The Paramount was at its best at its latest Jazz Series featuring Spyro Gyra.
The setup of the room fit the ambiance of the evening as the floor was filled with tables covered in white linens and candles with cocktail waitresses available to those sitting there.
The evening began with the smooth sounds of Frank Sinatra performed by Jim Altamore who proved to the crowd they were in for a great night.
Spyro Gyra put on an exceptional performance and many songs they performed had a specific focus on an individual band member. One of the songs “Dancing on Table Mountain” was inspired by Bass player Scott Ambush’s experiences in Cape Town South Africa. Another song had a hint of Cuban flare brought to the band by Julio Fernandez, the guitar player. Many of the songs they played came from their latest album, which is based on impressions of places they have been.
Spyro Gyra wowed the audience when band leader Jay Beckenstein played the Saxophone and the Obo at the same time. Drummer, Bonny B really got the crowd roaring when he played with both hands crossed behind his back and then played one handed while balancing the other drum stick on his head.
The overall evening was a success and Beckenstein expressed his enthusiasm for playing in Huntington as he grew up in Smithtown and Farmingdale.
After much dancing and several standing ovations the night finally came to an end.
Colleen McGrath and her husband, local Long Islanders, raved about the performance and the venue, “we will be back for sure,” she said.
