Spyro Gyra was a major force in the jazz music scene of the 1980s when I first discovered the genre. The band released an impressive output of recorded music with their blend of jazz, funk, and R&B. I had a chance to see them twice - in 1983 and 1989, both in East Lansing, MI.

The band celebrated fifty years since its formation in 1974 with a tour across the United States. That tour brought them to Chicago's City Winery Friday evening, where they performed before a sellout crowd.

The group has had numerous lineup changes over the past five decades, but founding member Jay Beckenstein and his saxophones remain the centerpiece of the music. He also took the lead with the audience, introducing the band and most of the songs for most of the evening. When describing his tune "Old San Juan," Beckenstein explained that it has a tropical sound "because it was written in Buffalo, NY," a city that he described as "Canda's Riviera."

While Beckenstein remains the only original member, he has surrounded himself with first-rate musicians. The group no longer features a dancing percussionist, as they did in their early days, but the current lineup (sax, guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards) blend together perfectly. The drum-heavy "Percolator" and bass guitar-heavy "Good to Go" showcased the talents of Lionel Cordew and Scott Ambush, respectively, while the guitarist Julio Fernandez played excellent solos and sang the only vocals of the evening on the Cuban-influenced "De La Luz." Keyboardist Chris Fischer brought great playing and enthusiasm to his craft.

Most of the evening consisted of funky grooves overlaid with beautiful melodies, but Beckenstein provided a mournful, reverential tribute titled "The Unknown Soldier." Despite all the differences in our country, he explained, "We have no differences there," referring to our support of men and women in the military.

The concert ended with a medley of three popular songs ("Shaker Song," "Catching the Sun," and "Morning Dance") that Beckenstein explained were written in the 70s when he was in his 20s, as opposed to now, which is the 20s and he is in his 70s.

For an encore, they performed a jazzy version of Squeeze's "Tempted," which brought the audience to its feet, dancing in the aisles.

Spyro Gyra's technical craftsmanship, humor, and energy made this one of the most enjoyable shows I have seen in a long time.