It's been a while since we've had a thread like this. Basically, the idea is to talk about those songs that don't get discussed a lot. Songs that rarely if ever get played in concerts. And unlike Morning Dance, Freetime, Old San Juan, Whitewater, Birks Law, etc., aren't universally loved by everyone.
Now that I've set the general parameters, I'll tell you why this came to mind. I'm playing Stories Without Words, which, while I've always liked it, it was a bit "out there" relative to what I was used to when it was released in 1987. I've always liked every song, but not as much as I did the songs from all previous releases or Rites of Summer.
But as I listen today, one under-appreciated track is a very powerful piece of music. I'm talking about Early Light.
It's haunting intro, the mellow melody, Julio's emotional solo and Jay - woo! - his ad-lib during the fade.
On one hand, it's a very strange song. On the other, it's mind blowing.

Hmmm...Joy Ride is my fave from that album...ehh...yes..album...all my vinyls are here right next to me. Some other ones that i call "b side favorites" are:

No Man's Land
Double Take
Guiltless....one of my faves from Tom!!
P.G.
Sunflurry...I think they played it here back in '85
Sweet & Savy
Oasis...this song...i never ever get tired of listen to.

Those are the ones i remember for now......

Man!! how can i forget "Del corazón"!!!




Nice Topic!!

I now like Doubletake and can play it myself. It took some getting used to. The intro was annoying at first, but now I love it. As of late, I've started to listen to:

Group Therapy
Lost and Found
Swing Street
Claire's Dream
Pyramid (I think it's in 6/8 or 7/8)
Monsoon (It's on a newer album, but debuted on "Eye Contact".
I like No Man's Land
Sweet 'N Savvy has been a favorite (All are favorites :))
Fine Time To Explain
Philly (Love the Schuman!)

I haven't gotten used to the Spyro Gyra ablum, but I guess I should expose myself to it more.

This is a great topic. Glad you thought of it!

Yes, Mr. Incognito, you SHOULD get more exposure.

Mmmm, Sweet and Savvy.
That's one of the few, apart from Morning Dance and Catching the Sun, that I've heard on radio - not counting stuff I've loaned to the campus station at MVSU. Way back in the day, the jazz station at - Shannon, help me out here - Jones College (?) in Jacksonville, Fla., played Sweet and Savvy and Cafe Amore pretty regularly.
Also, it was on the setlist the very first time I saw Spyro Gyra in concert: Caesar's Tahoo, late summer 1987, shortly after the release of Stories Without Words. I don't remember the entire set, but other songs they played that night were Bittersweet, Old San Juan, Serpent in Paradise, the first three tracks from Stories, and of course Morning Dance.

Never got the chance to see Spyro Gyra live, so I will go with "Chrysalis" on the Stories without Words album for one of those type songs. Usually though I am standing up by then, and dancing around to "Joy Ride" because by that time, the music just has to make you move around.

Three Wishes and Dreams Beyond Control are in this week's rotation.
A few tracks to mention:
from TW:
- Jennifer's Lullaby .. I've always loved this piece. It has a slight Getz/Gilberto/Jobim feel to it.
- Inside Your Love .. just a really nice groove, cool bass line, Dave on the marimba, textbook soulful ballad.
- Gliding .. just listen and enjoy
from DBC:
- Patterns in the Rain .. I know a lot of fans don't like vocals on these recordings, but this one's my favorite. A nice reggae beat, and one of the few songs predating Bonny B. where if you mute the voice, it still sounds like Spyro Gyra.
- Waltz for Isabel .. another to just listen and enjoy
- Kindred Spirit .. beautiful orchestral piece by the Schuu.
- Same Difference .. rocks
- The Delicate Prey .. the soprano is my least favorite saxophone, but here's one of those songs where Jay separates himself from the pack on this instrument. (But then, he pretty much always does, eh.)

Another thing about Dreams Beyond Control, it's not my favorite album, not even close. But over the years, it seems I'm more reluctant to take it out of the "now playing" rotation than most others. I think I've finally figured out why.
It was Scott's second recording with the group and Joel's second full album. DBC represents their strongest joint impact from the first song to the last.

End of Romanticism
Pacific Sunrise
Pyrimad. These 3 are sectional, angular, hard charging. In the case of PacSun--a very important track. THE bridge I walked over to jazz from my Dylan/Zeppelin/Beatles/Who/Stones/Floyd/Yes/Genesis/Montrose/Sabbath/Rush/Purple roots!!! Peace. Paul

Valentinos-great track from one of the bands best and most consistent records. 'Silver Linings' and 'Freefall' I love these two hidden gems rarejy mentioned here. Classic--the way the vibes into synth break seems to borrow from guitar into synth break of Silver Linings. PAUL

Would humbly like to add to the already mentioned songs a few that belong to the loooong lost of my favourite songs. Obviously I will not list ALL of them, I think the list would have at least some 40 songs !!! I am not really a radio listener , I am also assuming you mean American radio stations ( I live in Europe) so apart from the obvious songs I don't really have an idea which are more or less known or popular or more played on radio stations.

No limits
Slow Burn
Counterpoint
Westwood moon
Wind worriors
Summer Fling
Breathless
PG
Heartbeat
Harbor Nights
Sueño
Telluride
Amber Dream
Alexandra

American radio.
However, Julian, this discussion is mainly about songs that don't get talked about much.
A short list of songs that at one time or another, several of us have talked about includes Morning Dance, Heliopolis, Freetime, Old San Juan, Incgonito, Captain Karma, Whitewater.
Feel free to contribute anything, but mostly, this is about those other songs that rarely get mentioned.

DIZZY! I always forget Dizzy! Great bass opening. And that guitar solo! From memory-isn't that Hiram Bullock? That solo IS dizzy! Love to hear Julio improv on THAT!

"Last Exit" & "Rollercoaster"! Two Schuu-penned tracks that I rarely hear fellow Spyroheads mention.

"Last Exit" was actually the track that got me into Spyro in the first place. I remember arranging it for one of my ensembles in school, and thinking that "Man, I really gotta take a closer look at this group!". Fast forward a bunch of years, and I now have their whole body of work in my collection...

"Rollercoaster" has become one of my absolute favorites lately, just a wild ride from start to finish! Schuu really gets to shine on this one!! Btw, I wonder if this isn't the most fusion-esque track they've recorded??

Oh wait, come to think about it, we've got "Escape Hatch", "Incognito", "Serpentine Shelly", "Fairweather" etc. etc. too... haha!

...and how about "Planet J" & "J Squared"!? Great songs that gives Joel some extra space & shows why he's one of THE best out there, period.

This is a great thread, got me wanting to listen to their whole back catalogue! Which is what I'm gonna do right about now!!

Later

Johannes!
Great post! It is-almost like we're twins separated at birth, though how I could be a pollock while my twin is german....
Anyway-yur list was full of six or seven of my all time Spyro Gyra faves.
Last Exit-THE first cut off THE first Spyro Gyra record I ever bought. Great cut...sax riff...guitar solo excels...and then the 186,000 miles a second synth soio by Schuuuuu.
BTW- Anyone else wonder why Spyro-with few exceptions-rarely play the lead track from their records once da recrd's a yr old?

Interesting, Paul. Can't say I've noticed. But then, the few shows I've seen, they've done several first songs:
Shaker Song, Morning Dance, Catching the Sun, Freetime, Shakedown, Cayo Hueso, Heart of the Night, The Unwritten Letter and Bump It Up.
Hey, Johannes, Last Exit is one of only a handful of Spyro Gyra songs I've heard when (a) not played by me, (b) not in a concert, (c) not on a college radio station that specializes in jazz. The venue: a television studio. It was in 1985, a friend of mine and I went to see a taping of the Merv Griffin show. They piped in Last Exit during the transition to and from a commercial break.

The beginning of "Point of View" is one of my favorites. Hadn't heard it for 10 years until recently and could still whistle what was coming up next during the track changes... Personal Favorite: "Swing Street" Great style changes to it.

Paul: Haha, yeah.. "Incognito" was the first Spyro CD I bought as well. I hope I get to see them play "Last Exit" live sometime (have they ever btw??), but with so many great songs to choose from, I bet it's hard to come up with a setlist that will satisfy everyone...

Woody: I've heard Spyro on some unexpected occasions too, the most recent was at a hockey game here in Stockholm when they played "Rockin' a Heart Place" (!) during an intermission. Imagine my surprise... haha.

ermoder: "Point of View" has some great songs on it for sure. Just like you, I think that the first set of songs on that disc is really strong! Not that the rest is bad at all, but the first cuts sound more inspired imo (especially "Swing Street"!). Also, I really liked what Jay Azzolina brought to the table during his stay with the group.

Yeah POV is chock full of top notch stuff. Gotcha is a fave w/ offkilter great keyboard riff. Richie's Carolina is one of the best drummer penned Spyro cuts. And what a trilogy to open POV with.
And of Incognito?
Close to a perfect record. Last Exit-City Kids-Slowburn-Claires Dream have been played live. But not played since initial tours

So true about the first three. I think that's why I didn't appreciate the overall work of POV initially. Slow Burn, Swing Street and Fairweather are so awesome, it was hard for me to play the rest of the album. Sure, I enjoyed No Limits, Hannibal's Boogie, Carolina and Swamp Thing (with honorable mentions to The Unknown Soldier - actually like this one a lot more these days - Riverwalk and Gotcha), but the first three were so engaging, I felt like the rest of the album kind of waned. Nowadays, though, I play it all the way through unless I'm on random selection on the computer.

I decided to give all of "Point of View" a listen, not just the beginning on repeat... Good stuff. I agree that it's not as strong as the first few tracks, but defiantly high quality.

'Alexandra' + 'Shadowplay' -two of the better + more dramatic ballads. THE STOLI WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL BROADCAST IN 1991 FEATURED GREAT LIVE TAKES OF BOTH TRACKS.

Nu Sungo !!! The first SG tune i listenned.

File this one under "other assorted musings" because I don't want anybody confusing what I'm about to say as a hidden favorite.
Don't hate me. But it's official. I like Fine Time to Explain.
Now before you start lobbing tomatoes, let me explain. Early on, I maintained that it's not a bad song if I'd heard it on radio not knowing who it was. But in the context of a straight R&B song on a jazz/smooth jazz album, I've skipped this and Let's Say Goodbye at least as often as I've played them when giving Love & Other Obsessions a spin. A big part of my beef is that if you didn't already know SG was involved in the recording of this song, you wouldn't know by listening.
So after 14 years of cringing at the idea that this song is on an SG album, I'm ready to admit that I actually like it.
Speaking of Love & Other Obsessions, some songs that have been discussed - Lost and Found, Ariana, Third Street and Group Therapy - are still pretty much the class of this release. But my hidden favorites here are Hearts Horizon and On Liberty Road (For South Africa).

Jazzwriter- no tomatoes comin from this a way. I had a similar conversion with ''Springtime Laughter'' from Got The Magic. Turns out I like it alot.
And as for ''On Liberty Road'', Scott's first sole writing credit! And on the L&OO tour, was in the honored ''main set closer'' position.
I have my problems with bands that are mainly instrumental jazz bands putting pop vocal songs on their records. Even if I love the song, it nearly always has an out of place quality that also destroys the flow of the record

(Cont'd)....the other problem-what if someone hears the pop vocal song and loves it...buys the record-and feels misled when he discovers the rest of the record is instrumental jazz?
A more radical problem happened to Jeff Lorber. Had a pop vocal hit. Next record-record company pressured him for an all pop vocal record. The fire went out of his music for the most part. On the other hand, Julio's wordless vocals(a la Pedro Aznar)+ his scat(Bump it Up live)-I love those.
Paul

So true, Paul.
I have my problems with bands that are mainly instrumental jazz bands putting pop vocal songs on their records. Even if I love the song, it nearly always has an out of place quality that also destroys the flow of the record
....the other problem-what if someone hears the pop vocal song and loves it...buys the record-and feels misled when he discovers the rest of the record is instrumental jazz?
There's been a few songs, vocalists like Maysa Leak, Wendy Moton and Sue Ann Carwell have contributed nicely to albums by Rick Braun, Larry Carlton, Kirk Whalum, etc. Mostly, this was when these guys were with WB Jazz in the 1990s, and it was so common with that label, the songs really didn't hurt the overall recordings.
Even so, what you said is exactly how I felt about the whole "let's put a pop/R&B vocal on the record so we can get more airplay" attitude. It was doomed to backfire.
I love Basia, but I wasn't that crazy about Springtime Laughter, either. It's not a bad song, and considering the overall smoothness of Got the Magic, it's not entirely out of place. The best thing I can say for it, though, was someone who sings jazz contributed to that song rather than an R&B crooner.

Sooo. What songs haven't we listed... JK. But Sueno is one that you just sit back and relax to. "Group Therapy" and "Horizons Edge" Are great as well. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT SYNTH WILL PLAY THE OPENING HITS OF THE SONG. Listen to it and you'll know the first two to three measures have eighth note hits and there are frequent throughout the song. Same in the opening of Silk & Satin

I've always had a soft spot for "Fine Time to Explain", Billy does a great job singing and Spyro delivers a solid backing. In fact, that whole album ("LaOO") is one of my favorites by Spyro!

One of these days I am gonna have to listen to the four vocal tracks on DBC + L+OO. All the positive talk may neccessitate a re-assessment.
I love that the previous poster called L+OO one of his faves. For me, it was a slightly mixed bag, with the best of it as good as any Spyro.

It is a very good album. For me, the two vocal tracks did everything short of making it bland. A big part of that was it was 1994 - a time when ALL of my favorite instrumental artists/groups (except the Yellowjackets) were having non-jazz guest vocalists contribute.
It didn't bother me at all on DBC because of the style those songs were played. Send Me One Line is still basically an R&B song, but Jay's solo more than compensates for that departure. And Patterns in the Rain, I loved that from Day 1 - the reggae rhythm, Joel's beat, Dave's mallet synth and Jay's blistering soprano solo.
But the L&OO vocals took me a long time to get over. And I'm still not crazy about Let's Say Goodbye. I admit I'm guilty of some sort of instrumental bigotry in skipping those 2 tracks for most of the first 12 years I had the CD. "They don't fit, so I'm not listening," was the attitude. I'm still that way with the Brian McKnight song on The Rippingtons 20.