Spyro Gyra
Spyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band. It was founded in the early 1970s by saxophonist Jay Beckenstein (* 1951) and keyboardist Jeremy Wall in Buffalo .
Career
With over 20 albums and more than ten million records sold worldwide, Spyro Gyra are among the most prominent and commercially successful bands in the history of jazz . Between 1980 and 1985 the band was awarded seven Grammys .
history
The band emerged from jam sessions by musicians in Buffalo , New York , some of whom still knew each other from high school and some of whom had a rhythm and blues background. The name originated from a joke - the club owner pushed for it and Beckenstein rummaged around a type of algae Spirogyra , often referred to as screw alga in German, from his memory, which he knew from biology class. In addition to Beckenstein and Wall (who no longer belonged to the live band from 1978) and a. Tom Schuman (keyboards), guitarists Freddy Rapillo and Rick Strauss, and drummers Tom Duffy and Ted Reinhardt . Until 1994 Dave Samuels , who brought Caribbean flair to the marimba, was a frequent guest. Her first record was released in 1978 ( Spyro Gyra ) with her hit Shaker song . Their breakthrough came with the follow-up album Morning Dance and the hit single of the same name, released in 1979.
2013 members of the band are Jay Beckenstein (saxophone), Tom Schuman (keyboards, piano), Julio Fernandez (guitars), Lee Pearson (drums, percussion), Scott Ambush (bass).
Discography
Albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 UK
|
 US
|
|||
| 1978 | Spyro Gyra | - |
US99 (12 weeks) US |
|
| 1979 | Morning dance |
UK11  (16 weeks)UK |
US27  (41 weeks)US |
|
| 1980 | Catching the Sun |
UK31 (7 weeks) UK |
US19th  (29 weeks)US |
|
| Carnaval | - |
US49 (30 weeks)US |
||
| 1981 | Freetime | - |
US41 (27 weeks) US |
|
| 1982 | Incognito | - |
US46 (24 weeks) US |
|
| 1983 | City kids | - |
US66 (16 weeks) US |
|
| 1984 | Access all areas | - |
US59 (19 weeks) US |
Live album
|
| 1985 | Alternating currents | - |
US66 (23 weeks) US |
|
| 1986 | Breakout | - |
US71 (19 weeks) US |
|
| 1987 | Stories Without Words | - |
US84 (9 weeks) US |
|
| 1988 | Rites of Summer | - |
US104 (8 weeks) US |
|
| 1989 | Point of View | - |
US120 (6 weeks) US |
|
| 1990 | Fast forward | - |
US117 (8 weeks) US |
with Jay Beckenstein
|
| 1991 | Collection | - |
US156 (2 weeks) US |
compilation
|
More albums
- 1992: Three Wishes
- 1993: Dreams Beyond Control
- 1994: Love and Other Obsessions
- 1996: Heart of the Night
- 1997: 20/20
- 1998: Road Scholars (live album)
- 1999: Got the Magic
- 2001: In Modern Times
- 2003: Original Cinema
- 2004: The Deep End
- 2006: Wrapped in a Dream
- 2007: Good to Go-Go
- 2008: A Night Before Christmas
- 2009: Down the Wire
- 2011: A Foreign Affair
- 2013: The Rhinebeck Sessions
- 2016: Best of the Heads Up Years
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UK
|
US
|
|||
| 1978 | Shaker Song Spyro Gyra |
- |
US90 (5 weeks) US |
|
| 1979 | Morning Dance Morning Dance |
UK17 (10 weeks) UK |
US24 (15 weeks) US |
|
| 1980 | Catching The Sun Catching The Sun |
- |
US68 (5 weeks) US |
|
| 1981 | Cafe Amore Carnaval |
- |
US77 (5 weeks) US |
|
swell
- ↑ Beckenstein emphasizes a strong jazz influence on the band's website - his father had an extensive 78 record collection of early jazz.
- ↑ a b Chart sources: UK US
- ↑ Music Sales Awards: US UK
Web links
- Official website of the band (English)