Spyro Gyra – The Deep End
The Deep End
Spyro Gyra
(Heads Up – 2004)
by Paula Edelstein
The contemporary jazz powerhouse celebrates 30 years in the music industry with The Deep End. This great follow-up to Original Cinema is packed with original songs from members of the band and features several guest musicians including Billy Kilson on drums and Dave Samuels on vibes. The recording opens with “Summer Fling,” an upbeat composition that fills the mind with the instant gratification that comes with the fun of summer. Treading firmly in straight-ahead jazz territory are Jay Beckenstein’s saxophone riffs and Billy Kilson’s jazz drumming on “As You Wish,” one of four exceptional songs Beckenstein contributed to the CD.
Dave Samuels’ cool vibes add a very colorful percussive layer to the background of “Joburg Jam,” a funky jazz/rock, rhythmic piece. His brief solo gives way to Julio Fernandez’s skronk-rock riffs before Beckenstein resumes his winning ways on soprano saxophone. This is a true jam session that will have you out of your seat. The Deep End is by far one of Spyro Gyra’s most versatile offerings and rightly deserves the worldwide acclaim it has received. The musicians that comprise Spyro Gyra have truly formed a rare ensemble that is both mature, entertaining, fresh and in the music for the long haul!
Reprinted with permission of…
