Improvisations on Reality

I know I must add a review of Marion’s album, but that shall wait a bit. Scatterbrained author is scatterbrained today.

Secondly – Grammy nominations have been announced and this group right here received a nod with their newest album, Down the Wire, which is quite awesome. Considering how so-called “smooth” jazz is not seen much in award nominations (the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards being a rare exception), this is ten ways of excellent.

First off, let me go off on a mild psych-background tangent.

There are two powerful ways to trigger emotion: sound and scent. If you, say, are walking down the street and you catch a whiff of cinnamon cookies from a bakery that reminds you of the cookies you used to bake with your grandmother in childhood, you will immediately flash back to the feeling that you associate with the scent and, thus, the memory. A similar concept works with music: a particular collection of sounds plays on an emotion that is either tied in with a memory or just simply the way you happen to be feeling at the moment. Or, if you operate something akin to me and use music to work with writing out a certain feeling, you tend to put on something that would tie in to what you’re attempting to get across.

So, may I present to you Jay Beckenstein, Tom Schuman, Julio Fernandez, Scott Ambush and Bonny B. Known to the world at large, as well as to you and me, as Spyro Gyra.

The brainchild of Jay Beckenstein, who hails from Brooklyn (and exported to Buffalo, NY), the completed  sound is intricate and catchy, bright and in addition to influences from other musical styles, the extra seasoning is the feeling. Spyro Gyra has that particular sound that plays on the listener’s emotions, pulling along for the ride and, rather than bring a scene to the forefront of the imagination, simply lets the listeners feel for themselves.

Perfect, ideal example of feeling in color – Morning Dance, from the 1979 album of the same name. Click the link to listen and close your eyes as you do. Take in the steel-pan effect, the barely-there beat and Jay’s alto sax and most importantly, don’t analyze it. Just listen and listen into it, let the tones and flavors blend and speak for themselves. Don’t be surprised if you start smiling.

Now, get thee to the Fast Forward album of 1990 and hit up Escape Hatch. Surprised at the bright, brassy introduction that segues straight into a heartily Latin flavor? I’d imagine so. Feels like a flirtatious invitation to dance? As it well should.

The Spyro discography spans a solid 31 years to date and, considering that the shows get packed time and again, let this be proof positive that those decades did not come without their rewards. The recent Grammy nomination is only one in the slew of awards and accomplishments and the music is a staple in most jazz radio stations worldwide.

I’ve seen the band twice so far and left with a smile each time; the first time was at the Spirit of New York Smooth Jazz series – which was absolutely amazing and must be done again – and the second time was at the Blue Note. Both times, the band took the tunes that the audience knows and loves and added extra from their newer releases and then…there’s Bonny B, who – to quote Jay on this one – “does whatever he pleases…within reason, of course.”

So, what does Bonny B do?

Aside from the band drummer, he is an entertainer in his own right. Always with a ready smile for the people around him, Bonny B takes the stage armed with a set of drums and a set of – and this is a debatable statement, I’m sure! – one of the most versatile pipes available in jazz today. Within the first five minutes, aside from a fun and kicky drum rhythm, you get a rapid-fire dose of Michael Jackson, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles and James Brown. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser and from what I gather, there’s yet to be a non-pleased crowd from that.

Check the tour dates out – and if you come after a bad day, I can guarantee it: it won’t be bad for long.