"Cheek is a first-rate improviser and composer with a distinctive sound; while he mostly plays tenor, he's also one of the greatest living performers on the soprano sax […] For me, "Keepers of the Eastern Door" is the most enjoyable record of his career […] It's one of those records where you can hear the good time being had, and everything just flows. […] The way the regular LP captures the bell-like tone of Frisell’s amplified guitar, panned hard into the left channel, is goosebump-inducing, and every instrument sounds weighty, saturated, and crystal clear. But to my ears, the one-step is even better. There's more definition and presence, but to my surprise the largest difference is that following the music becomes easier. The performance is more emotional and makes more sense.”

- Alex Halberstadt, Stereophile