SPYRO GYRA
Wrapped In A Dream
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the Jazzitude review of Spyro Gyra/The Deep End
Interestingly, Spyro Gyra was formed in 1977,
the same year that punk rock first broke. Whenever rock
music takes a turn away from its previous generation’s
fans, who have inevitably turned older, it seems that something
arises from the non-rock world to fill the void left for
those fans. Spyro Gyra was perfect for listeners who wanted
to hear melodic, pop-oriented instrumental music that was
sonically attractive and pleasant to hear. The group was
always more pop-oriented than many other fusion bands, such
as Weather Report or Chick Corea’s Return to Forever,
and they certainly helped pave the way for the sound that
became smooth jazz. Critics have noted that the group is
heavy on catchy melodies and light on improvisation, but
fans don’t seem to care much about that. So now, very
nearly 30 years later, they remain the longest-running fusionary
band still around.
Wrapped in a Dream doesn’t
really vary the group’s successful formula too much,
but there are some welcome changes of pace. For example,
the opening track, “Sypro Time” is a nice slice
of post-70s funk on which saxophonist Jay Beckenstein occaisionally
reminds the listener of Maceo Parker, though he also plays
the sweet, melodic sound that has become his stock in trade.
“Midnight Thunder” is fairly pedestrian smooth
jazz fare, but things pick up nicely with “TheVoodooYouDo,”
a composition by bassist Scott Ambush, an even grittier
funk number that also marks the appearance of former Spyro
member and frequent guest musician Dave Samuels, who now
leads the Carribean Jazz Project. “Impressions of
Madrid” sports a nice flamenco groove, with Julio
Fernandez offering some excellent acoustic guitar work,
as Beckenstein plays soprano sax, flutes, and wordless vocals.
The Spanish influence continues, albeit a bit more watered
down, with “Impressions of Toledo.”
The Beckenstein-penned title track is an acoustic
affair that demonstrates just how well Spyro Gyra can blur
the lines between traditional jazz styles and a mellower
smooth style. It’s a solid piece on which everyone
plays well, and Beckenstein gets to demonstrate that he
is, indeed, an accomplished soprano player. The last grouping
of songs is fairly traditional Spyro Gyra fare, but that’s
not necessarily a bad thing considering that they do what
they do better than most bands to come along since. While
not quite as interesting or innovative with the genre as
the Yellowjackets, who first appeared a few years after
Spyro Gyra was already an established act, there is much
here to recommend for both longtime fans and those who are
coming to the band anew.
