Jazz fans make their way inside Union County Performing Arts Center’s Hamilton Stage auditorium in Rahway, NJ this November 1, 2025 evening for the first of two concerts by the jazz fusion band, Spyro Gyra. Founded in 1974 by saxophonist Jay Beckenstein in Buffalo, NY, over the past 50+ years, Spyro Gyra has sold over ten million recordings, been nominated for 13 Grammy awards, and performed over 10,000 shows on six different continents around the world.
The crowd cheers as saxophonist Jay Beckenstein, guitarist Julio Fernandez, keyboardist Chris Fischer, bassist Scott Ambush, and drummer Lionel Cordew take the stage. The group opens with “50/50” — a song co-written by Fischer and Ambush for the group’s 50th anniversary — which features Beckenstein rendering tasty alto sax licks, artfully backed by the band on this optimistic and funky jazz tune.
Beckenstein welcomes tonight’s crowd and introduces his stagemates, pointing out that, at the age of six, guitarist Julio Fernandez emigrated from Cuba to the United States. On “The Crossing” — a musical tribute to that exodus — Fernandez’s vocal calls out on the number’s mystical introduction before the rhythm shifts and Beckenstein plays the melody on soprano sax on this Latin-flavored tune.
Fernandez follows up by picking out a lyrical guitar solo and, then, cueing the audience to echo-sing with him on a call and response before the arrangement slowly winds down to avid cheers and applause.
Beckenstein introduces a medley of classic Spyro Gyra songs from the 1980s, which sound “tropical” even though he wrote them “in Buffalo.” Here, the band sails into “Old San Juan,” where Chris Fischer’s keys ring out before Fernandez bends the strings of his guitar and Beckenstein jams on this rhythmic minor-key Latin number.
Fernandez gets the crowd clapping along as the medley segues into “Heliopolis.” On this upbeat and catchy number, Beckenstein’s alto sax calls out before Chris Fischer contributes an ultra fast keyboard solo that evokes hoots and hollers from the crowd.
Beckenstein’s alto sax soars on “Frequent Flyer,” a high energy number filled with dissonance and harmony. After Fischer plays a keyboard solo and Beckenstein renders a sax solo, the band exits the stage leaving drummer Lionel Cordew to execute a percussion solo where he plays his drums with power and skill, garnering cheers, whistles, and applause from the audience.
Beckenstein announces, “Julio Fernandez wrote this for his mother,” as Fernandez fingerpicks his electric guitar while soulfully singing in Spanish on “De La Luz.” As the arrangement picks up in speed and intensity, Beckenstein enters on soprano sax on this lively Latin number before Fernandez cries, “New Jersey, feel the rhythm!” and dances as he plays while audience members clap along prior to erupting in hoots, hollers, and applause.
Bassist Scott Ambush steps out in front for a solo on his funky composition, “Wiggle Room,” where he plays his 6-stringed bass with precision, speed, and dynamics.
Following his appealing solo, Beckenstein, Fernandez, and Ambush duel as the arrangement promenades to a climatic coda.
To conclude tonight’s performance, Beckenstein introduces another medley, joking, “These next three songs were written in the ‘70s when I was in my 20s. Now it’s the ‘20s and I’m in my 70s!” Opening with an updated arrangement of “Shaker Song,” Beckenstein plays the familiar melody on alto sax before he and the band segue into “Catching the Sun” where Fernandez incorporates a snippet of The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” into the tune’s radiant, tropical groove.
Lastly, “Morning Dance” entices music lovers to clap along and move to the groove in their seats on this feel-good tune where Ambush keeps the bottom going on bass while Fernandez’s guitar work brings cheers from the crowd.
Hoots, hollers, cheers, and applause ensue as Beckenstein acknowledges the band and the musicians take a final bow before exiting the stage.
As concertgoers make their way out of the theater, several comment on tonight’s performance by Spyro Gyra. Reveals Mary Grace from Cranford, “I’ve never been to a jazz show before — I played in my high school jazz band, but hearing Spyro Gyra tonight, I thought, ‘Wow, it’s so much more complex than that!’ It was a super high-energy show and I was very impressed with the skill set of each individual musician. I saw how they played together as a team, did their individual improv solos, and then came back together, which made for a really cool experience!”
Zahira from the Dominican Republic contends, “Spyro Gyra was wonderful this evening! My two daughters, who are here with me, grew up listening to them and they took me to tonight’s show for my birthday, and I enjoyed it so much!” Acknowledges daughter, Gabriella from NY, “It brought back so many memories of when I was little and we lived in our apartment in The Bronx.” Daughter Abigail from NY, agrees, adding, “We used to listen to Spyro Gyra on cassettes until they broke, so it was great seeing them again today — I was jamming!”
Eric from Palisades, NY, calls Spyro Gyra’s performance today, “Amazing!” explaining, “My wife is a big fan so we came for her birthday and had a fantastic time! ” Reveals his wife, Michele, “I started following Spyro Gyra in the early ‘80s and they are still terrific today! I enjoyed watching these expert musicians featured individually and performing together so seamlessly, and I only wish they could have played longer!”
Melissa from Wallingford, PA, contends, “I was blown away by Spyro Gyra tonight! I love music and this was an amazing fusion of jazz and more which had me moving in my seat. Now, I can’t wait to see them again!” Concludes her friend, Maria from Metuchen, “I know Spyro Gyra from their early days when I was playing them on my cassette player; tonight, they sounded as good as they did back then — if not better — so I was absolutely amazed!”
To learn more about Spyro Gyra, please go to spyrogyra.com. For information on great upcoming performances at UCPAC — including Will Downing on February 14, 2026 and Lalah Hathaway on March 6, 2026 — please go to ucpac.org.
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