Spyro Gyra
Spyro Gyra is a still-active American jazz fusion band that was 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 member configuration has changed somewhat over the span of time as well as between the studio and the live stage.
History
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, Beckenstein's and Wall's 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 which Beckenstein had written a college biology paper on 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."
From the clubs to the studio
As an established band
Discography
- Spyro Gyra (1978)
- Morning Dance (1979)
- Catching The Sun (1980)
- Carnival (1980)
- Freetime (1981)
- Incognito (1982)
- City Kids (1983)
- Access All Areas (live) (1984)
- Alternating Currents (1985)
- Breakout (1986)
- Stories Without Words (1987)
- Rites Of Summer (1988)
- Point Of View (1989)
- Fast Forward (1990)
- Three Wishes (1992)
- Dreams Beyond Control (1993)
- Love And Other Obsessions (1994)
- Heart Of The Night (1996)
- 20/20 (1997)
- Road Scholars (live) (1998)
- Got The Magic (1999)
- In Modern Times (2001)
- Original Cinema (2003)
- The Deep End (2004)
Grammy nominations
Spyro Gyra has received the following Grammy nominations:
