Dreams Beyond Control is the seventeenth album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 1993 by GRP Records. The group supported the album with a North American tour.
The album peaked in the top 5 on Billboards Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
Production
The album was produced by Jay Beckenstein. Alex Ligertwood sang on Dreams Beyond Control; it was the first time a Spyro Gyra album contained vocals in English. The Tower of Power Horns played on the album. The group experimented with the songs on tour before recording them. ""Waltz for Isabel" is a tribute to Beckenstein's third daughter.
Critical reception
The Chicago Tribune deemed the album "a rather leaden excursion into R&B-flavored pop-fusion." 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."
Track listing
"Walk the Walk" (Julio Fernandez) – 4:20
"Patterns in the Rain" (Foster Paterson) – 4:38
"Breakfast at Igor's" (Jay Beckenstein, Scott Ambush) – 5:23
"Waltz for Isabel" (Beckenstein) – 4:43
"South Beach" (Fernandez) – 5:13
"Send Me One Line" (John Martyn) – 4:57
"Bahia" (Dave Samuels) – 5:08
"Kindred Spirit" (Tom Schuman) – 4:05
"Birks Law" (Beckenstein) – 4:36
"Same Difference" (Beckenstein, Fernandez) – 5:25
"The Delicate Prey" (Jeremy Wall) – 5:33
Personnel Spyro Gyra Jay Beckenstein – saxophones
Tom Schuman – keyboards
Julio Fernández – guitars
Scott Ambush – bass
Joel Rosenblatt – drums
Dave Samuels – vibraphone, marimba, malletsAdditional Personnel Howard Levy – harmonica (3) Marc Quiñones – percussion (5, 7) Cyro Baptista – percussion (7, 11) Alex Ligertwood – lead and backing vocals (2, 6) Lani Groves – backing vocals (6) Will Lee – backing vocals (6) Vaneese Thomas – backing vocals (6)Tower of Power Horns (Tracks 1 & 3) Stephen "Doc" Kupka – baritone saxophone Emilio Castillo – tenor saxophone David Mann – tenor saxophone Greg Adams – trumpet, horn arrangements Alan Chez – trumpetNo Sweat Horns (Tracks 5, 7 & 10)' Scott Kreitzer – tenor saxophone, flute, piccolo flute Randy Andos – trombone, bass trombone Barry Danielian – trumpet, flugelhorn, horn arrangements
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).