Spyro Gyra (album)

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Spyro Gyra is the self-titled debut album by the jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra, released in 1978. The album was self-released on the label Crosseyed Bear Productions before the band signed with Amherst Records and re-released it with a different cover.

At Billboard magazine, the album reached No. 99 on the Top 200 Albums chart. "Shaker Song" reached No. 16 on the Adult Contemporary singles chart, No. 90 on the Hot 100 singles chart, and was covered by the Manhattan Transfer on the album Extensions.

Track listing

1. "Shaker Song" (Jay Beckenstein) – 4:49
2. "Opus D'Opus" (Beckenstein) – 5:08
3. "Mallet Ballet" (Jeremy Wall) – 5:11
4. "Pygmy Funk" (Wall) – 5:34
5. "Cascade" (Wall) – 3:12
6. "Leticia" (Wall) – 6:10
7. "Mead" Beckenstein) – 4:00
8. "Paula/Paw Prints" (Beckenstein) – 4:01
9. "Galadriel" (Wall) – 4:55

Personnel

Main Band

• Jay Beckenstein – alto sax, soprano sax, tenor sax, percussion
• Jeremy Wall – piano, Fender Rhodes, Mini-Moog, Arp Odyssey, Arp String Ensemble, Hammond B3 organ, percussion
• Jim Kurzdorfer – bass guitar
• Tom Walsh – drums, percussion
• Umbopha Emile Latimer - congas, percussion

Guests

• Rubens Bassini – congas (on "Shaker Song", "Cascade", "Leticia")
• Dave Samuels - marimba and tabla (on "Shaker Song" and "Pygmy Funk")
• Tom Schuman - Mini-Moog (on "Mead"), Piano ("Paula"), Fender Rhodes ("Paw Prints")
• "Fast" Freddy Rapillo - electric guitar ( on "Mallet Ballet", "Pygmy Funk", "Leticia", "Paw Prints", and "Galadriel"
• Greg Millar - electric guitar (on "Shaker Song", "Opus D'Opus", "Cascade", and "Mead")
• Rick Bell - trombone (on "Opus D'Opus")
• Tony Garusso - trumpet (on "Leticia")
• Fred Marshall - trombone (on "Leticia")