Kerry Moy

In the mid-80s, Kerry Moy packed up his guitar and abandoned his dream of a musical career to pursue success in the financial industry. But in recent years, Moy has found his creative second wind. While maintaining a demanding daytime schedule as a vice president for the investment brokerage firm of Merrill Lynch in Beverly Hills, he spends much of his leisure time composing and recording in his own home studio. And he's cut two albums to date: Market Crash, which was released in 1995 throughout the Pacific Rim, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, Hong Kong and India; and the East West, his new stateside debut for Noteworthy Records.

Like contemporary jazz stars Hiroshima and Keiko Matsui, Moy draws on his own Asian heritage to create a fascinating fusion of Eastern music with Western influences of rock, jazz, blues, classical, funk and new age. East West, produced and co-written by popular funk/jazz saxman Michael Paulo, colors Moy's dynamic performances on classical, electric and acoustic guitars with a rich palette of vocals, piano, saxophone, and flute, then layers the mix with the distinctive sound of several ancient instruments.

"My first album (also co-produced by Paulo) was a heavier, more experimental work, but on East West, my goal was to incorporate the Asian flavors of the koto (a 13-string Japanese zither), the Chinese gong, and the rambatom (a Thai percussion instrument) into the melodic, adult contemporary instrumental music that's popular today," says Moy. "Mixing all these sounds and styles was like creating a musical blend to reflect the different aspects of my personality. A lot of today's smooth jazz albums stay on one consistent level, but I was interested in variety. Michael and I wanted to take the listener on a great adventure, in a variety of tempos...starting cool, heating up and winding down again."

Moy met Paulo through a mutual acquaintance in 1992, and the two struck up an immediate friendship. Their amazing musical chemistry was evident from the beginning. "Michael's ears are very in tune with what sounds good, and what listeners will enjoy," says Moy. "He knows what he wants to accomplish in the studio and how to do it quickly, and that in turn has inspired me to be my best. Though music hasn't been my primary career, it has always been a key part of my heart and soul, and Michael helped me bring it out in a way that it both creative and commercial. East West was very much a collaboration with him."

To create their newest project, Moy and Paulo brought in some of today's top studio talent, including bassists Freddie Washington and "Smitty" Smith and percussionist Lenny Castro, to lay the rhythmic foundations for the album's nine sax/guitar/keyboard driven tunes. Members of celebrated contemporary jazz band Hiroshima -- Kimaya Seward on vocals, June Kuramoto on koto, and Kimo Cornwell on piano -- also contributed their talents. East West kicks off with the hypnotic groove of "Ming Dynasty," which features Paulo on flute and sax and Seward's exotic chant. Named after a centuries-old Chinese book on conquest, "The Art of War" blends tasty rock guitar runs and expressive vocals with the quaint flavor of Kuramoto's koto. The spiritual quest in the lyrics of "Sands of Time," (which begins as a pastoral soundscape before edging into new age rock) leads perfectly into the percussive march and bass- driven, jazz-rock jam of "Blue Samurai." The melancholy "Nikkei" seamlessly weaves the haunting sounds of flute, guitar, koto and piano to conjure images of far away places.

While most of the album's tracks are grounded in modern grooves, Moy often calls upon tradition for both inspiration and style. The seductive, swaying vibe of "The Peaceful Warrior," propelled by a lively guitar and sax call-and-response, is named for a Chinese tale about a person who overcomes his personal barriers and conflicts. The guitarist pays homage to his grandparents with the gentle, melodic "Buddah's Way," and gracefully transports listeners on a journey through the Chinese countryside with the simmering "Yang Tze River." Closing the set on a high note is the funky, but soaring dance jam, "Jasmine Flower."

Though he was born in Chicago and raised in a "typical middle-class American neighborhood," Moy grew up speaking only Chinese (his parents' native language) for the first five years of his life. He began studying classical piano at age eight. "Most Chinese parents make their children take piano lessons," he explains. "It's an exercise in discipline and creativity." Driven by his love for music (at that time, mainly rock and pop), Moy picked up drums and guitar, and played in numerous bands throughout high school while earning a business degree at the University of Illinois. Fancying himself a "starving artist," he jammed on the Chicago club circuit for several years. However, when the drinking age in the state was raised to 21, many of his favorite haunts had to shut down.

"I had some big decisions to make at the time," he recalls. "I was tired of living in my car, eating peanut butter sandwiches at every meal, and performing for virtually no positive cash flow. I'd had enough of industry politics." Moy's frustration, and his subsequent success in the financial world led him even further away from his first passion -- music. "But, through the years," he confides, "I would watch musicians perform and feel the urge at times to get up there with them. It was as if this spirit was locked inside my soul...and it was time to set it free again."

Ironically, while Moy's career in the financial realm originally lured him away from music, it was also the catalyst for his renewed interest in composing and recording. While traveling to meet clients in places like Hong Kong and Malaysia, he was exposed to those countries' rich musical heritage and developed a deep appreciation for his family's Chinese roots and for other Asian cultures. "I had been looking for a path to pursue, an angle that could help me stand out in today's music scene," he recalls. "I realized that Asian music is very universal...that people around the world are fascinated by the old instruments and traditions. It seemed like an appropriate time to take a shot."

One listen to the powerful textures, the sharp melodies, and the sweeping production of East West leaves no doubt that Kerry Moy's shot has paid off handsomely. As his latest recording proves, his day to day life may be about the hustle and bustle of finance, but his musical heart is as deep and spiritual as they come.