Spyro Gyra

Calling Spyro Gyra a jazz group is enough to generate scowls of resentment by any number of jazz fans. Calling Spyro Gyra the top jazz group of the '80s, which Billboard magazine did, can really bring out the ugly side of those fans. What counts, though, is that Spyro Gyra calls itself a jazz band and has been doing so for the last 15 years. And those who can't accept that probably aren't having much fun, the way Jay Beckenstein sees it. Beckenstein, the group's leader and saxophonist, noted that "somewhere down the line, I think that jazz music became too academic and serious.

Jay Beckenstein, saxophonist and leader of top fusion/smooth jazz group Spyro Gyra, confesses that he was a "jazz snob" as a kid growing up in Buffalo. So it's ironic that Spyro Gyra has spent the bulk of the last two decades fighting the brickbats of jazz purists who find its music soft, too smooth, or too far from the jazz mainstream. Of course, they've sold millions of records as well. "We were the whipping boys of the jazz press for a long time," Beckenstein said.

Seventeen years after its creation, Spyro Gyra continues to roll along, cranking out albums and hitting the concert trail. Naturally, this pleases the group's fans, while critics snort, huff and puff, refusing to accept Spyro Gyra as a legitimate jazz performer. The group's founder, Jay Beckenstein, would like a little more respect - especially concerning the current personnel in Spyro Gyra. "The current makeup of the band is as good as it's ever been," said Beckenstein, who will be appearing with Spyro Gyra tonight at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside.

Spyro Gyra and the Yellowjackets appear at 7 & 10:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Academy of Music, Broad & Locust. $20-$25. Info: 893-1930. SPYRO GYRA/FUSION BAND Master blasters of the pop jazz scene, Spyro Gyra puts on a live show that's wonderfully high-spirited, spiced with stinging rock guitar licks and spicy Latin salsa and samba-based rhythms. While they refuse to do any vocal or dance tracks, this is clearly one jazz band to get up and move to. Tom Schuman on keyboards and Jay Beckenstein's warm saxophone stylings set a sweet and easy lyrical tone, contrasted by Dave Samuels' percolating marimba and vibraphone attack, Julio Fernandez' chunk-a-block guitar, Oscar Cartaya's bass and Richie Morales' flashy drums and percussion.

Stanley Clarke, Ramsey Lewis, Roy Hargrove, Manny Oquendo and Spyro Gyra headliner the 1997 Clifford Brown Jazz festival that starts today in Wilmington. The free outdoor concerts in Rodney Square, 11th and Market streets, run through Sunday. The festival is dedicated to trumpet immortal Clifford Brown, a Wilmington native who was killed in an automobile crash in 1956, when he was just 25 years old. Last year's festival drew about 40,000 people, said Valerie Trammel, the city's director of cultural affairs.

The fusion bill of Spyro Gyra and Yellowjackets nearly filled the Academy of Music at the early show last night, offering lots of material from their imminent new albums. Theoretically, fusion is a melting pot of many styles of music into an anything-goes palette of musical ingredients, but we heard little merging of Eastern, Brazilian, Latin, R&B, and other influences into the jazz-rock mix. I've also heard it defined as a carefully worked-out plan to give the illusion of complete independence between players.

French jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli - among those who pioneered the earliest expressions of jazz in Europe - never settled for the status quo, and so at the age of 80, he remains as relevant today as ever, always enhancing the legendary status that he captured years ago. Grappelli, who on Tuesday will launch the new season of concerts presented by the Folklife Center at International House, studied classical violin and piano during the...

Medley Music store will host Drumfest '90, a series of four drum clinics, beginning tomorrow evening at Harcum Junior College on Montgomery Avenue in Bryn Mawr. Tomorrow night's featured drum clinician will be Chris Whitten, who last month wrapped up a tour with Paul McCartney. "Whitten plays the simplest form of drums. Like the Rolling Stones Charlie Watts type form, which adds a lot to the music without overplaying it. Obviously, the main part of McCartney's music is Paul McCartney, so Whitten's drums don't overpower him at all," said Thomas Becker, drum manager at Medley Music.

When done well, a live recording transports listeners out of their worn-out sofas and into a comfortable front-row seat at an auditorium bulging with artistic spontaneity and fan enthusiasm. On the R&B side, albums like (the mostly live) "Gratitude" by Earth Wind and Fire, "Live in New Orleans" by Frankie Beverley and Maze, and "Live at the Sahara Tahoe" by Isaac Hayes spring to mind. A favorite straight-ahead live jazz recording is "Forest Flower" by Charles Lloyd, captured at Monterey.

Bally's Atlantic City, 1900 Pacific Ave., 609-340-2000, ballysac.com. Borgata Hotel & Casino, 1 Borgata Way, 609-317-1000, theborgata.com. Styx, REO Speedwagon, .38 Special, 8 tonight, $54.50 and $49.50. Smothers Brothers, 9 p.m. tomorrow,$40. Caesars Atlantic City, Boardwalk at Arkansas Avenue, 609-348-4411, harrahs.com. Paul Anka, Ann-Margret, Tony Orlando, 9 tonight. $105, $85, $65 and $55. Harrah's Resort Atlantic City, 777 Harrah's Blvd., 800-342-7724, harrahs.com. "A Bronx Tale," 9 tonight-Sunday, 8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, $65, $55 and $40. Atlantic City Hilton, Boardwalk at Boston Avenue, 609-347-7111, hiltonac.

Bally's Atlantic City, 1900 Pacific Ave., 609-340-2000, ballysac.com. Borgata Hotel & Casino, 1 Borgata Way, 609-317-1000, theborgata.com. Styx, REO Speedwagon, .38 Special, 8 tonight, $54.50 and $49.50. Smothers Brothers, 9 p.m. tomorrow,$40. Caesars Atlantic City, Boardwalk at Arkansas Avenue, 609-348-4411, harrahs.com. Paul Anka, Ann-Margret, Tony Orlando, 9 tonight. $105, $85, $65 and $55. Harrah's Resort Atlantic City, 777 Harrah's Blvd., 800-342-7724, harrahs.com. "A Bronx Tale," 9 tonight-Sunday, 8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, $65, $55 and $40. Atlantic City Hilton, Boardwalk at Boston Avenue, 609-347-7111, hiltonac.

A rare two-station "format flip" sent Sunny 104.5 and Smooth Jazz 106.1 to the radio boneyard yesterday. WJJZ-FM (106.1) - longtime home of mellow tunes from artists such as Dave Koz, David Sanborn and Spyro Gyra - became "Philly's 106.1" with a format known in the trade as rhythmic adult-contemporary. It's an uptempo mix of music aimed at adult women. Philly's 106.1 also will get comedian Whoopi Goldberg's new syndicated four-hour morning show, Wake Up With Whoopi. It starts at 5 a.m. Monday.

ALL IN ALL, IT'S JUST ANOTHER FESTIVAL NEAR THE WALL The Manayunk Development Corporation will be hosting the 10th-Anniversary Philadelphia Magazine Manayunk Arts Festival along historic Main Street on SATURDAY and SUNDAY. The festival kicks off at 11 a.m. on both days and runs until 8 p.m. Saturday, 6 p.m. Sunday. More than 250 artists in ceramics, jewelry, photography, painting and sculpture will be on hand at the nationally renowned event. An added attraction for the 10th-anniversary celebration will be the Aetna/US Healthcare Children's Clothesline Arts Exhibition, over 500 pieces of art from Philadelphia and Montgomery County schoolchildren.

When done well, a live recording transports listeners out of their worn-out sofas and into a comfortable front-row seat at an auditorium bulging with artistic spontaneity and fan enthusiasm. On the R&B side, albums like (the mostly live) "Gratitude" by Earth Wind and Fire, "Live in New Orleans" by Frankie Beverley and Maze, and "Live at the Sahara Tahoe" by Isaac Hayes spring to mind. A favorite straight-ahead live jazz recording is "Forest Flower" by Charles Lloyd, captured at Monterey.

Jay Beckenstein, saxophonist and leader of top fusion/smooth jazz group Spyro Gyra, confesses that he was a "jazz snob" as a kid growing up in Buffalo. So it's ironic that Spyro Gyra has spent the bulk of the last two decades fighting the brickbats of jazz purists who find its music soft, too smooth, or too far from the jazz mainstream. Of course, they've sold millions of records as well. "We were the whipping boys of the jazz press for a long time," Beckenstein said.

Stanley Clarke, Ramsey Lewis, Roy Hargrove, Manny Oquendo and Spyro Gyra headliner the 1997 Clifford Brown Jazz festival that starts today in Wilmington. The free outdoor concerts in Rodney Square, 11th and Market streets, run through Sunday. The festival is dedicated to trumpet immortal Clifford Brown, a Wilmington native who was killed in an automobile crash in 1956, when he was just 25 years old. Last year's festival drew about 40,000 people, said Valerie Trammel, the city's director of cultural affairs.

Seventeen years after its creation, Spyro Gyra continues to roll along, cranking out albums and hitting the concert trail. Naturally, this pleases the group's fans, while critics snort, huff and puff, refusing to accept Spyro Gyra as a legitimate jazz performer. The group's founder, Jay Beckenstein, would like a little more respect - especially concerning the current personnel in Spyro Gyra. "The current makeup of the band is as good as it's ever been," said Beckenstein, who will be appearing with Spyro Gyra tonight at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside.

Cellist David Darling says he believes everyone in his audience can make music - and at his concerts, they do. They clap along, they sing, they hum. The avant-garde and classical musician is to speak and perform tomorrow and Saturday at the Pebble Hill Church in Doylestown. Darling has toured with a range of other musicians, including the new age Paul Winter Consort and the pop band Spyro Gyra. Now, he tours solo, presenting a combination of audience-involving concerts and workshops.

Medley Music store will host Drumfest '90, a series of four drum clinics, beginning tomorrow evening at Harcum Junior College on Montgomery Avenue in Bryn Mawr. Tomorrow night's featured drum clinician will be Chris Whitten, who last month wrapped up a tour with Paul McCartney. "Whitten plays the simplest form of drums. Like the Rolling Stones Charlie Watts type form, which adds a lot to the music without overplaying it. Obviously, the main part of McCartney's music is Paul McCartney, so Whitten's drums don't overpower him at all," said Thomas Becker, drum manager at Medley Music.