Biography by Richard S. Ginell
He's Coming One of the most visible and winning vibraphonists since the early 1960s, Roy Ayers' reputation is that of one of the major prophets of jazz-funk and acid jazz, a man decades ahead of his time who successfully erased the boundaries between the various genres and styles of Black music in America. His playing signature has always been rooted in hard bop; it's crisp, lyrical, and rhythmically resilient. Though he issued fine hard and post-bop records for Atlantic in the 1960s, he formed Roy Ayers' Ubiquity, and issued their eponymous Polydor debut album in 1970 that showcased his groundbreaking evolution of jazz styles, slinky soul, and driving dancefloor funk. Over the next 12 years, he issued, produced and arranged a stream of influential albums for the label that included He's Coming (1972), Virgo Red, Red Black and Green (1973), Change Up The Groove (1974), Mystic Voyage and A Tear To A Smile (1975) Everybody Loves The Sunshine (1976), and Music Of Many Colours with Fela Kuti (1980). During the late 1990s and well into the 21st century, Ayers toured Europe and Asia relentlessly, recorded sporadically, and oversaw compilation and archival releases including BBE's two-volume Virgin Ubiquity series of unissued recordings.
Growing up in a musical family -- his father played trombone, his mother taught him the piano -- the five-year-old Ayers was given a set of vibe mallets by Lionel Hampton, but didn't start on the instrument until he was 17. He got involved in the West Coast jazz scene in his early twenties, recording with Curtis Amy (1962), Jack Wilson (1963 to 1967), and the Gerald Wilson Orchestra (1965 to 1966), and playing with Teddy Edwards, Chico Hamilton, Hampton Hawes, and Phineas Newborn. A session with Herbie Mann at The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach led to a four-year gig with the versatile flutist (1966 to 1970), an experience that gave Ayers tremendous exposure and opened his ears to styles of music other than the bebop that he had grown up with.
Memphis Underground After being featured prominently on Mann's hit Memphis Underground album and recording three solo albums for Atlantic under Mann's supervision, Ayers left the group in 1970 to form the Roy Ayers Ubiquity, which recorded several albums for Polydor and featured such players as Sonny Fortune, Billy Cobham, Omar Hakim, and Alphonse Mouzon. Initially influenced by electric Miles Davis and the Herbie Hancock Sextet, Ubiquity gradually shed its jazz component in favor of R&B, funk, and soulful disco, and put together a string of albums that hovered around the Top Ten of the R&B chart. These included Mystic Voyage, Everybody Loves the Sunshine, Vibrations, and Lifeline, which were released from 1975 through 1977. The last LP in this run featured "Running Away," a Top 20 hit on the R&B and disco charts.
Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 During the '80s, besides leading his bands and recording, Ayers collaborated with Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, formed Uno Melodic Records, and produced and/or co-wrote several recordings for various artists. As the merger of hip-hop and jazz took hold in the early '90s, Ayers made a guest appearance on Guru's seminal Jazzmatazz album in 1993 and played at New York clubs with Guru and Donald Byrd. Ayers continued to make featured appearances on assorted recordings, including albums with the Soul Society, the James Taylor Quartet, 3D, and Postmodern Jazz. He led dates far less often than he had in the previous decades but remained active as a performer.
Roy Ayers JID002 In 2020, he teamed with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge for Roy Ayers JID002, the second volume in the duo's Jazz Is Dead series. Muhammad's A Tribe Called Quest was among the dozens of rap groups who exposed Ayers' '70s work to a younger generation.
Virgin Ubiquity Remixed Later that year, BBE released the digital single "Reaching for the Highest Pleasure." An earlier version from 1977 had been championed by Gilles Peterson and was included on the first of BBE's two Virgin Ubiquity (Unreleased Recordings 1976-1981) volumes in 2003. This longer take offered an extended Ayers' vibraphone solo atop a tight, circular bassline, showcasing the more spiritual side of the artist's iconic jazz-funk. In October 2022, BBE gave "Searching for the Highest Pleasure" its first-ever vinyl release as a 10" single. The flipside "I Am Your Mind, Pt. 2" was remixed by Parisian producer Pépé Bradock (aka Julien Auger); it originally appeared on 2006's Virgin Ubiquity Remixed.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/roy-ayers-mn0000345168#biography
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Biografía de Richard S. Ginell
Se acerca Uno de los vibrafonistas más visibles y ganadores desde principios de la década de 1960, la reputación de Roy Ayers es la de uno de los principales profetas del jazz: el funk y el acid jazz, un hombre décadas adelantado a su tiempo que borró con éxito los límites entre los diversos géneros y estilos de la música negra en Estados Unidos. Su firma de interpretación siempre ha estado arraigada en el hard bop; es nítido, lírico y rítmicamente resistente. Aunque publicó excelentes discos duros y post-bop para Atlantic en la década de 1960, formó Roy Ayers' Ubiquity y lanzó su álbum debut homónimo Polydor en 1970 que mostró su innovadora evolución de los estilos de jazz, el soul furtivo y el funk de la pista de baile. Durante los siguientes 12 años, emitió, produjo y arregló una serie de álbumes influyentes para el sello que incluían He's Coming (1972), Virgo Red, Red Black and Green (1973), Change Up The Groove (1974), Mystic Voyage y A Tear To A Smile (1975) Everybody Loves The Sunshine (1976) y Music Of Many Colours with Fela Kuti (1980). A fines de la década de 1990 y hasta bien entrado el siglo XXI, Ayers realizó giras por Europa y Asia sin descanso, grabó esporádicamente y supervisó compilaciones y lanzamientos de archivos, incluida la serie Virgin Ubiquity de dos volúmenes de grabaciones inéditas de BBE.
Al crecer en una familia musical (su padre tocaba el trombón, su madre le enseñó piano), Lionel Hampton le dio a Ayers, de cinco años, un juego de mazos vibratorios, pero no comenzó a tocar el instrumento hasta los 17. Se involucró en la escena del jazz de la Costa Oeste a los veinte años, grabando con Curtis Amy (1962), Jack Wilson (1963 a 1967) y la Orquesta Gerald Wilson (1965 a 1966), y tocando con Teddy Edwards, Chico Hamilton, Hampton Hawes y Phineas Newborn. Una sesión con Herbie Mann en el Lighthouse en Hermosa Beach lo llevó a un concierto de cuatro años con el versátil flautista (1966 a 1970), una experiencia que le dio a Ayers una tremenda exposición y le abrió los oídos a estilos de música distintos al bebop con el que había crecido.
Memphis Underground Después de aparecer de manera destacada en el exitoso álbum Memphis Underground de Mann y grabar tres álbumes en solitario para Atlantic bajo la supervisión de Mann, Ayers dejó el grupo en 1970 para formar Roy Ayers Ubiquity, que grabó varios álbumes para Polydor y contó con músicos como Sonny Fortune, Billy Cobham, Omar Hakim y Alphonse Mouzon. Inicialmente influenciado por Miles Davis y el Sexteto Herbie Hancock, Ubiquity gradualmente cambió su componente de jazz a favor del R & B, el funk y la música disco conmovedora, y armó una serie de álbumes que rondaron los Diez primeros puestos de la lista de R&B. Estos incluyeron Mystic Voyage, Everybody Loves the Sunshine, Vibrations y Lifeline, que se lanzaron desde 1975 hasta 1977. El último LP de esta carrera incluyó "Running Away", un éxito entre los 20 primeros en las listas de R&B y disco.
Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 Durante los 80, además de liderar sus bandas y grabar, Ayers colaboró con el músico nigeriano Fela Kuti, formó Uno Melodic Records y produjo y/o coescribió varias grabaciones para varios artistas. A medida que la fusión del hip-hop y el jazz se afianzó a principios de los 90, Ayers hizo una aparición especial en el álbum Jazzmatazz seminal de Guru en 1993 y tocó en clubes de Nueva York con Guru y Donald Byrd. Ayers continuó haciendo apariciones destacadas en diversas grabaciones, incluidos álbumes con Soul Society, James Taylor Quartet, 3D y Postmodern Jazz. Dirigió citas con mucha menos frecuencia que en las décadas anteriores, pero se mantuvo activo como intérprete.
Roy Ayers JID002 En el 2020, se asoció con Ali Shaheed Muhammad y Adrian Younge para Roy Ayers JID002, el segundo volumen de la serie Jazz Is Dead del dúo. A Tribe Called Quest, de Muhammad, se encontraba entre las docenas de grupos de rap que expusieron el trabajo de Ayers en los años 70 a una generación más joven.
Virgin Ubiquity Remezclado Más tarde ese año, BBE lanzó el sencillo digital " Reaching for the Highest Pleasure."Una versión anterior de 1977 había sido defendida por Gilles Peterson y se incluyó en el primero de los dos volúmenes de Virgin Ubiquity (Grabaciones Inéditas 1976-1981) de BBE en 2003. Esta toma más larga ofreció un solo de vibráfono extendido de Ayers sobre una línea de bajo circular y ajustada, mostrando el lado más espiritual del icónico jazz-funk del artista. En octubre de 2022, BBE lanzó "Searching for the Highest Pleasure" su primer lanzamiento en vinilo como sencillo de 10". La otra cara "Yo Soy Tu Mente, Pt. 2 " fue remezclado por el productor parisino Pépé Bradock (alias Julien Auger); apareció originalmente en Virgin Ubiquity Remixed de 2006.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/roy-ayers-mn0000345168#biography
royayers.net ...
A1 - Africa, Center Of The World - 5:32
Written-By – Fela Anikupalo Kuti
A2 - Intro / The River Niger - 5:27
Written-By – Roy Ayers
A3 - I'll Just Keep Trying6:06
Written-By – James Bedford, Roy Ayers
A4 - Destination Motherland - 4:55
Written-By – Luther Wilson, Roy Ayers, Tanya Woods
B1 - The Third Eye4:43
Written-By – Roy Ayers
B2 - Intro / Land Of Fruit And Honey 5:27
Written-By – Roy Ayers
B3 - Intro / Mo Nise Si E (I Love You) 7:11
Written-By – Luther Wilson, Tanya Woods
B4 - There's A Master Plan - 3:40
Written-By – James Bedford, Roy Ayers, William Allen
Credits
Arranged By [Special Background Vocals Arrangement] – Edwin Birdsong (tracks: A1)
Arranged By [Strings], Producer [Assistant Remix], Marimba [Bass Mirimba], Handclaps, Bells, Shekere – William Allen
Backing Vocals [Background] – Debbie Cole, Ethel Beatty
Bass – Peter Brown
Design – Bob Heimall
Drums – Omar Hakim, Quintin Dennard, Steve Cobb
Electric Piano – Harold Land Jr., Lesete Wilson
Engineer – Carla Bandini, Rick Smith
Engineer [Additional Remix Assistance & Support], Concept By [Album] – Dennis Armstead
Engineer [Remix] – Ray Bardani
Glass Harmonica [Cups] – Dennis "Gorilla" Armstead
Guitar – Jeffery Quiton
Guitar, Handclaps – Chuck Anthony
Handclaps – Roy Ayers III
Illustration – Wendy Grossman
Lacquer Cut By – Herbie
Lead Vocals – Carla Vaughn, Marva Hicks, Teri Wells
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals [Background] – Sylvia Striplin
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals [Background], Handclaps, Clavinet, Synthesizer [Arp], Cowbell – Jaymz Bedford
Mastered By – Herb Powers
Narrator [Vocal Narration] – Erlean Perry (tracks: A1)
Percussion – Dom Um Romao
Photography By [Inside Photo] – Lou Carnevale
Producer [Remix] – Ted Daryll
Producer, Arranged By – James Bedford, Roy Ayers, William Allen
Recorded By [Additional Recording] – Ron Carran
Vibraphone, Lead Vocals, Handclaps, Electric Piano, Clavinet, Marimba [Bass Mirimba], Marimba [Mirimba], Congas, Synthesizer [Quaddra], Performer [Plays Deagan Vibraharp] – Roy Ayers
Vocals – Ray Cookie Keith
Vocals, Drum [Quica] – Weldon Arthur McDougal III
Voice Actor [Father] – William Allen (tracks: A2)
Voice Actor [Little Boy] – Miles Bailer Armstead (tracks: A2)
Voice [Speaking] – Jojo Lole Dawodu, Omo Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti
Label: Polydor – PD-1-6327
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul
Style: Jazz-Funk, Afrobeat
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