Dreams Beyond Control

Dreams Beyond Control
Studio album by
Spyro Gyra
Released1993
RecordedSeptember 11, 1993 (1993-09-11) BearTracks Studios (Suffern, New York); The Power Station (New York City, New York); Lighthouse Studios (Los Angeles, California).
GenreJazz fusion
Length54:01
LabelGRP
ProducerJay Beckenstein
Spyro Gyra chronology
Three Wishes
(1992) 		Dreams Beyond Control
(1993) 		Love and Other Obsessions
(1995)

Dreams Beyond Control is the seventeenth album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 1993 by GRP Records.[1] The group supported the album with a North American tour.[2]

The album peaked in the top 5 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.[3]

Production

The album was produced by Jay Beckenstein.[4] Alex Ligertwood, formerly of Santana, sings on "Patterns in the Rain" and "Send Me One Line". It was the first time a Spyro Gyra album contained vocals in English.[5][6] The Tower of Power Horns played on the album.[4] The group experimented with the songs on tour before recording them.[7] ""Waltz for Isabel" is a tribute to Beckenstein's third daughter.[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]

The Chicago Tribune deemed the album "a rather leaden excursion into R&B-flavored pop-fusion."[10] The Boston Herald concluded that "beneath this somewhat tougher exterior beats the same faint musical heart, full of sweet melodies, perky rhythms and chatty solos—but every bit as empty of risk and guts as ever."[11]

Track listing

  1. "Walk the Walk" (Julio Fernandez) – 4:20
  2. "Patterns in the Rain" (Foster Paterson) – 4:38
  3. "Breakfast at Igor's" (Jay Beckenstein, Scott Ambush) – 5:23
  4. "Waltz for Isabel" (Beckenstein) – 4:43
  5. "South Beach" (Fernandez) – 5:13
  6. "Send Me One Line" (John Martyn) – 4:57
  7. "Bahia" (Dave Samuels) – 5:08
  8. "Kindred Spirit" (Tom Schuman) – 4:05
  9. "Birks Law" (Beckenstein) – 4:36
  10. "Same Difference" (Beckenstein, Fernandez) – 5:25
  11. "The Delicate Prey" (Jeremy Wall) – 5:33

Personnel

Spyro Gyra

Additional Personnel

Tower of Power Horns (Tracks 1 & 3)

No Sweat Horns (Tracks 5, 7 & 10)

Production

  • Jay Beckenstein – producer
  • Jeremy Wall – assistant producer
  • Phil Brennan – assistant producer, management
  • Larry Swist – assistant producer, recording, mixing
  • Dave Grusin – executive producer
  • Larry Rosen – executive producer
  • Kevin Becka – assistant engineer
  • Steve Regina – assistant engineer
  • Dann Wojner – assistant engineer
  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Joseph Doughney – post-production technician
  • Michael Landy – post-production technician
  • Michael Pollard – production coordinator
  • Diane Dragonette – assistant production coordinator
  • Sonny Mediana – production director
  • Sharon Franklin – assistant production director
  • Andy Baltimore – creative director
  • Scott Johnson – art direction
  • Dan Serrano – art direction
  • Alba Acevedo – graphic design
  • Jackie Salway – graphic design
  • Martin LaBorde – front cover illustration
  • David A. Wagner – color photography
Additional Studios
  • Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York).
  • Post-Production at The Review Room (New York City, New York).

References

  1. ^ Bentlin, David (21 June 1993). "Spyro Gyra's name means unique jazz". The Pantagraph. p. B5.
  2. ^ "SPYRO GYRA, ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY OFFER AN EVENING OF DIVERSE MUSIC". TEMPO SOUTHWEST. Chicago Tribune. 17 Oct 1993. p. 5.
  3. ^ "Top Contemporary Jazz Albums". Billboard. 106 (3): 30. Jan 15, 1994.
  4. ^ a b McNally, Owen (4 Nov 1993). "SPYRO GYRA at U of H". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 6.
  5. ^ "Santana's Alex Ligertwood...". USA Today. 19 Aug 1993. p. 6D.
  6. ^ Pressley, Leigh (October 29, 1993). "SPYRO GYRA: ASPIRING TO GREATER VARIETY". News & Record. p. W11.
  7. ^ Wiser, Nanette (October 7, 1993). "Spyro Gyra still gives fresh spin". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 10.
  8. ^ Jacobs, Dennis (December 5, 1993). "SPYRO GYRA SHINES BY GIVING EACH MEMBER CENTER STAGE". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 5D.
  9. ^ Yanow, Scott. "Dreams Beyond Control". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  10. ^ Heim, Chris (22 Oct 1993). "Spyro Gyra and Acoustic Alchemy...". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. O.
  11. ^ Convey, Kevin R. (November 5, 1993). "DISCS". Boston Herald. p. S14.