Windham Hill Records
2000
Eye Contact
About This Album
Over the years, as contemporary instrumental music has evolved through many different stylistic names and formats -- from fusion to rhythm & jazz to smooth jazz -- the one constant in both popularity and musical ingenuity has been Spyro Gyra. Jay Beckenstein's roaring, emotional saxophones have been the anchor of the band's multi-genre signature sound, but there has always been more to his artistry and musical soul than Spyro's discography can document. No doubt as Beckenstein was itching all these years to do a solo venture, Spyro fans were just as eager to check out a full-scale personal revelation -- a deeper portrait of the man behind the music. After 23 albums on three labels -- including 1999's Windham Hill Jazz debut Got the Magic -- Beckenstein makes an exciting departure from his almost annual ensemble recording schedule with Eye Contact, his highly anticipated debut -- a knockout punch delivered with the help of musicians and producers Chieli Minucci (Special EFX), Jason Miles (Miles Davis, David Sanborn), Jeff Beal, and Chuck Loeb. One could also refer to Eye Contact as "the Bass Player Magazine project" thanks to contributions by world-class bassists Mark Egan, Marcus Miller, Will Lee, John Patitucci, and South African player Bakithi Kumalo.
Track List (try tracks 1 and 5)

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