Spyro Gyra Smooth Cruise recap 2 August 15, 2013

My first Smooth Cruise aboard the Spirit of New York five years ago featured Spyro Gyra.  Wednesday evening, I saw that legendary band for the second time.  As usual, I opted for the sunset cruise over the moonlight one.

Smooth Cruises are run out of Pier 61 at Chelsea Piers in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.  The cruise rides along the Hudson River to New York Harbor and back.

Thanks to an area of Canadian high pressure behind a cold front the night before, the Northeastern United States was treated to low humidity and early fall-like weather.  But that was the weather outside.  We’ll get to outside pictures later.

Inside, the heat was on with Spyro Gyra in action.

The leader of the band, Jay Beckenstein, was on the alto saxophone…

…and soprano saxophone:

…but not simultaneously.

Jay wore a t-shirt with the Morning Dance album cover on it.

Tom Schuman on keyboards:

Julio Fernandez on guitar:

Scott Ambush on bass:

…and Lee Pearson played the drums:

Lee brought his two sons along.

SET LIST
1. Freetime
2. Catching the Sun
3. De La Luz – Julio, lead vocals; Lee, background vocals
4. Dancing on Table Mountain – Scott, extended bass solo
5. I Believe in You
6. Expect a Miracle – Lee, extended drum solo
7. Falling Walls
8 (Encore). Morning Dance – Jay called this “an encore without leaving the stage.”

Julio’s lead vocal on “De La Luz”:

Backed up by Lee:

Scott’s extended bass solo on “Dancing on Table Mountain”:

The view from my table:

The “Morning Dance” encore:

The last note of the night:

Immediately after the set, the band made their way to the deck below for a meet and greet.  I caught up with Jay Beckenstein:

Tom Schuman:

…and Scott Ambush:

As promised, we’ll conclude this recap with shots taken outside before and during the cruise:

The Pier 62 skate park:

Close-ups of Hoboken and Weehawken:

Lincoln Tunnel ventilation building in background, Beast Speedboat in center:

Jersey City:

Manhattan’s West Side:

The nearly-completed One World Trade Center:

The Statue of Liberty:

As you can tell by the reflection, I took that at my table.

Brooklyn:

Brooklyn Bridge:

One last shot of One World Trade Center: