I've often wondered what has guys who played with the band are doing these days. Some are:

1. Chet Catallo - guitar
2. Richie Morales - drums
3. Eli Konikoff - drums
4. John Tropea - guitar
5. Jim Kurzdorfer - bassist
6. Gerardo Velez - percussion
7. Steve Love - guitar
8. Manolo Badrena

Phil,
I spoke with Kim Stone several months back when Kim and Jeff Kashiwa were sitting in with a fine contemporary jazz pianist named Rob Mullins. I asked him about Eli Konikoff and he mentioned that several years ago Eli had been involved in a home electrical accident. I am going to assume it was in 1983 or 1984, because that was about the time Richie Morales took over in the drum chair. Kim said that Eli is in everyway alright, the only reisidual effect is on Eli's long term concentration, which would effect playing drums for a long enough period of time to be playing a full two hour concert ,or to stay in a band full time.
Morales went on to play for a few years with Al DiMeola, appearing oon records and tours. I believe he, at last report, was drumming for Nancy Wilson.
Gerardo Velez...I saw a PBS Special on a jazz festival(name escapes me at the moment), this was maybe a year or so back...anyway former Weather Reporter Joe Zawinul has Gerardo in his band playing mean percussion.
At least one Spyro Gyra member has listed themselves as an admirer of Joe and of Weather Report... I believe it is the virtuoso piano player/synthisiser wizard, Tom Schuman.
We'll have to rely on other fans to bring us up to date on the other musicians you inquired about.
Peace!
Paul.

will lee plays with paul shaffer and the cbs orchestra...marcus miller was with dave sanborn..thats all i can say for now

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Don't be so open-minded your brain falls out.

Just received Arturo Sandoval's 1998 release "Hot House" on N2K and see that ex-Spyro member, bassist Oscar Cartaya, was part of the big band.

Also found out that drummer Richie Morales is still touring with Sax great Grover Washington. I believe that Richie was briefly with the Mike Stern band.

I asked Julio about the various alumni a few years back. He said Oscar was just producing and such. I saw Manolo Badrena and Jay Azzolino at the Capital Jazz Fest last summer in Michael Franks' band.

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Gary

Add to Jay Azzolina:

Earlier in the year I saw bassist John Pattituci and Jay Azzolina was on guitar for that gig.

Mark Quinones was seen at a Spyro Gyra concert by members of the Allman Brothers Band(some of who are stone Spyro Gyra fanatics)...were so blown away by Mark's percussion wizardry that they stole him from Spyro by offering him twice the scratch he was making in Spyro. Mark went where the green is...but has made the occasional appearance on Spyro and Dave Samuel recordings.

To add to what Gary posted about Oscar Cartaya...
I ran into Oscar last night at Spyro Gyra's concert at the Hyatt Newporter.
Oscar was on the VIP list, and I asked him what he was up to these days.
He indeed said that he has his own production company in Los Angeles County, gave me his phone number and his e mail add.
He might have a solo project out in the not too distant future.
It was great to see him to tell him how much I enjoyed his playing when he was with the band, and it was a nice touch when Scott Ambush mentioned Oscar from the stage during "Bob Goes To The Store"...something to the effect that there were three connections to the Spyro Gyra bass chair in the house(Oscar, in person, Kim Stone, in composition, and Scott himself onstage).

Peace!
Paul

Was surprised to see the Manhattan Transfer on PBS' "Austin City Limits" last Sunday evening. They were doing a lot of stuff from their popular "Swing" release for this normally country audience. Even did numbers with country great Ricky Skaggs.

Regardless, one of the musicians featured as part of the MT backup band was guitarist John Tropea. You probably remember him as a studio musician and guitar soloist on some early Spyro Gyra releases.

Wanted to let you know that ex-Spyro guitarist, Jay Azzolina, has a new release coming out in mid-April entitle "Past Tense."

Sort of lets us know he is still around in the music business

Well, I just saw Richie Morales in a Dave Valentin's concert that he gave last week here in PR. Also Oscar Cartaya was here last Month and I had the opportunity to talk to him since we have a lot of friends in common (we're from PR as you know) he told me that he's producing a lot in California. I saw him during the promotion of the CD "Best Friends" from Giovanni Hidalgo and Humberto Ramírez(wich he also produced), two of the best jazz musicians from my back yard. Marc Quiñonez maybe is going to be part of "Marc Anthony's" band (The salsa and pop singer that gave a concert in the Madison Square Garden).


Any imput is welcomed!!!!


Eril.