Composer, vibraphonist, and vocalist Roy Ayers is one of the greatest jazz-funk musicians of our time. During the seventies and early eighties, the legendary artist released a string of groundbreaking recordings that defined any genre, fusing jazz, funk, and soul together to create his own signature sound which some have labeled “neo-soul.” Regardless of the label, his music can be heard across a wide diverse of settings, anywhere from the disco dance floor to a jazz nightclub.

Here are 15 essential records (in chronological order) by the jazz-funk legend. Also remember to checkout BeatCaffeine’s 30 Essential Roy Ayers Songs playlist at the bottom of this post.

   

Roy Ayers — ‘Virgo Vibes’
(1967 / Atlantic)

Prior to to exploring a more funkier sound, Roy Ayers spent the sixties as a promising up-and-coming post-bop jazz vibraphonist, performing alongside Jack Wilson, Herbie Mann, and performing in the Gerald Wilson Orchestra. During this same period, Ayers released two jazz-focused albums as a leader, with one of them being the 1967 recording Virgo Vibes (the other being the 1963 West Coast Vibes). This brilliant, and often overlooked album from Ayers features some of the best jazz artists of this era, including trumpeter Charles Tolliver, saxophonists Joe Henderson and Harold Land, bassists Reggie Workman and Buster Williams, pianist Herbie Hancock, drummer Derek Bailey, and many others.

   

Roy Ayers — ‘Ubiquity’
(1970 / Polydor)

Ayer’s first release on Polydor sees the vibraphonist shifting his focus away from straight-ahead jazz and towards a more funk-inspired fusion sound. This breakthrough recording has a warm sun-tinged soulful jazz-funk feel, featuring a number of early “Ubiquity-era” classics including “Pretty Brown Skin,” “Hummin’ in the Sun,” “Can You Dig It?,” and the mid-tempo groover “Painted Desert.” This highly-collectable album seems to have set-up the foundation for what became Ayers’ signature sound moving forward.

   

Roy Ayers Ubiquity — ‘He’s Coming’
(1972 / Polydor)

If the 1970 Ubiquity recording set the foundation, He’s Coming is the masterpiece that followed. Continuing to brilliantly fuse together jazz, soul, and tightly woven funk grooves, this recording sees Ayers at the top of his game. Now going under the Roy Ayers Ubiquity name, a number of tracks on this album have a more spiritual and socially conscious narrative, including the Jesus Christ Superstar inspired “He’s a Superstar,” “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother, and “Ain’t Got Time.” The record also includes one of Ayers’ all-time classics in “We Live in Brooklyn, Baby,” which is a song he almost always still includes in all his live sets.

   

Roy Ayers Ubiquity — ‘Virgo Red’
(1973 / Polydor)

Even though this record was backed by a number of notable jazz artists like trumpeter Jimmy Owens, keyboardist Harry Whitaker, and vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, Virgo Red follows in the same footsteps with the two previous album releases (Ubiquity and He’s Coming), and expands on Ayers’ growing exploration into funk, soul, and R&B. The record most notably features a funky stripped-back rendition of the Stories’ hit song “Brother Louie.”

   

Roy Ayers Ubiquity — ‘Red, Black & Green’
(1973 / Polydor)

Even though Red, Black & Green features a substantial number of covers like Bill Wither’s “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Aretha Franklin’s “Day Dreaming,” and “Papa was a Rolling Stone,” this album is up there with Roy Ayers’ best releases. The record’s title track “Red, Black & Green” is truly one of Ayers’ greatest songs he has ever recorded (#63 on BeatCaffeine’s 100 Best Jazz-Funk Songs).

   

Roy Ayers — ‘Coffy’ OST
(1973 / Polydor)

Even though Coffy (starring Pam Grier) was Ayers’ only exploration into film music, the record is considered to be one of the greatest blaxploitation soundtracks ever released. Solid from start to finish, the recording fuses together tripped-out funk and soulful jazz melodies, with atmospheric cinematic grooves and heavy percussion breaks. The record also notably includes the all-time jazz-funk classic “Coffy is the Color,” (#11 on BeatCaffeine’s 100 Best Jazz-Funk Songs) and the soul-jazz groover “Aragon.”

   

Roy Ayers Ubiquity — ‘Change Up The Groove’
(1974 / Polydor)

In what just might be Roy Ayers’ most under-the-radar recording, Change Up The Groove actually sees very little of what the title of the album suggests, and more of a continuation into exploring the fusion of soul-jazz, R&B, and funk. Even though this recording doesn’t include any of the vibraphonists’ “classic” hits, the album features some massive funk gems like “The Boogie Back,” “Fikisha (To Help Someone To Arrive),” and the heavy-hitting title track “Change Up The Groove.”

   

Roy Ayers Ubiquity — ‘Mystic Voyage’
(1975 / Polydor)

The first of two incredible recordings that Ayers’ released in 1975 sees the vibraphonist moving towards a pure seventies R&B sound. What seems like a favorite among fans, this album includes some solid funky cuts like “Evolution,” “Spirit of Doo Do,” “Funky Motion,” and the classic mid-tempo title track “Mystic Voyage,” which was dedicated to Julian “Cannonball” Adderly, who passed away slightly before the album was released.

   

Roy Ayers Ubiquity — ‘A Tear to a Smile’
(1975 / Polydor)

A Tear to a Smile is the second album released by Ayers in 1975, and much like Mystic Voyage, this album continues the vibraphonist’s exploration into the funky seventies era R&B sound that was starting to become prominent in breakthrough groups like Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, and Parliament. There is even a cover of EWF’s “The Way of the World” featured on the record. Much like the other recordings on this list, A Tear to a Smile features a few of Ayers’ classic tracks, including the heavy-hitting jazz-funk gem “2000 Black,” and the uptempo Afrobeat influenced instrumental “Ebony Blaze.”

   

Roy Ayers Ubiquity — ‘Vibrations’
(1976 / Polydor)

Just like the year prior, Roy Ayers released two standout albums in 1976. This was certainly at the height of Ayers’ most creative period, and at this point, the vibraphonist had strongly established the identity of his signature R&B-influenced jazz-funk sound. Vibrations was another strong release for Ayers, and arguably to this day, certainly one of his most underrated. The record features the classic cut “Searching,” and also includes a few solid uptempo dancefloor numbers like “Domelo (Give It To Me),” “Come Out And Play,” and “Moving, Grooving.”

   

Roy Ayers Ubiquity — ‘Everybody Loves The Sunshine’
(1976 / Polydor)

The second of Ayers’ two studio released recordings in 1976 features arguably the vibraphonist’s most popular and recognizable song, in the warm weather summertime classic “Everybody Loves The Sunshine.” Even though every other track on this album is easily overshadowed by the hit title track, the record features a number of other solid cuts including the disco-leaning “Hey, Uh, What You Say Come On,” “You And Me My Love,” and “Tongue Power.”

   

Roy Ayers Ubiquity — ‘Running Away’ 12″
(1977 / Polydor)

A true dancefloor classic, “Running Away” is one of Roy Ayers’ most popular and recognizable songs. This track was the main single off of the vibraphonists’ Lifeline album, and notably features vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and James Mason on keys (yes, “Rhythm of Life” James Mason!).

   

Roy Ayers — ‘Love Will Bring Us Back Together’ 12″
(1979 / Polydor)

“Love Will Bring Us Back Together” is the lead single and most notable track from the 1979 Fever album. Even though the album might fall a little short for even the most loyal Roy Ayers’ fans, this track is another brilliant disco-leaning dance floor jam that seems to share the same musical DNA as the vibraphonists’ 1977 club classic “Runnin’ Away.” The twelve-inch single is the way to go on this one.

   

Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Roy Ayers — ‘Music of Many Colours’
(1980 / Phonodisk)

Following an incredible three week tour of Nigeria’s major cities in 1979 where Roy Ayers opened for Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, the two came together to record this collaborative effort. The record features two long tracks that include the Ayers led “2,000 Blacks Got to Be Free,” and the Fela led “Africa — Centre of the World.” This brilliant jazz-funk-meets-Afrobeat recording also featured Fela’s 14-piece orchestra, a 12-person chorus (made up of seven of Fela’s wives and five male voices), and Ayers’ septet that notably featured the late great Harold Land on saxophone.

   

Roy Ayers — ‘Silver Vibrations’
(1983 / Uno Melodic Records)

Originally a UK-only release on Uno Melodic Records, the London-based BBE Music label reissued the hard-to-find 1983 album in spring of this year. The seven-track post-disco recording is somewhat similar to the vibraphonists’ Lots of Love album, also originally released In 1983, yet includes four unique originals and three extended tracks including the funky all-time classic “Chicago.” Other standout tracks include the uptempo disco cut “Good Good Music,” the boogie-leaning title track “Silver Vibrations,” “Keep On Movin’,” and the laid-back groover “D.C. City.”

   

PLAYLIST: BeatCaffeine’s 30 Essential Roy Ayers Songs

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