OK...I've finally been to my first SG concert (9/17) and now have a voracious appetite for their music. I already have 10 of their albums (a mere drop in the bucket from the looks of their discography). I would like to know from the SG fans with all their albums, which 10 are their favorite. Is it possible to just list your top 10? Go ahead give it a try. I would appreciate it.

Lurchtex,

Well, it definitely won't be easy, but I will give it my best shot....and the list will probably switch and change over the months!

1)Road Scholars(track for track, it's nearly impossible to match this one, the performances are all top of the line, and it's the best recorded and engineered live record I've ever heard. The piano trio version of "Shaker Song" ALONE makes this one worth the $17.99!)

2)Heart Of The Night(again, a strong effort from the first track to the last. It also contains alot of traditional jazz elements, featuring some great jazzy piano from Schuman, and of course, Julio Fernandez' "De La Luz" is worth the price of admission all by itself!)

3)Three Wishes(again, from first track to last, a very strong release. It also has a strong link to tradtional jazz...perhaps because Jay Beckenstein began writing and playing more on tenor saxaphone--predating a later love affair with that horn in the live setting)

4)Rites Of Summer(the band seems to go back to this record alot when choosing songs for each new tour. That should tell you something).

5)Alternating Currents(I believe that this is the only Spyro Gyra record to garner a grammy. Forget about that, the songs are among the most melodic in the bands career...and they kick out the jams alot, especially on "Mardi Gras", "Sunnflurry", "Shakedown", and the title track. First record that featured Julio Fernandez...as well as Richie Morales.)

6)Access All Areas(the bands first live record...I don't consider it as consistent as "Road Scholars", but it does have Dave Samuels on it...and nearly unsurpassable version of "Converations" and "Old San Juan", not to mention "Heliopolis" and a Dave Samuels showpiece version of "Shaker Song". A must have)

7)Dreams Beyond Control(This one is only rated lower due to the un-needed vocal tracks stuck between some awesome instrumental cuts, "Breakfast At Igors", "South Beach" "Bahia". The world's greatest instrumental band adding vocals....it makes as much sense as if Dylan stopped writing his awesome lyrics and went all instrumental!)

8)Point Of View(I love the tunes, esecially "Swing Street", "Fairweather", "Hannibal's Boogie", "Carolina" and others. One minus: Julio was on a two year hiatus, and there is less guitar on this release, played by Jay Azzolina. A great player, but he ain't as diverse as Julio, and his role is less here than Julio's was and again is)

9)Morning Dance(hey, it has "Morning Dance", "Heliopolis" "It Doesn't Matter", and one of their first hard charging compositions, "End Of Romanticism"

10)Love And Other Obssessions("Third Street" Group Therapy", "On Liberty Road", not to mention "Lost and Found", and "Ariana", and "Rockin' a Heart Place". Only minus is a lack of straight ahead influence...and the two vocal tracks)

Well that's it for now. I am interested to see some other lists! Come on now guys and gals!

Peace!
Paul

I'll start with the oldest favorite first:

1. "Catching the Sun" - (1980 MCA) Has "Catching the Sun," "Laser Material," "Lovin' You," and "Safari."

2. "Incognito" - (1982 MCA) With "Old San Juan," "Harbor Nights," and "Incognito."

3. "Access All Areas" - (1984 Amherst) With "Schu's Blues," "Conversations," and "Islands In the Sky."

4. "Breakout" - (1986 Amherst) With "Freefall," "Doubletake" and "Breakout."

5. "Rites of Summer" - (1988 GRP) With "Claire's Dream," "Yosemite," "The Archer," and "Captain Karma."

6. "Fast Forward" - (1990 GRP) With "Para Ti Latino," "Ocean Parkway," "4MD," and "Escape Hatch."

7. "Three Wishes" - (1992 GRP) With "Breathless," "Nothing to Lose," "Cabana Carioca," and "Rollercoaster."

8. "Dreams Beyond Control" - (1993 GRP) With "Walk the Walk," "Bahia," "Birks Law," and "Same Difference."

9. "Heart of the Night" - (1996 GRP) With "Midnight," "Believe," "As We Sleep" and "J Squared."

10. "Road Scholars" - (1998 GRP) With "Breakfast At Igor's," "Shaker Song," and "Daddy's Got a New Girl Now."

Picking an absolute #1 favorite is impossible for me with this band.

Phil,

It's funny you mentioned "Incognito"...after I posted yesterday, "Incognito", as if by magic, cued up on my random CD player selection. I said, "How could I not have mentioned this one, what with Old San Juan, Harbor Nights, and the title track.

Consider this one in my top ten also...though I won't say which release gets bumped!

Peace!
Paul

Let me now I have 22 SG cd's and you want me list my favorite ten? Well let me see, because I love this bands live performance's I would have to place a live set at #1, so here goes:

1. Road Scholars-it really does capture the groups ability to reach the people. I have seen SG several times over the past few years in a number of venues, both inside and outside and they never cease to amaze me.

2. Dreams Beyond Control-the upbeat nature of this cd makes it one of my favorites. I also found the vocals interesting. Not usually of fan of this practice of vocal inserts in smooth jazz cd's but this seems to work. Saw the band with him on the tour for the cd and it worked into the show rather well.

3. Heart of the Night

4. Incognito

5. Three Wishes

6. Stories without Words

7. Access All Areas

8 Got the Magic

9. Fast Forward

10.Catching the Sun

These are not in any real order since I often pull out a cd depending on the mood I am in. Of course with 22 sometimes you listen just because it has not been hear in a while. One question for anyone out there, I noticed that Amazon.com list a couple of import versions of Road Scholars. Does anybody knodw anything about the CD's.

Dave,

I too absolutely love "Road Scholars", as you can tell...I placed it up at the top of my list.
It has such incredible performances...a great selection of compositions...and is the best recorded live record I have ever heard.
As far as the amazon.com thing...I did hear a rumour some months back that the imported version was and expanded version containing extra tracks.
This would mean, of course, that it'd have to be a double cd, at double cd prices.
I have never heard whether or not these rumours were just alot of wishful thinking.
Most likely, they were.

Peace!
Paul