Noticed that the band has an entire two month block-January throug March 4, 2011-off the road. Is it possible that this block of time will be used for recording a new record? No inside info here...just speculating..,and asking!

I sure hope you are right. That would be beyond great. Peace and goodwill.

They are kind of due for one. I was hoping for another live release - long overdue.

a life is long overdue, indeed.....

the guys are actually working on a new album....

M

Maurillio-welcome to the island-yer listed as a newbie with 12 posts in 3+ years. Hope yer info`s correct-what do ya base it on? A 30 second check of the linked sites DIDN`T offer pertinanent info. **If my memory serves me well, the top notch "Down The Wire" had a April 28, 2009 release date-or thereabouts. The band toured the heck out of it, and Heads Up did a great job of promoting it. The reviews I read were nearly all glowing. SPYRO toured it with at least 3-4 songs in the setlst in 2009. Even in 2010, when the setlist was revamped to include Tom Schuman`s"A Quote From Mr. Z", "Porkpie Hat" etc, alot of DTW material remained. The band seems comfortable takin more time between releases,not feeling married to/pressured to releasin a new studio record every 364 days.***Access All Areas"1984, and "Road Scholars"1997-a 13 year gap-the pattern might suggest another live album is due, right? I think that the band`d have to plan somethin like that-record a whole tour.NorthSeaJazz DVD was just a few years ago!

Hey Paul, thanks. I'm very close to Scott (Ambush) and he told me they were working on new songs for the new album....but you know how it is for these busy guys.... always working on dozens of projects!..... when the release, I have no idea!

A new live album would be real cool, but a new video would be timely especially if Jay plays both his Alto and Soprano horns simultaneously. I didn't know you could play both at the same time so when Syro Gyra played on Nov 5 in New Orleans it was a real treat.

Is the group still with Heads Up?

THANKS for passing on that info-that Scottie said the band IS workin on new material! THAT is great news for the New 2011 year! Yes indeed Spyro Gyra is still with Heads-Up and Concord Jazz. And the fans here-and I`d wager the band-and Heads Up for that matter-we all say that there has been an amazing string of strong and diverse records since the band moved to Heads Up. And that is what it is all about, isn`t it? RE: A new live record or DVD-it seems too soon for that to happen in 2011. The North Sea Jazz Festival DVD was released just a few years ago. Something like a live CD or DVD would take planning and would not come out when a studio record is more probable.

Talked to Tom and he told me that they're expecting the new relase for April - May 2011

I would like to hear the band do updated arrangements of some of their past compositions. Often at their concerts they will perform an updated version of an older composition and they are usually slammin!

So a 30-year tribute album featuring past selections would be great in my opinion.

Phil

Hey folks,
I sure am glad that someone brought this topic up. I was going to bring this topic up earlier around late December. I attended the band's annual XMas show in Annapolis in December of last year. I spoke with one of the band members (I won't mention who) about the possibility of them going back into the studio to record. He looked at me (I think I caught him off guard) and he confirmed that they were going back into the studio very soon. I did not want to mention this earlier because I did not know if that was confidential information; however, it now appears that the word is out.

Jay-thanks for the confirmation. YES SIR! REJOICE! We got new Spyro Gyra coming. I only started the thread because I noticed a huge block of time-more than two months-where the band is taking a break from the road. Coupled with the fact that the excellent Down The Wire record was released two years ago this April--I theorized that the band might be in the preliminary stages of creating their next epic. I saw Scott perform at the NAMM show last week in Anaheim, and it seems the new record is being planned, composed, but they still have the rest of January and all of February to record. Add time for mixing, mastering, pressing, artwork, making sure advertising and promotion are ready to hit the ground running-and I am hoping it hits the streets and stores by May or June. It`s a BIG year for Jay Beckenstein-Jay turns 60 on MAY 14th! I HOPE WE ALL THE MAJOR JAZZ MAGAZINES AND PRESS TREAT IT AS THE BIG DEAL IT IS-TONS OF ARTICLES+INTERVIEWS TO COMMEMORATE THE MILESTONE AND THE NEW RECORD. A SPYRO-FEST PERHAPS???

Wish the last month or so brought an update with more specific info about the new record. The band is due to hit the road again in a few days after more than two months off. Just guessing here-but I would bet dollars to donuts that the band will have new material included in a totally overhauled setlist. Maybe Jay(60 in May)Beckenstein will do the pre-release promo thing from the stage-"That one was a new one-one of mine-from our new record out this May(or June)".

Wish the last month or so brought an update with more specific info about the new record. The band is due to hit the road again in a few days after more than two months off. Just guessing here-but I would bet dollars to donuts that the band will have new material included in a totally overhauled setlist. Maybe Jay(60 in May)Beckenstein will do the pre-release promo thing from the stage-"That one was a new one-one of mine-from our new record out this May(or June)".

Hope to hear something on a possible upcoming release date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They got the green light for the new CD!
April is recording month!

(no release date, tho)

Maurillo-welcome back to the Spyro Gyra harbor here at Magic Island-ya musta finally found your immunity idol! Thanks a billion(hey-inflation)-for that awesome news. Down The Wire was a very strong+diverse record. I am looking forward to the new record-the band is still on the top of it`s game 35 years on.

Thanks!
I think what has kept SG fresh is to allow each one in the band to bring his own creativity and input in the writing process.
Best exemple is "down the wire". One "new" right element in the band and the sound changed, the songs evolved to a new vibe...
Even listening to the guys playing throughout the years, you can tell they have changed/evolved (mostly thanks to the fact that they all are involved in different projects and bands)....
Anyway, let's wait to see what the guys are cooking!

M

That is very welcome news. The last album is great. Peace and goodwill.

Hi everyone. I can now confirm that Spyro Gyra has started its next album. We don't have a firm title yet or release date, but we think we may be able to get it done for an August or September release. You can see a couple of photos from the sessions at our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spyro-Gyra/191795950861446

It's a public page, so you shouldn't have to join Facebook to see it if you're not already and don't want to.

Hi back, Phil. Thanks a million for the great news. Looking forward with great anticipation to hearing what new twists Jay, Tom, Julio, Scott,+Bonny will come up with on the bands diverse, complexly accessable musical canvas. GREAT timing too....this weeks marks two years since the excellent "Down the Wire" was released. And next month, Jay turns 60(May 14th). Perfect timing. Perhaps a little 5 minute promo/video similar to that nice in the studio one that came out for DTW is in the offing. Peace! Paul

Thanks for the update.

official:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spyro-Gyra/191795950861446

M

That is great news!

Let's make it official! New album in September!

"A Foreign Affair"

Yes!!! I got the update on facebook a couple of days ago- I guess the next couplre of months will be spent making darn sure the record gets TONS of promotion--the band and the record company have been solid in that area in all the paat releases including In Modern Times.

And...guaranteed that the band will tour the heck out of it!!!!!

Time for rejoicing in the jazz world....two and a half years is a long long time to go between new Spyro Gyra!!!

Peace!
Paul

P.S. Hope there is a pre release 5 minute promo video a la the Down the Wire in studio one....

Just got an advance copy of "A Foriegn Affair", great release! Listened to it 3 times yesterday, in my opinion, definately one of their top 3 albums! 'Chileno Boys' sounds real familiar, like I've heard it before on one of Tom's releases, but the title doesn't show up on a cross reference - thought maybe it was like when 'Monsoon' was on both Jay's solo release and then 'Deep End'. Great album, very strong! I'm catching them in concert later today, in the Finger Lakes, at Glenora Vineyards, always a great venue to see them.

Got one too. Very good cd!

Looks like the guys are back with Amherst Records and not Heads Up now.

I have to say, I haven't been around to actually look forward to new Records coming out for Spyro, but now, I can. I am SUPER excited about this new record! It's gonna be awesome (I expect nothing less from the boys!)! Here's a new like on the site!

http://www.spyrogyra.com/generalinfo.php?type=newcd

Holy Cow! That's incredibly awesome! I'm now even more excited! It gets me pumped on what I want to do for a living as well.

Listened to the new record twice at work today. Got an advance copy last night in Seattle after their show. For those who have to hold out til September I'm sorry you have to wait! It's another great one for sure. And this is the first one with vocal tracks where I feel they really add a lot to the record (maybe Christmas record aside).

And what a show! It was mostly new material from the record. Don't know what it was in the air but they were having tons of fun last night. And I mean an order of magnitude higher than usual. Plus some of the best soloing I've ever heard from Jay.

Was expecting mostly the setlist they've been doing the last 3-4 months (from some recent YouTube clips I pieced together they were doing stuff like Schu's Blues, On Liberty Road, After the Storm, Cayo Hueso). Last night's set was:

Caribe
Samba For Two
Catching the Sun
De La Luz
Scott Solo
Dancing on Table Mountain
Sweet Ole Thang
Bonny B Solo
Falling Walls
Double Encore: A Quote from Mr. Z + Morning Dance

Thanks to the band for another killer show, and the great chats/CD signing/photos after. They really are the nicest gentlemen, and clearly have lots of love and respect for their fans.

Whoa, the new disc has remakes of 2 songs from Schu's "Into Your Heart." I can hardly wait to get my copy.

I heard Caribe on the radio and I was super excited! It's really good and I can't wait to get the Album. It's got all the Spyro Style and heart! Super awesome!

UPS finally delivered my copy from Amazon last night .. been spinning since ... so far really liking it. Not quite as funky as the last 2 releases ... vocals add to this one and everything is signature Spiro. They have been so energized and tight since Bonnie B joined them .. he is such a perfect fit for them.

AWESOME!

Well, this cd is great. One of the things i like the most is that they went in all directions, and that's something tough to do ina single release.

"Kuda", "Caribe", "Samba for Two" and "Chileno Boys" are owning my ears!!! can't decide!!!

*sigh* Still haven't gotten mine yet. Just bought a new car and still trying to get things back in order before ordering new music.

Finally got my copy! Been putting off buying music with the holidays and all but I just could not wait any longer. As usual a great sound, bit different from past few releases, but nothing wrong with if the music is good and that it is. I did not mind the vocals. Seem to fit rather well with the over all feel of the disc. Been a fan since around 78 and am always amazed at how they keep turning out great music year after year...but then again maybe I should not be so surprised, great bands tend to keep producing and this is a truely great band!

Okay, first purchase of the new year will have to be A Foreign Affair. I did get to hear Caribe on Watercolers. That's one I'm probably gonna have to warm up to slowly.