Venue: Sambuca Jazz Cafe (Houston, Texas, United States)
October 4, 2005 - When it comes to jazz, the City of Houston has a rich and vibrant history that can be traced back to venues such as Club La Veek, La Bastille, The Jazz Connection, The Jazz Emporium, The El Dorado, Club Supreme and last but not least the highly regarded Rockefellars. Through those doors, some of the finest and best known names in jazz came to Houston to play. Most notably, Houston has a resume filled with native residents, which includes Joe Sample, Wayne Henderson, Eric Harland, Jason Moran, Bubbha Thomas, Illinois Jacquet, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and Arnett Cobb to name a few. Since those by-gone days of yesteryear, the city as a whole has lost its luster as a jazz town; in fact, the jazz club scene in Houston is all but extinct with few exceptions. Nowadays, Houstonians have to look long and hard to find a club where jazz is served. One of the last bastions of prominence for jazz is Sambuca Jazz Café, where on any given night jazz is as hot as the food that is listed on the menu. For the most part, Sambuca is a restaurant that happens to highlight live jazz as a source of entertainment. On any given night, some of the best local area and national talent in jazz is featured. Every now and again, Sambuca will add a little dessert by bringing a highly visible artist or band to its locale.. Such was the case on October 3rd and 4th when Spyro Gyra made one of their patented pit stops through Houston. To the delight of many, this so-called ‘Super Group” put on a performance that was as phenomenal as everything they have done throughout their 29 years together.
During their tenure as a collective, Spyro Gyra has been to practically every corner of the globe thrilling millions of jazz connoisseurs with a patented display of musical excellence. Highlighting their latest release entitled ‘The Deep End’ on the Heads Up International Record Label, Spyro Gyra ebbed and flowed across the smooth jazz landscape with a highly stylized brand of self-prescribed music. Jay Beckenstein the group’s leader “prefers that Spyro Gyra not be called just a jazz band.” In an interview with Dominick A. Miserandino with Celebritycafe.com, Jay stated: “That's some of the confusion about Spyro Gyra. Sometimes it's jazz and sometimes it's not. Really, it's whatever I or any of the other guys want it to be at any given moment. If we want to play the blues, then it's a blues band, if we want to play Latin then it's a Latin band. We want to play something orchestral, then we try to be a classical ensemble. It's really hard for me at any time to wish to play any other music because all I have to do is ask.” Over the years, that clearly defined attitude has made Spyro Gyra one of the best loved groups in jazz today. Whenever they come to Houston and clearly at Sambuca on the night of October 4th, the mesmerizing talent the group possesses was quite evident. In the minds of most, Spyro Gyra definitely ranks high on the list of must see concerts. During their years as a band, they have been to Houston any number of times and have since become one of the city’s most popular attractions. The same love for Houston prevails with Ludwig Afonso, Scott Ambush, Jay Beckenstein, Julio Fernandez and Tom Schuman.
With more than a quarter of a century of excellence behind them, it can almost be said that Spyro Gyra has run the gamut of jazz activity, yet they continue to evolve, while improving upon the product they possess. During their performance at Sambuca, the variance of displayed jazz styles included smooth, contemporary, stride and Latin influences. Each member of the group also had a voice and a message to bring as they brought nuances from their latest CD as well as reflective remarks from previous releases. During the show one thing was apparent throughout; as always, Spyro Gyra’s delivery continues to be fresh and original. With the advent of the smooth jazz style during the 1980s, Jay and company did not succumb to the dark side, they have managed to maintain their identity throughout their storied career. At Sambuca, they delivered a delightful sound energy ray of excitement. As had been seen during numerous performances in the past, Spyro Gyra has adapted very well to the ever-changing trends jazz has seen over the years. I am sure that wherever they go the welcome mat is always open to their impressionable embrace of jazz at its finest. In my mind, Spyro Gyra may not epitomize jazz as an artistic endeavor, but they do a fantastic job of entertaining and acquiring fans. At Sambuca, even the unfamiliar became immediate connoisseurs of Spyro Gyra. In the midst of a city where jazz is not the by-word, this All-Star jazz activated sound energy ray proved beyond the shadow of any doubt, they are well worth a listen on any given day.
JazzReview.com
