run through many effects pedals
Effects unit
Effects units are electronic devices that alter how a musical instrument or other audio source sounds. Some effects subtly "color" a sound, while others transform it dramatically. Effects are used during live performances or in the studio, typically with electric guitar, keyboard and bass...
including ring modulation
Ring modulation
Ring modulation is a signal-processing effect in electronics, an implementation of amplitude modulation or frequency mixing, performed by multiplying two signals, where one is typically a sine-wave or another simple waveform. It is referred to as "ring" modulation because the analog circuit of...
, Michael White's electrically amplified violin, and Ron McClure's electric bass.
Discography
- The Fourth Way (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, 1969) - The Sun And Moon Have Come Together (Harvest RecordsHarvest Records-References:* Harvest Records collectors guide ISBN 978-5-9622-0021-7...
, 1969) - Werewolf (Harvest, 1970) recorded live at the 1970 Montreux Jazz FestivalMontreux Jazz FestivalThe Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
External links
- [ Allmusic discography]