Customer Reviews

Road Scholars

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw Spyro Gyra in a concert in Eilat 2 days ago, and I still can't calm down. The energies floating from those guys simply raise your adrenalin levels to incredible heights. I immidiatly bought this album, and i'm not disappointed. This is a fun and energetic album. The only thing I regret is that isn't longer, I was glad if it a double album, just so I'll have more Spyro Gyra and more of Ambush's amazing bass! Yet, a funky and cool album that makes you wanna dance!

Since this CD is mostly from live concerts, the feeling from each member of the group comes across in an energetic and honest fashion. :-)Sometimes, when you record in a Studio and can make everything perfect you can lose that "Concert Energetic Feeling" My Favorite is the Simple version of "Morning Dance" It sends a feeling to me that "Here I am listening to Morning Dance 20 years after the first time I heard it -- and it's a new, simple version--and I'm enjoying it very much!!" Great Job -- How many other groups are there that we heard 20 years ago that don't even exist today!

This is groovy! This is funky! This is Spyro gyra! This album shows the quality of each of the individual musicians in the band. This is my #2 Spyro Gyra favourite just after 20/20. This is a live recording, which is very hard to record. I know. They did it. Yo.

I listned to these guy's when they first started and have been out of touch with there music until I saw them live in 1997. I bought this album and they sound just as fresh as ever!!!!

It's when you hear a group playing live when you can see que quality not only of the compositions, but the musicians.

Some tracks are classic, some of them are new, but they all sound superb. I cannot imagine what else can do on stage five musicians.

Jay Beckenstein: incredible blows. Shanghai Gumbo is really astonishing. I haven't hear so many sax notes per second!

Tom Schuman: doesn't he break the keybords? Considering his weight, he is one of the most virtuoso keyboardist I've ever herad. Don't miss Shaker Song and Breakfast at Igor's.

Julio Fernandez: also to hear in Shanghai Gumbo. It's a real duel with Jay (even, of course). He plays rock guitar as well as latin acoustic guitar in Morning Dance.

Scott Ambush: of course you can hear his great rhythm in Shaker Song, but I reeally like him in South American Sojourn.

Joel Rosenblatt: marvellous technique and expression. I really enjoy the introduction of Heart of the Night.

So if you like Spyro Gyra, with this album you will love its musicians, one by one.

This CD is a collection of live versions of mostly previously released Spyro Gyra songs with the exception of the last song "Best Friends". They did a great job spicing up the long worn out "Morning Dance" and "Shaker Song". My favorite though is the awesome rendition of "Shanghai Gumbo" -- far better than the studio version!

Whether you're a fan of Spyro Gyra or if you're one of those people that thinks these guys are just elevator music, you should listen to this CD. Or better yet, see them live. I saw them live twice and was thoroughly impressed both times. If you're vacillating between choosing this live CD or "Access All Areas", this one is by far superior. The only disappointment was that while they usually begin their live concerts with "Old San Juan" from "Ingognito", they omitted it here.

BTW, seeing awesome guitarist Julio Fernandez play live is a real treat. This guy is a character!!

Saw them perform regularly at the Red Creek restaurant in Rochester, New York from 1975-1980 and thought we were getting some great progressive jazz entertainment.

Fluid, snap happy, toe-tapping delightful. Fresh and fun. Great house-cleaning music.