I was listening to "Rites of Summer" the other day and found myself repeating "Shangai Gumbo" for a couple of times. After doing a "mind research" i found out that i started to get into this song's live version. When ROS was released, i got hooked with "Limelight", "No Man's Land", "The Archer" and one of my all time favorites "Captain Karma".


I think that the fact that "Shangai" is more energetic and has and outstanding solo form Jay and Julio, Ah!!!! and that synphonic ending on RS leads me to listen to this song on its original version.


I never get tired of listening to them!!!!


Eril.

The Captain is my all-time #1. Shanghai Gumbo is perhaps the best performance on RS.

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Gary

If there's a weak link to Rites of Summer - key word "if" - it's The Archer, but it's still a good song.
If I had to pick favorites, they would be Daddy's Got a New Girl Now, Limelight and No Man's Land, although I do love Shanghai Gumbo, Innocent Soul, Yosemite, Claire's Dream and Captain Karma.
Speaking of rediscovering, I just recently had Spyro Gyra in my CD bag. Of course, Pygmy Funk is always great to hear, especially after hearing Return of the Pygmy. Two that definitely deserve a new listen on this album are Leticia and Paula/Paw Prints.

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Woody
jazzwriter23@yahoo.com

I recently got out my tape of "Breakout" and re-familiarized myself with two of the cuts on that tape, Jeremy Wall's "Swept Away" and then "Freefall." Both are excellent arrangements.

Gary, You're right!!! Shangai is the most energetic song on that album. It's that solo from Julio and the strings that Tom's Playing along with Scott and Joel.......everytime i listen to it i get goosebumps man!!!!


Now, The Archer for me is a very good song, especially Tom's Moog Solo at the end.


Great Album!!!!


Eril.

Breakout? Haha, revisiting that one gives me another chance to plug my favorite -- well, what was my favorite SG song ever (at least until I started listening to Whitewater, Westwood Moon, The Deep End and pick one from In Modern Times) -- Whirlwind.
Bob Goes to the Store is great. (Gotta love the video for those of us fortunate enough to see it). Doubletake is really cool, and of course, the title song is magnificent.
Last, but certainly not the least, Guiltless.
Speaking of awesome Tom solos, that one is one of my favorite. (About even with Sunflurry.)

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Woody
jazzwriter23@yahoo.com

Thanks Woody for buying my new CD! You are the first online buyer in the USA to purchase "Into Your Heart." Don't forget to leave a review on CDStreet.com and feedback on this board and my website,jazzbridge.com.
Thanks again for your support.

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The Schuuu

Just Ordered "Into Your Heart" this morning!! can't wait to get it man!!!

Woody, Tom's solo on AAA'S Conversations is way too awsome too. HE'S DA MAN!!!!!

Eril.

At least i know i'm the first one to buy it here in Puerto Rico!!!!

Wow.
I'm rarely first at anything.
Wow is all I can say.
You got it, Tom. And I'll be writing a review for the newspaper I work at as well. It hasn't arrived yet, but I expect it by Friday. If I get it then, I'll probably have the newspaper review done next week.
And Eril is right, Tom. You DA MAN!
Wow. First online purchase in the USA?
Man, that gives me goosebumps.
Wow.

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Woody
jazzwriter23@yahoo.com

And the verdict is in.
Tom, if you were a girl, I'd kiss.
Heck, I'll do it anyway.
MMMMMMMMUAH!
Great CD, man. Love it. Looooooooooove it.

Tom,

I think I might be the first one in my county to have your new CD. (We take what we can get, right Woody?) I'll try my best to spread the good word to the other 849,999 of us.

See you in Reading if not before...



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Gary

Yep, Gary we will.
I'll be posting my review probably at Tom's site in a few days.

"I was listening to "Rites of Summer" the other day and found myself repeating "Shangai Gumbo" for a couple of times. After doing a "mind research" i found out that i started to get into this song's live version. When ROS was released, i got hooked with "Limelight", "No Man's Land", "The Archer" and one of my all time favorites "Captain Karma".

Hope you don`t mind the quote,i`m new here,been a fan of SG since 1980. Your post struck a nerve...a good one that is I have all except "collections",i listen to SG everyday...honest!! Captain Karma is also one of my favs,heard it live in 99,i still get goose bumps!! You people here obviously love Jay and the boys...i don`t blame ya!! This band kicks...period!! Peace!!

Jim

Welcome Aboard Spyro1!!! Well, we're all a bunch of "Spyro Freaks". I've been listening to them since Morning Dance!!!

The same happened to me with Shangai Gumbo, but for some particular reason that only the back of my head knows, i'm hooked with its live version from RS.

Captai Karma is one of my all time favorites too!!! I listened to it live back at the RiteS of Summer Tour in '88 here in PR. Tom and Julio Smoked Man!!!!


Greetings from Puerto Rico!!!


Eril.

Glad to be aboard,man i thought i knew a lot about SG...


Jim

I for one consider "The Archer" one of the highlights of Rites.

Great drumming, great basswork, great sax from Jay, and that great solo by Schuuu near the coda....and the live version feaured long extended solo's by Richie and Schuuuuu!

Peace!
Paul

Eril I would have to agree "shanghi gumbo"is the best but "ariana" also kicks.

Yeah Nipps!!! Ariana also came into my heavy rotation when i listened to it in live format. Julio makes a very precise solo (i think he's a master doing that) and you can listen to Scott, Joel and Tom jamming in the back while Julio makes his solo. This is one of the many gret abilities of this band!!!

Eril.

Phil pointed out one of my forever faves in "Freefall".

Everything just flows so perfectly on that number....especially where Schuuu's synth solo blends seamlessly with Dave's.

Peace!
Paul

Hey Eril,I happened to be listing to a tape I had from a jazz fest Spyro Gyra played in 1992 the song"Breathless" stands out.What do you think about that song.
Talk to you soon. NIPPS

Hi there Nipps!!! Mmmmmm, To me "Breathless" is one of those songs that keeps playing inside your head forever. Very charging and energetic, yet very precise. Joel and Scott give that song the very true meaning of "tightness" and Julio and Tom are great. One of the things that i noticed is that Julio and Tom are always looking ate each other when they play. It looks like they're "juicing" up or something. Being "Three Wishes" a very good "live recorded" album, that feeling of admiring each other's talent can be felt.


Aaaaaaanyway, "Breathless" is one of the best songs from that album.


Eril.

Yeah, Breathless is da-bomb. Scott's bass line is simply awesome, and Joel chimes in beautifully. I have to disagree on one point, though. Three Wishes had just been released when I last saw Spyro Gyra in person. It was a fleeting moment, but a moment nontheless. Julio had been on stage-left (from the audience perspective) through most of the concert, with Scott on the far right. During the encore, as they played Nothing to Lose, Julio crossed the stage to where he was directly in front of me and my then-girlfriend/now-wife ... hardly 6 feet away. Scott was jamming, of course and Julio was leaning toward him, arching his eyebrows, making silly faces. It was classic.
Ya know? Now that I think about it, I wonder if he was testing to see if he could distract the rookie into screwing up, roflmaoooooo. For all I know, Scott could have messed up and the audience wouldn't have noticed, they were THAT good!!!!!!

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Woody
jazzwriter23@yahoo.com

Hmmmmm, Good point Woody!!! But i've always seen Julio doing funny faces and silly stuff on stage. Last year in St. Thomas he started playing like uhhhhh.... (the blues guitar player that bends his knees and starts walking) Chubby Checker??? and he blew the crowd away!!! Also two years ago when they came down here to PR, he srated jumping up and down and doing a lot of crazy stuff when they were playing "Got the Magic". I think this puts the band closer to the audience. The only time that i saw Julio playing "serious" was on their "Alternating Currents" Tour back in '85. He was playing like a regular normal guitar player.


Eril.

I think that's just Julio getting into the music. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I don't think I've ever seen anyone get such pure joy out of playing.

Rob

P.S. Then again, I've tried to make people laugh when I've been on stage, so who knows...

I think all you guys are right.Every time I have seen them,they seem to get closer and closer in being musicaly tighter.It would be nice if we could all get together in person and just JAM their music and talk about when and where we saw them first and fell in love with their music.Talk to you guys so. Nipps

NIPPS . . .

Welcome to the board.

The first time I ever saw Spyro "live" was during the Three Wishes tour. They did an extended version of "Breathless" that evening. Tom Schuman absolutely blew me away with his extended piano/keyboard solo.

So "Breathless" occupies a special place in my heart due to that initial experience.

Is this better?

[This message has been edited by jazzwriter (edited March 24, 2002).]

Something Wrong Woody!!!!

Take it easy man!!!!


Eril.

Please disregard this and the previous post.

[This message has been edited by jazzwriter (edited March 24, 2002).]

SETTLE DOWN YOU TWO!

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Gary

What were we talking about? Oh, Julio's faces duck walking.
Yeah, that sounds like vintage Chuck Berry.

[This message has been edited by jazzwriter (edited March 24, 2002).]