ProJazz.net

Dreams Beyond Control is the seventeenth album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 1993 by GRP Records. The album peaked in the top 5 on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

Reception

AllMusic review by SCott Yanow awarded the album 4.5 stars and stated:”Spyro Gyra mostly sticks to their formula of danceable melodic music on this GRP release but there are a few temporary departures. The harmonica of the talented Howard Levy is used prominently on “Breakfast at Igor’s,” two different horn sections pop up on a few songs and there are a pair of throwaway pop vocals from Alex Ligertwood. However, longtime Spyro Gyra fans have little to fear for the solos of saxophonist Jay Beckenstein and vibraphonist Dave Samuels are predictably pleasant, the light funk rhythms push the ensembles and the band’s sound remains distinctive, familiar and comfortable.”

Track listing
“Walk the Walk” (Julio Fernandez) – 4:20
“Patterns in the Rain” (Foster Paterson) – 4:38
“Breakfast at Igor’s” (Jay Beckenstein, Scott Ambush) – 5:23
“Waltz for Isabel” (Beckenstein) – 4:43
“South Beach” (Fernandez) – 5:13
“Send Me One Line” (John Martyn) – 4:57
“Bahia” (Dave Samuels) – 5:08
“Kindred Spirit” (Tom Schuman) – 4:05
“Birks Law” (Beckenstein) – 4:36
“Same Difference” (Beckenstein, Fernandez) – 5:25
“The Delicate Prey” (Jeremy Wall) – 5:33

Personnel
Spyro Gyra:

Jay Beckenstein – saxophones
Tom Schuman – keyboards
Julio Fernández – guitars
Scott Ambush – bass
Joel Rosenblatt – drums
Dave Samuels – vibraphone, marimba, mallets

Additional Personnel:

Howard Levy – harmonica (3)
Marc Quiñones – percussion (5, 7)
Cyro Baptista – percussion (7, 11)
Alex Ligertwood – lead and backing vocals (2, 6)
Lani Groves – backing vocals (6)
Will Lee – backing vocals (6)
Vaneese Thomas – backing vocals (6)
Tower of Power Horns (Tracks 1 & 3)

Stephen “Doc” Kupka – baritone saxophone
Emilio Castillo – tenor saxophone
David Mann – tenor saxophone
Greg Adams – trumpet, horn arrangements
Alan Chez – trumpet

No Sweat Horns (Tracks 5, 7 & 10)

Scott Kreitzer – tenor saxophone, flute, piccolo flute
Randy Andos – trombone, bass trombone
Barry Danielian – trumpet, flugelhorn, horn arrangements

____________

Released: 1993
Recorded: September 11, 1993
Studio:
BearTracks Studios (Suffern, New York)
The Power Station (New York City, New York)
Lighthouse Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Length: 54:01
Label: GRP
Producer: Jay Beckenstein