Spyro Gyra - Catching The Sun (1980)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a cassette tape, later replaced by a CD.

SG released two albums in 1980. This album was released in February, followed by the release of Carnaval in the fall of that year. The two albums are very similar, with Catching The Sun having more of a light funk feel while Carnaval has a Latin flavor. Unlike many of their late 70's/early '80s albums, the band stays more to jazz/pop music and stays away from experimental tracks that disrupt most of their earlier releases.

Press of the time:

• Musician: "without sounding different, sound better"
• Record World: "lovely (sometimes lively) rhythms and several well-placed guest appearances"
• CashBox: "light, often breezy, forever smooth concoction of contemporary jazz/funk."
• High Fidelity: "the Spyro Gyra trip is one worth taking"
• Stereo Review: "if you approach Spyro Gyra's music as light entertainment instead of jazz, you may enjoy it."

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #19
• Billboard Jazz: #1
• Billboard R&B: #23
• CashBox: #21
• CashBox Jazz: #1
• Rolling Stone: #22

Tracks: The title track is the best, even though it's an obvious attempt to duplicate the Top 40 success of the group's Morning Dance single. (Morning Dance cracked the Top 40 whereas Catching The Sun peaked at #68). Also good are Cockatoo, Philly and Here Again. I don't skip any tracks, but my least favorite tune is Laser Material.

Two of the tracks hit the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart: Catching the Sun (#15) and Percolator (#48).

Exclusive CD longbox photo courtesy of
Dirk Digglinator of the Hambonian Archives.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Same as Carnaval: "I originally bought this music in 1984 on a 2-for-1 cassette at the Sound Warehouse in West Oak Malls in Houston. Since I could listen to the whole album without having to flip the cassette, I always listened to the album as a whole which probably explains why I never skip any tracks." The tape itself reminds me of a 5 hour car trip I made in the mid-'80s with my paternal grandmother in the Markmobile. I played this tape over and over because I couldn't think of any other I music I had that my grandmother would like. She probably didn't like this music, but she never said anything. Sure, she was being nice, but so was I: I could have easily played an AC/DC tape.

This is a solid SG release, so I'm surprised I wasn't in a hurry to replace it with a CD. In fact, I got this in a clearance bin within the last few years. I'm assuming the jewel case is original from the 1985 CD release and, like a Sergio Mendes CD I own, is so old it has smooth edges and has "Patent Pending" engraved on the back.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Good To Go-Go (2007)
Original Cinema (2003)
20/20 (1997)
Dreams Beyond Control (1993)
Stories Without Words (1987)
Breakout (1986)
Access All Areas (1984)
Incognito (1982)
Carnaval (1980)
Morning Dance (1979)