Four80East

Toronto-based Four80East is actually a studio side-project for Rob DeBoer (piano, guitar, bass, programming) and Tony Grace (drums, programming), who, along with Grace's brother Paul, run Boomtang Records. Four80East developed over several years, between Grace and DeBoer's remix schedule (for the likes of Econoline Crush, Amanda Marshall, Corey Hart, Wild Strawberries, Philosopher Kings, and Ashley MacIsaac) and their other project, the pop band the Boomtang Boys.

Four80East started as an outlet of pure fun to play a sort of loose, improvisational dance music inspired by groove music out of the U.K. The other half of the band is Jack Trentman on guitar and trumpet, and Jon Stewart on tenor saxophone. The band's first album, titled appropriately enough The Album, came out in 1997 on Boomtang. It earned considerable airplay in both the U.S. and England. Nocturnal followed in early 2001, marking their first effort for Higher Octave. A year later, Round 3 followed up on their self-proclaimed "trip-jazz" sound.

The group's fourth studio-effort, 2007's En Route also featured a sophisticated, acid jazz vibe. However, 2009's Roll On, found the group digging into a retro funk and '70s soul influenced sound. In 2012, they returned with the soulful, lightly experimental Off Duty. The concert album, Four80East Live, appeared in 2014. In 2015, Four80East released their seventh studio-album, Positraction, which included the single, Cookie Strut.

by Stanton Swihart
All Music Guide