Spyro Gyra - The Deep End (2004)

After two albums spent tweaking their 25-year-old sound, Spyro Gyra lands straight in the smooth-jazz pocket. The ever so slightly adventurous nature of In Modern Times and Original Cinema has been purged and replaced by their usual modus operandi--attractive light melodies over consistent grooves, a fact that is immediately addressed on the first two tracks as well as "Soburg Sam" and "Chippewa Street." Guitarist Julio Fernandez continues to emerge as a prominent voice with sparkling, soaring solos and strong compositions like "Eastlake Shuffle" and "The Crossing," the latter of which features his haunting wordless vocals. As usual, group founder Jay Beckenstein dominates on sax, but what the experimentation of the earlier releases has wrought is a freshness of ideas that allows the band to stay accessible without sounding like they're still trying to recycle their past. -- Mark Ruffin