Spyro Gyra - Got The Magic (1999)

Of the four bands of this type that were doing well in the seventies, Jay Beckenstein's band is the one that has resisted to time. Koinonia has disappeared, Fattburger has become very discrete, and the Rippingtons have not quite made it either, in spite of their latest album.

The secret is a renewal of some of the band's members through the years, the fact that they seem to really enjoy doing this, and a great professionality. I recently saw these people in Atlanta, performing for merely 250 people, while the Braves were playing an important game, and with Miami (where they came from by road, 8 hours drive, to make it to the concert, since there were no flights) under a tropical storm. I don't think many artists would have done that. And that forces respect. Besides, they are really entertaining on stage.

This album sounds just great. A mix of jazzy ("Silk and satin"), slightly funky ("Got the magic"), and latin sounds ("Havana moonlight"). "Breezaway" follows the tradition of songs like "morning dance", "Springtime laughter" with Basia (ex-Matt Bianco) on vocals has Jay playing like Stan Getz. What a delight ! Half of the album is produced by Chuck Loeb, which is always a guarantee of quality. Highly recommendable cd and one of the best for 99 in its genre, even if the final tracks are perhaps a bit too soft. -- Torquemada "dunlopilo" ~ Amazon.com