Spyro Gyra Focuses On A Theme For 'A Night Before Christmas'

Spyro Gyra has released its very first holiday recording this season with A Night Before Christmas. The set finds the very original and ecelectic contemporary jazz ensemble tackling some yuletide favorites, including "O Tannenbaum," "Let It Snow," "Christmastime Is Here," "Baby It's Cold Outside," "Silent Night," and "Carol Of The Bells."

The group's leader and saxophonist, Jay Beckenstein, says that when execs at their label, Heads Up, brought them the idea of a holiday set, the band immediately took to it. Beckenstein explained: "Everybody in this band writes, so inevitably when we put together a record of original material, the material is all over the place stylistically. And it's been really difficult to zero in on a record and a style. So this Christmas thing, because ninety percent of it wasn't gonna be our own material, was an opportunity to zero in on a direction. And where we went with it was kind of a traditional, old-fashioned, acoustic jazz record. "

Spyro Gyra will perform a couple of dates Stateside this month before heading out on an international tour. Upcoming dates include:
November 6 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theatre
November 8 - Rochester, NY Roberts Cultural Life Center
December 12 - Norfolk, CT - Infinity Hall
December 13 - Pittsburgh, PA - Manchester Craftsmen's Guild
December 14 - Troy, NY - Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
December 16 - San Diego, CA - Anthology
December 18 - San Francisco, CA - The Rrazz Room At Hotel Nikko
January 30 - Austin, TX One World Theatre

By: Janine Coveney

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