Four80East

Four80East
Four80East founding members, Tony Grace (left) and Rob DeBoer (right).
Background information
Origin	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Jazz, electro jazz, contemporary jazz, acid jazz
Years active	1997-present
Labels	Native Language, Boomtang Records

Members	Rob DeBoer and Tony Grace

Website	www.four80east.com

Four80East is a Canadian electro jazz ensemble from Toronto, Ontario, with Rob DeBoer (keyboards, bass and guitar) and Tony Grace (percussion); accompanied by various session musicians. Although Four80East began as a studio concept, they have evolved into a live act. Their music is known for its percussive, melodic flow and bass grooves.

History

Four80East began as a studio project when DeBoer and Grace, who had been writing, arranging and producing for other artists on their Boomtang Records label, put together material of their own and released it as The Album, in 1997. The Album was well received by critics and the public alike.^[1]

In 1998 they had released music video titled Four80East: Eastside and styled black & white, based on music track from The Album under same name Eastside. Video had been filmed on locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Director was Jeremy Hood, filmed by Domenico A. Galloro. Budget was estimated as CA$20,000 ^[2] Filming studio was Raje Films.^[3]

The pair's second album Nocturnal, was released in 2001;^[4] DeBoer and Grace wrote all of the songs for the album, and enlisted tenor saxophonist Jon Stewart, flutist Andrew McPherson, and trumpeter Ivana Santilli to contribute instrumentals.^[5]

The album Round 3 came out in 2002,^[6] and included contributions from harmonica player Carlos Del Junco.^[7]

Their fourth album, En Route, containing instrumental dance music, was released in 2007.^[8]

Four80East's fifth CD, Roll On, came out in 2009, followed by a sixth, Off Duty, in 2012.

Four80East LIVE, a collection of 15 select songs recorded from three different shows, was released in early 2014.

The group is also featured on the 2007 compilation album, The Weather Channel Presents: The Best of Smooth Jazz.

Band members

Permanent members

Rob DeBoer – keyboards, bass and guitar
Tony Grace – percussion

Discography

Studio Albums

1997: The Album
2001: Nocturnal
2002: Round 3
2007: En Route
2009: Roll On
2012: Off Duty
2015: Positraction featuring the hit single, “Cookie Strut”.^[9]
2018: Four on the Floor (ep - 5 tracks) ^[10]
2020: Straight Round
2021: Mixed Up (remixes)
2023: Gonna Be Alright

Live Albums

2014: Four80East LIVE

References

^ Sean Miller. "interview with Rob DeBoer and Tony Grace of Four80East Sean's radio program Jazz Pulse". Archived from the original on 2023-03-29. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
^ Jeremy Hood (director), Domenico A. Galloro (cinematographer) (1998). Four80East: Eastside (music video). Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Raje Films. Archived from the original on 2023-12-11. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
^ "IMDB resume for Domenico A. Galloro". Archived from the original on 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
^ "Four80East: Nocturnal". All About Jazz, By DAVE HUGHES February 1, 2001
^ " Four80East Nocturnal". AllMusic review by Paula Edelstein
^ Lucy Tauss (March 2003). "Round 3 Four80East". JazzTimes. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
^ "Four80East: Round 3". Jazz Times, 03/01/2003 By Lucy Tauss
^ "En Route by Four80East". Jazz Review, 13.03.2007 by Sheldon T. Nunn
^ "Four80East - Positraction". Boomtang. Retrieved 2019-08-14.
^ "Four on the Floor". Amazon.