It’s been more than 30 years since Jay Beckenstein formed a group that eventually adopted the name Spyro Gyra. Since then, he and keyboardist Tom Schuman have been mainstays in a group that has shown an uncanny ability to evolve and survive – continuing to pack arenas worldwide. And just when fans think they’ve heard Spyro Gyra’s best, they get another jaw-dropper, like “Down the Wire” (Heads Up, 2009).
Beckenstein covers a lot of bases in creating this music. He plays soprano, alto and tenor saxophones; writes; produces; and in concerts, he’s been known to play two saxes at once, or hand-held percussive instruments. Although the leader, each recording or performance is clearly a group effort.
I got a chance to speak with Beckenstein about the new release.
SmoothViews (SV): How’s the reception for “Down the Wire” so far?
Jay Beckenstein (JB): It’s great. I mean I’ve only seen a dozen reviews, but they’re all good.
SV: All the songs are good, but one thing about your music is each time you listen, something different stands out. Today, my favorite song might be “The Tippin’ Point.” Tomorrow, it might be “Ice Mountain.” Is that by design?
JB: Not necessarily, but I do think that reflects there’s a lot of stuff on the record.
Stylistically it’s true. We’re pretty diverse. We go in a lot of different directions, and we go in them well.
SV: How does a group go about deciding who writes, how many songs, or the sequence on the CD?
JB: It’s two different processes. Pretty much everybody is guaranteed at least a song on the record. I sort of sort through what they send me, and we go from there. At that point, it’s about what’s going to help the record the most. Everybody writes more than one thing, so there’s a lot of choices. In terms of the sequence, that’s generally been my domain, but a lot of people have input – the record company people; my manager, Phil Brennan; and the guys as well. But in the end, I make the final decision.
SV: Now you and Tom (Schuman) co-wrote “The Tippin’ Point.” How does that break down?
JB: That was a really different kind of writing process. Tom had me play solo sax lines … had me just improvising to a swing groove. I laid down all sorts of stuff with some idea that it should be harmonically coherent. Then he took that stuff and fleshed it out on piano.
SV: It’ll be 30 years this summer since I first heard the name Spyro Gyra and your “hit,” “Morning Dance” on the radio. Looking back, what are some of the major changes you’ve seen in how music is done and how it’s marketed?
JB: Oh, my God! It’s changed drastically. The entire Internet and digital age has realy killed the music business and the opportunity to sell records or be paid for your craft.
Everybody has been struggling in the music industry. Thank goodness for live performance because you cant do that over a computer. I’ve also seen changes in a lot of the music that I really grew up on that became marginalized. Sometimes, I do find really creative things in rap and hip-hop, but recently it’s way over-dominated the scene.
SV: In modern music, a lot of bands employ the use of rhythm programming. I can only think of two albums where you’ve used this, and then it wasn’t very noticeable. What’s different about Spyro Gyra that you don’t fall into that?
JB: Sometimes we do do what other people do. The beauty of having a real ensemble is: You’re never gonna get from pre-programmed tracks what you get from live people who play with one another. There’s all kinds of magic by avoiding any kind of programming.
Occasionally, we do something where somebody’s demo’d idea is … is so good.
SV: Do you have a favorite song?
JB: I never tire of listening to the original recording of that song (“Morning Dance”). The view from inside the band: We are playing as well as we’ve ever played. We’re really feeling good about ourselves.
SV: One of the more common questions: What keeps you around for so long?
JB: There are a lot of answers for that – luck being amongst them. I really do believe it’s because so many people support us. We have an audience that’s really been loyal to us for year after year.
In the more than three decades since Spyro Gyra’s self-titled debut album, the group has racked up lots of mileage – both literally and figuratively. Between changes in corporate structure and the evolution of the music business, they’ve recorded with several labels: Amherst, MCA, GRP, Windham-Hill and Heads Up. Compilations notwithstanding, they’ve released 26 studio albums and two live albums, and fielded numerous Grammy nominations (yet to win). The music has crossed many genres: instrumental pop, blues, straight jazz, smooth jazz, funk, fusion, rock, swing, Latin and Brazilian.
Individual members have been involved in various side projects, including some solo albums and producing other artists. Studio guests have included Hiram Bullock, Marcus Miller, Steve Gadd, Randy and Michael Brecker, Chris Botti, Basia and many others. Some notable past band members are Will Lee, Eli Konikoff, Chet Catallo, Gerardo Velez, Manolo Badrena, Kim Stone, Oscar Cartaya, Richie Morales and Joel Rosenblatt. Current members are Beckenstein, Schuman, Julio Fernandez and Bonny Bonaparte.
But whoever is in the lineup, one thing you can always count on with Spyro Gyra; it’s going to be good.
