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Spyro Gyra | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1977 (re-released in 1978) | |||
Recorded | 1976 (re-recorded in 1977) | |||
Studio | Mark Studios (Clarence, NY); Blue Rock Studio (New York, NY). | |||
Genre | Jazz fusion, smooth jazz | |||
Length | 43:54 | |||
Label | Crosseyed Bear | |||
Producer | Jay Beckenstein, Richard Calandra | |||
Spyro Gyra chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spyro Gyra is the self-titled debut album by the jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra, released in 1978. The album was self-released on the label Crosseyed Bear Productions before the band signed with Amherst Records and re-released it with a different cover.
At Billboard magazine, the album reached No. 99 on the Top 200 Albums chart [2] and also No. 99 in Canada [3] . "Shaker Song" reached No. 16 on the Adult Contemporary singles chart, [4] No. 90 on the Hot 100 singles chart, and was covered by the Manhattan Transfer on the album Extensions . [5] In Canada, "Shaker Song" made No. 99 in the Top 100 chart [6] , and No. 26 in the AO chart [7] .
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Shaker Song" (Jay Beckenstein) | 4:49 |
2. | "Opus D' Opus" (Beckenstein) | 5:08 |
3. | "Mallet Ballet" (Jeremy Wall) | 5:11 |
4. | "Pygmy Funk" (Wall) | 5:34 |
5. | "Cascade" (Wall) | 3:12 |
6. | "Leticia" (Wall) | 6:10 |
7. | "Mead" (Beckenstein) | 4:00 |
8. | "Paula/Paw Prints" (Beckenstein) | 4:01 |
9. | "Galadriel" (Wall) | 4:55 |
Band
Guests
Spyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band that was formed in Buffalo, New York in 1974. The band's music combines jazz, R&B, funk, and pop music. The band's name comes from Spirogyra, a genus of green algae which founder Jay Beckenstein had learned about in college.
Boys in the Trees is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released in 1978.
"(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII (1974). The first single released from that album, it reached number 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It also hit number 8 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, the song peaked as high as number 5.
In Modern Times is an album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 2001 by Heads Up International. This album reached No. 2 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart.
Morning Dance is the second album by the jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra. The album was released in 1979 and was certified gold by the RIAA on September 19, 1979, and was certified platinum on June 1, 1987.
Catching the Sun is the third album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 1980 on MCA Records. The album was given gold status by the RIAA on June 5, 1985.
Carnaval is the fourth album by Spyro Gyra, released in 1980. It was given gold record status on June 1, 1987.
Freetime is the fifth album by Spyro Gyra, released in 1981. At Billboard magazine, the album reached No. 41 on the Top 200 albums chart and No. 1 on that magazine's Jazz Albums chart.
Incognito is the sixth album by Spyro Gyra, released in 1982. At Billboard magazine, it reached No. 46 on the Top 200 Albums chart, and No. 2 on that magazine's Jazz Albums chart.
City Kids is the seventh album by Spyro Gyra, released in 1983. At Billboard magazine, it reached No. 66 on the Top 200 Albums chart, and No. 2 on that magazine's Jazz Albums chart.
Breakout is the tenth album by Spyro Gyra, released in 1986. It was the last album co-produced by Richard Calandra, who died of cancer in October 1986.
Alternating Currents is the ninth album by jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra, released in 1985. At Billboard magazine, it reached No. 66 on the Top 200 Albums chart, No. 41 on the R&B Albums chart, and No. 3 on the Jazz Albums chart.
Stories Without Words is the eleventh album by American jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra, released in 1987. At Billboard magazine, it reached No. 84 on the Top 200 Albums chart and No. 67 on the R&B Albums chart.
Rites of Summer is the twelfth album by Spyro Gyra, released in 1988. At Billboard magazine, No. 104 on the Top 200 Albums chart.
Point of View is the thirteenth album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in June 1989 by GRP Records. At Billboard magazine, the album peaked at No. 120 on the Top 200 Albums chart.
Fast Forward is the fourteenth album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 1990 by GRP Records. On this album only, the band was billed on the album cover as "Spyro Gyra featuring Jay Beckenstein". At Billboard magazine, the album peaked at No. 117 on the Top 200 Albums chart.
Wrapped in a Dream is the twenty-eighth album by Spyro Gyra, recorded and released in 2006. The album peaked at No. 11 on the jazz album chart at Billboard magazine.
Down the Wire is the thirty-first album by Spyro Gyra, released on April 28, 2009. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2010. Down the Wire peaked at No. 9 on the jazz album chart at Billboard magazine.
Culcha Vulcha is an album by American jazz fusion group Snarky Puppy that was released on April 29, 2016. The album includes performances by a number of musicians associated with the band and called "the Fam". The band's first studio album in eight years since Bring Us the Bright, it was recorded at the Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas near El Paso and Atlantic Sound Studios in Brooklyn, New York, by Nic Hard.
Master of the Game is the fourteenth studio album by American keyboardist and record producer George Duke. It was released in 1979 through Epic Records. Recording sessions for this full-length album took place at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. The album features contributions from vocalists Lynn Davis, Josie James and Napoleon Murphy Brock, guitarists David Myles, Ray Obiedo and Roland Bautista, bassists Byron Miller and Freddie Washington, drummer Ricky Lawson, percussionist Sheila Escovedo, trombonist Bill Reichenbach, trumpeters Jerry Hey and Gary Grant, and saxophonist Gary Herbig.