SmoothJazz.com Review
by SandyShore
I’m excited to share with you a new Smooth Jazz ensemble deserving of your immediate attention, and one that has added instant energy to this genre of music. Meet bassist Steve Jeffrey and drummer John Cardoso… together they’re East of West. Please also get to know their debut project CROSSING BORDERS – A totally engaging, top-drawer journey into a variety of contemporary jazz textures, spiced with Latin and infused with rock. You’ll hear nine outstanding Jeffrey/Cardoso originals that are, to use a baseball analogy, high heat with a couple of delightful change-ups (“View from My Window” and the brand new single, appropriately titled “Changes”) perfectly positioned in the album’s song order. Steve and Jeffrey, after working together for local Central California rock bands in the 80’s, went their separate ways. Steve to Boston, John to Los Angeles… until Steve started to lose his eyesight and called on John to help with his compositions. John’s arrival in Boston began the collaboration and inspired the name East of West, which also includes pianist Ron Pedley (Barry Manilow, Air Supply), sax man Andy Suzuki (David Benoit, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea), and percussionist Bob Fernandez (Frank Zappa, Tito Puente, Dionne Warwick). The synergy on CROSSING BORDERS is brilliant and serves up a totally feel-good set of Smooth Jazz with a high-powered kick. I highly recommend the debut from East of West… the perfect album to welcome us into the joyful days of summer! ~SCOTT O'BRIEN
