Once one of the most visible and winning vocalists and jazz vibraphonists of the 1960s, then an R&B bandleader in the 1970s and ’80s, Roy Ayers’ reputation is now that of one of the prophets of acid jazz, a man decades ahead of his time. Perhaps acid jazz would have emerged even if Roy Ayers had never existed, but it certainly would have sounded different. Scores of DJs, hip-hoppers, acid jazzers, and others have incorporated samples of music created by Ayers into their own work, making his sound an integral part of these emerging musical forms.

His status as the Godfather of acid jazz, or jazz funk, Neo Soul or whatever label you prefer, represents a second life in the career of vibraphonist and composer Ayers, who first rocked American dance floors in the 1970s with such anthems as “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” and “Freaky Deaky.” Twenty years later, Ayers is as ubiquitous in the dance clubs and concert halls as he ever was.

Roy Ayers: Vibes & Vocals
Trevor Allen: Bass & Vocals
Everett Freeman Jr: Keys
Chris De Carmine: Drums