More than 25 years after its initial release, Spyro Gyra’s Access All Areas still ranks as one of my all-time favorite live recordings. I have to admit to a slight personal bias – the album was recorded over three nights of performances in St. Petersburg, Orlando, and Gainesville, FL, in November 1983, and I happened to be in attendance at that Gainesville show. It was a magical evening, and that magic comes through on the album. And, yes, I still own the vinyl version of it.

As a saxophone player myself, I was tremendously impressed with Jay Beckenstein’s saxophone playing, but as time has gone by, I’ve grown to appreciate the performances of Dave Samuels on vibraphone and marimba, and Chet Catallo on guitar as well. The three toss solos around like kids tossing a football around, and the album kicks off with three songs – “Shaker Song,” “Serpent in Paradise,” and “Heliopolis” – that are simply high-octane fun. I remember thinking at the show that the guys all looked like they were having a blast on stage, and that feeling comes through on the recording.

Then the album slows down with “Harbor Nights,” one of my all-time favorite Spyro Gyra songs. I still prefer this live version to the original studio version; the studio version just seems to drag along in comparison. On “Conversations,” there’s a nice little drum solo from Eli Konikoff, and then “Schu’s Blues” is – as the name implies – a bluesy romp on piano that showcases Tom Schuman’s playing. I think this is my second most favorite song on the album. It’s followed by a bit of a letdown with “Morning Dance” – the lack of the real steel drums found on the studio recording is a tremendous void in an otherwise stellar live performance.

The album wraps up with three songs that keep up the party vibe – “Islands in the Sky,” “Sea Biscuit,” and finally “Latin Streets” – closing out an outstanding live album and a wonderful memory for me from my last year in college. At the time, I watched Spyro Gyra and wished I could play in a band that seemed to have so much fun while generating such high-quality, infectious music. As I listen to Access All Areas today, I still envy them and am impressed even more by the fact that the music from that night still sounds so fresh, fun, and lively 25 years later. Thanks to the guys in Spyro Gyra for recording such great memories!