So sad to hear of the passing of Roy Ayers on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. He was an American musician, producer, singer and vibraphone player. Rather than give you the Wikipedia potted history, here is my own spin.
As a very young child, I used to flick through my grandmothers albums. As clear as if this was yesterday, I can see an album called "Ramblin'" by The Jack Wilson Quartet, featuring Roy Ayers. I couldn't tell you any songs from this album because I was so young.
Moving on through time, my Dad and I used to listen to Robbie Vincent on BBC Radio London, and Gregg Edwards on Capital Radio. One time, this Roy Ayers track came on, and I just fell in love with it. You could always tell a Roy Ayers track, as his signature vibraphone solo would be in there somewhere.
This was before the days of the Internet, and Shazam. It was much harder to find out tracks, especially if they weren't released as singles, and buried in the deep tracks. My Dad, bless him, there was a record shop near his work, so he would bring me home a Roy Ayers album every now and again. Eventually, we found the track, it is called "And Then We Were One", and was on the album "Drive".
My Dad and I used to see Roy Ayers a lot. One time, it was at Ronnie Scott's, the famous jazz club in London. Another time, it was a triple bill featuring the Hip-Hop band A Tribe Called Quest, Roy Ayers, and Tashan. ATCQ were one of the many Hip-Hop groups that sampled Roy Ayers' music.
At a show he did at the Blackheath Concert Halls, I actually got to meet Roy and spoke to him briefly. We were waiting for the show to start, when this side door opened, and Roy was standing there surveying the crowd in some very dark sunglasses. I went over to him and said "Is that you Roy?". He lifted his glasses up and said "Yup, I think so". I asked him "Are you going to play And Then We Were One?". He said "How does that go?". So I sort of hummed/sung the vibraphone part, and he moved his hands as if he were playing it. I don't think he played it, but it was still a cool moment anyway.
Rest in Peace, Roy.
My own top 16 Roy Ayers songs :
And Then We Were One
Can't You See Me
Compadre
Everybody Loves The Sunshine
Everytime I See You
Get On Up Get On Down
In The Dark
Love Will Bring Us Back Together
Naste
Poo Poo La La
Programmed For Love
Searching
Slip n Slide
The River Niger
Treasure
Virgo
As a very young child, I used to flick through my grandmothers albums. As clear as if this was yesterday, I can see an album called "Ramblin'" by The Jack Wilson Quartet, featuring Roy Ayers. I couldn't tell you any songs from this album because I was so young.
Moving on through time, my Dad and I used to listen to Robbie Vincent on BBC Radio London, and Gregg Edwards on Capital Radio. One time, this Roy Ayers track came on, and I just fell in love with it. You could always tell a Roy Ayers track, as his signature vibraphone solo would be in there somewhere.
This was before the days of the Internet, and Shazam. It was much harder to find out tracks, especially if they weren't released as singles, and buried in the deep tracks. My Dad, bless him, there was a record shop near his work, so he would bring me home a Roy Ayers album every now and again. Eventually, we found the track, it is called "And Then We Were One", and was on the album "Drive".
My Dad and I used to see Roy Ayers a lot. One time, it was at Ronnie Scott's, the famous jazz club in London. Another time, it was a triple bill featuring the Hip-Hop band A Tribe Called Quest, Roy Ayers, and Tashan. ATCQ were one of the many Hip-Hop groups that sampled Roy Ayers' music.
At a show he did at the Blackheath Concert Halls, I actually got to meet Roy and spoke to him briefly. We were waiting for the show to start, when this side door opened, and Roy was standing there surveying the crowd in some very dark sunglasses. I went over to him and said "Is that you Roy?". He lifted his glasses up and said "Yup, I think so". I asked him "Are you going to play And Then We Were One?". He said "How does that go?". So I sort of hummed/sung the vibraphone part, and he moved his hands as if he were playing it. I don't think he played it, but it was still a cool moment anyway.
Rest in Peace, Roy.
My own top 16 Roy Ayers songs :
And Then We Were One
Can't You See Me
Compadre
Everybody Loves The Sunshine
Everytime I See You
Get On Up Get On Down
In The Dark
Love Will Bring Us Back Together
Naste
Poo Poo La La
Programmed For Love
Searching
Slip n Slide
The River Niger
Treasure
Virgo
