Spyro Gyra
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Spyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band that was originally formed in the early 1970s. With over 20 albums released and 10 million copies sold, they are among the most prolific as well as commercially successful groups of the scene. Among their most successful hit singles are "Shaker Song" and "Morning Dance".
Their music, which has been influential in the development of smooth jazz, combines jazz with elements of R&B, funk and pop music. Although generally considered to be more "jazz" than "smooth", Spyro Gyra's music has been criticized for being light-weight and for emphasizing melody over improvisation. They have nevertheless been praised as skilled instrumentalists and for their live performances.
With the exception of alto saxophonist, songwriter and founding bandleader Jay Beckenstein, the personnel has changed somewhat over time as well as between the studio and the live stage.
Contents |
[edit] Personnel
As of late 2006, Spyro Gyra was:
- Jay Beckenstein - saxophones
- Tom Schuman - piano, keyboards
- Julio Fernandez - guitars
- Scott Ambush - bass
- Bonny Bonaparte - drums, percussion
[edit] History
[edit] Appearance on the Buffalo club scene
Spyro Gyra emerged around Jay Beckenstein and keyboardist Jeremy Wall, who had met and formed a band during their high school years. Although they headed in different directions during college—Beckenstein to the State University of New York in Buffalo and Wall to Cal Arts—they spent summers together playing outdoor concerts, and Wall moved to Buffalo soon after graduating.
Beckenstein had been working in clubs in Buffalo since his junior year of college, backing various vocalists. Wall teamed up with Beckenstein, and the two started playing instrumental music—mostly covers of R&B songs—together. In Beckenstein's description of the Buffalo club scene of the time:
- "Not many people know it, but Buffalo was like a mini Chicago back then, with a smoking blues, soul, jazz, even rockabilly scene, of all things."
Over a year, their work evolved into Spyro Gyra. Wall has commented that their sound was a "gutbucket of rhythmic tradition. We did simple music and esoteric stuff. It all came together, this oddball mix, until we found a middle ground, our own groove".
The name "Spyro Gyra" is a misspelling of spirogyra, a kind of algae on which Beckenstein had written a college biology paper years earlier. He recalls:
- "Before a gig in a Buffalo club that was called Jack Daniels, the owner twisted my arm for a band name. As a joke, I remembered the paper and said, 'Spirogyra'. He misspelled it 'Spyro Gyra,' advertised it that way, and it stuck."
[edit] From the clubs to the studio
[edit] As an established band
Much of Spyro Gyra's music has been aired on The Weather Channel's Local On The 8s.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Full Albums
| Title | Year of Release | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spyro Gyra | 1978 | Polydor | |
| Morning Dance | 1979 | Amherst | |
| Catching The Sun | 1980 | Amherst | |
| Carnival | 1980 | Amherst | |
| Freetime | 1981 | Amherst | |
| Incognito | 1982 | Amherst | |
| City Kids | 1983 | Amherst | |
| Alternating Currents | 1985 | Amherst | |
| Breakout | 1986 | Amherst | |
| Stories Without Words | 1987 | Amherst | |
| Rites Of Summer | 1988 | GRP | |
| Point Of View | 1989 | GRP | |
| Fast Forward | 1990 | GRP | |
| Three Wishes | 1992 | GRP | |
| Dreams Beyond Control | 1993 | GRP | |
| Love And Other Obsessions | 1994 | GRP | |
| Heart Of The Night | 1996 | GRP | |
| 20/20 | 1997 | GRP | |
| Got The Magic | 1999 | Windham Hill Jazz | |
| In Modern Times | 2001 | Heads Up | |
| Original Cinema | 2003 | Heads Up | |
| The Deep End | 2004 | Heads Up | |
| Wrapped in a Dream | 2006 | Heads Up |
[edit] Live Albums
| Title | Year of Release | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access All Areas | 1984 | Amherst | |
| Road Scholars | 1998 | GRP |
[edit] Compilations/Box Sets
| Title | Year of Release | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collection | 1984 | GRP | |
| The Best of Spyro Gyra - The first ten years | 1997 | GRP | |
| Retrospective | 1997 | GRP | |
| The Very Best of Spyro Gyra | 2002 | GRP |
[edit] Grammy nominations
Spyro Gyra has received the following Grammy nominations:
- 1980: Best Jazz Fusion Performance for "Catching the Sun"
- 1982: Best Rhythm & Blues Instrumental Performance for "Stripes"
- 1982: Best Jazz Fusion Performance for "Incognito"
- 1983: Best Jazz Fusion Performance for "City Kids"
- 1984: Best Jazz Fusion Performance for "Access All Areas"
- 1985: Best Pop Instrumental Performance for "Shakedown"
- 1985: Best Jazz Fusion Performance for "Alternating Currents"
- 2007: Best Pop Instrumental Album for "Wrapped in a Dream"
