miguel_myriad
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Vibraphonist/vocalist Roy Ayers is among the best-known, most-loved and respected jazz/R&B artists on the music-scene today. Now in his fourth decade in the music business, Ayers, known as the Godfather of Neo-soul and acid-jazz, continues to bridge the gap between generations of music lovers.
Ayers has been a source of inspiration for the likes of Masters at Work, Guru, Mary J Blige, Groove Collective and dozens of others. Ayers hits include 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine' and 'Seasons Change'.
POD Concerts presents
ROY AYERS
Support: STEE DOWNES
Monday December 22nd
Button Factory – Curved St – Temple Bar
Doors – 7.30pm
Tickets €24.50 (inc. booking fee) available from Ticketmaster, Road Records, City Discs, Sound Cellar and usual outlets. www.ticketmaster.ie
www.royayers.com
www.myspace.com/royayersubiquity
www.sonarkollektiv.com/data.pl?artist=1978
Nobody's career proves that critics don't always recognize talent more than Roy Ayers. Once dismissed by narrow minded scribes who couldn't relate to Roy's fusion of jazz with soul and dance flavors, he is now the undisputed Godfather of acid-jazz and has been a source of inspiration for the likes of Masters at Work, Guru, Mary J Blige, Groove Collective and dozens of others .
The original Ubiquity recorded the first of 20 albums in 1970. This was an era of great experimentation in jazz as well as the middle of the Black Power movement, and the record reflected both influences, encompassing jazz and strident black pride anthems like "Pretty Brown Skin." Ubiquity was a hit and laid the foundation for He's Coming, Red, Black and Green and Virgo Red. These albums featured contributions from jazz legends Sonny Fortune, Alphonse Mouzon and Billy Cobham and were, along with the work of Donald Byrd, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis and Gary Bartz, classic examples of early fusion.
In 1973 Roy found himself doing the soundtrack for the the blaxploitation flick Coffy and realized the opportunity
His popularity growing exponentially, Roy Ayers’ name is now a household name everywhere, particularly in the United States in England. In fact, “Get On Up, Get On Down”, “Heat of the Beat”, and “Don’t Stop the Feeling” reached the British record charts at 41, 43 and 56 respectively, reaching notoriety the hard way…not through heavy radio airplay, but by winning over fans through the dance club circuit, which in itself is another musical phenomenon. Other landmark events of this era included Roy’s hugely successful tour of Africa in 1979 that resulted in the Polydor Records release of “Africa, Center of the World”.
In 1983 Roy Ayers formed his own record label, Uno Melodic, offering “Lots of Love” as its first release. This album produced several outstanding and commercially successful tracks including this title track, “Chicago” and “Everybody”. Many of the artists from Roy’s label have gone on to become major stars in their own right, including Bobbi Humphrey, Justo Almario, The Eighties Ladies, Ethel Beatty, and Sylvia Striplin.
Thereafter Roy Ayers continued to tour, write and record with major labels such as CBS, Ichiban, Polydor (Japan), BMG, and numerous other smaller independent record companies. In 1985 he joined a concert tour called “The New York Explosion” which took by storm over forty cities in the United States and eventually traveled to London’s famed Hammersmith Odeon Theatre (now the London Apollo Theatre). The band featured the talents of Roy Ayers, Jean Carne, Tom Browne, and Lonnie Liston Smith…it is no small wonder that those who were present at any of these concerts still rave about it nearly twenty years later.
Roy Ayers has continued to write, produce and be featured in collaborations with many major artists, and is currently one of the most sampled artists in the music industry. A partial list of the artists and producers who have recorded with, performed with, or sampled the vibraphone mastery of Roy Ayers include Milt Jackson, Gerald Wilson, Bobby Hutcherson, Sylvia Striplin, Cal Tjader, Vic Feldman, Hampton Hawes, Billy Cobham, Hubert Laws, Herbie Hancock, Teddy Edwards, Eighties Ladies, Herbie Mann, Donald Byrd, Phineas Newborn, Chico Hamilton, Jean Carne, Wayne Henderson, Rick James, Ron Carter, Branford Marsalis, Curtis Amy, Tom Browne, Stanley Clarke, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bonita Brisker, Grover Washington, Jr., Miki Howard, Paulino da Costa, Stevie Wonder, Lonnie Liston Smith, Pharoah Sanders, Dwight Gassaway, Harry Whitaker, Harold Land, Gary Bartz, Marva Hicks, Edwin Birdsong, Lew Soloff, Greg Phillinganes, James Mason, Phillip Woo, Bobby Lyle, Jack Wilson, Val Young, Brian Jackson, Fela Kuti, James Mtume, Don Blackman, Galliano, Scott Grooves, Terry Burrus, Soul Society, Erykah Badu, Guru, Ed O.G., Cookie Crew, A Tribe Called Quest, Quark, Puff Daddy, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Brand Nubian, Ruth Joy, Masters at Work, Naughty by Nature, Eric Benet, Jocelyn Brown, Tupac, The Roots, The Jungle Brothers, and the James Taylor Quartet.
Always the consummate showman, Roy Ayers has managed to incorporate his jazz virtuosity, with driving funk, melodic rhythms and stirring vocals into an amalgam that almost defies its description as “smooth jazz”. This year marks forty years in the music industry for Roy Ayers. His current album is entitled “Mahogany Vibe” which features Betty Wright and Erykah Badu, surely his best work to date. This years recipient of C.O.R.E. (Congress of Racial Equality) Lifetime Achievement Award, Roy Ayers is and shall always be a music icon and a part of popular worldwide culture… Roy Ayers is, without question, a legend in his own time.
STEE DOWNES
Soul-boy Stee Downes has been involved in music from a young age playing bass, guitar and keys. Completing his studies in 2002, he left Dublin for the Netherlands where he was intent on pursuing his musical path.
While in Amsterdam he began to focus his attention on writing and production. London based outfit “Loose Ensemble” got their hands on one of his demo’s and asked him to feature on two tracks for the “Catalyst EP” which was released on Foundation records. Following on from this he later collaborated with Echoplex’s Ed Eustace to be part of Vinylvibes’ first release which received DJ support from people like Dom Servini, Rainer Truby and Michael Ruetten.
Inspired by the positive reaction Stee was determined to develop his vocal talents, combined with song-writing to create a unique sound. He began to build his repertoire and put together a live show, later supporting Amp Fiddler, Bugz in the attic and Money Mark in 2006.
In April 2008 he teamed up with old friend and musical counterpart Ishfaq to record his debut album “All in a day”. They settled into their makeshift studio in Croatia and recorded the album in two weeks. Coming from the same school of thought and heavily influenced by similar music they formed a solid partnership and played all the instruments on the project.
Being a DJ for over ten years Stee credits much of his influence to Soul, Jazz, Funk and Latin music hailing artists such as Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, George Benson and Dangelo as having the biggest impact on him in his early years.
He is now poised for the release of his debut album ‘All in a Day’ on Sonar Kollektiv this autumn.
Ayers has been a source of inspiration for the likes of Masters at Work, Guru, Mary J Blige, Groove Collective and dozens of others. Ayers hits include 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine' and 'Seasons Change'.
POD Concerts presents
ROY AYERS
Support: STEE DOWNES
Monday December 22nd
Button Factory – Curved St – Temple Bar
Doors – 7.30pm
Tickets €24.50 (inc. booking fee) available from Ticketmaster, Road Records, City Discs, Sound Cellar and usual outlets. www.ticketmaster.ie
www.royayers.com
www.myspace.com/royayersubiquity
www.sonarkollektiv.com/data.pl?artist=1978
Nobody's career proves that critics don't always recognize talent more than Roy Ayers. Once dismissed by narrow minded scribes who couldn't relate to Roy's fusion of jazz with soul and dance flavors, he is now the undisputed Godfather of acid-jazz and has been a source of inspiration for the likes of Masters at Work, Guru, Mary J Blige, Groove Collective and dozens of others .
The original Ubiquity recorded the first of 20 albums in 1970. This was an era of great experimentation in jazz as well as the middle of the Black Power movement, and the record reflected both influences, encompassing jazz and strident black pride anthems like "Pretty Brown Skin." Ubiquity was a hit and laid the foundation for He's Coming, Red, Black and Green and Virgo Red. These albums featured contributions from jazz legends Sonny Fortune, Alphonse Mouzon and Billy Cobham and were, along with the work of Donald Byrd, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis and Gary Bartz, classic examples of early fusion.
In 1973 Roy found himself doing the soundtrack for the the blaxploitation flick Coffy and realized the opportunity
His popularity growing exponentially, Roy Ayers’ name is now a household name everywhere, particularly in the United States in England. In fact, “Get On Up, Get On Down”, “Heat of the Beat”, and “Don’t Stop the Feeling” reached the British record charts at 41, 43 and 56 respectively, reaching notoriety the hard way…not through heavy radio airplay, but by winning over fans through the dance club circuit, which in itself is another musical phenomenon. Other landmark events of this era included Roy’s hugely successful tour of Africa in 1979 that resulted in the Polydor Records release of “Africa, Center of the World”.
In 1983 Roy Ayers formed his own record label, Uno Melodic, offering “Lots of Love” as its first release. This album produced several outstanding and commercially successful tracks including this title track, “Chicago” and “Everybody”. Many of the artists from Roy’s label have gone on to become major stars in their own right, including Bobbi Humphrey, Justo Almario, The Eighties Ladies, Ethel Beatty, and Sylvia Striplin.
Thereafter Roy Ayers continued to tour, write and record with major labels such as CBS, Ichiban, Polydor (Japan), BMG, and numerous other smaller independent record companies. In 1985 he joined a concert tour called “The New York Explosion” which took by storm over forty cities in the United States and eventually traveled to London’s famed Hammersmith Odeon Theatre (now the London Apollo Theatre). The band featured the talents of Roy Ayers, Jean Carne, Tom Browne, and Lonnie Liston Smith…it is no small wonder that those who were present at any of these concerts still rave about it nearly twenty years later.
Roy Ayers has continued to write, produce and be featured in collaborations with many major artists, and is currently one of the most sampled artists in the music industry. A partial list of the artists and producers who have recorded with, performed with, or sampled the vibraphone mastery of Roy Ayers include Milt Jackson, Gerald Wilson, Bobby Hutcherson, Sylvia Striplin, Cal Tjader, Vic Feldman, Hampton Hawes, Billy Cobham, Hubert Laws, Herbie Hancock, Teddy Edwards, Eighties Ladies, Herbie Mann, Donald Byrd, Phineas Newborn, Chico Hamilton, Jean Carne, Wayne Henderson, Rick James, Ron Carter, Branford Marsalis, Curtis Amy, Tom Browne, Stanley Clarke, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bonita Brisker, Grover Washington, Jr., Miki Howard, Paulino da Costa, Stevie Wonder, Lonnie Liston Smith, Pharoah Sanders, Dwight Gassaway, Harry Whitaker, Harold Land, Gary Bartz, Marva Hicks, Edwin Birdsong, Lew Soloff, Greg Phillinganes, James Mason, Phillip Woo, Bobby Lyle, Jack Wilson, Val Young, Brian Jackson, Fela Kuti, James Mtume, Don Blackman, Galliano, Scott Grooves, Terry Burrus, Soul Society, Erykah Badu, Guru, Ed O.G., Cookie Crew, A Tribe Called Quest, Quark, Puff Daddy, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Brand Nubian, Ruth Joy, Masters at Work, Naughty by Nature, Eric Benet, Jocelyn Brown, Tupac, The Roots, The Jungle Brothers, and the James Taylor Quartet.
Always the consummate showman, Roy Ayers has managed to incorporate his jazz virtuosity, with driving funk, melodic rhythms and stirring vocals into an amalgam that almost defies its description as “smooth jazz”. This year marks forty years in the music industry for Roy Ayers. His current album is entitled “Mahogany Vibe” which features Betty Wright and Erykah Badu, surely his best work to date. This years recipient of C.O.R.E. (Congress of Racial Equality) Lifetime Achievement Award, Roy Ayers is and shall always be a music icon and a part of popular worldwide culture… Roy Ayers is, without question, a legend in his own time.
STEE DOWNES
Soul-boy Stee Downes has been involved in music from a young age playing bass, guitar and keys. Completing his studies in 2002, he left Dublin for the Netherlands where he was intent on pursuing his musical path.
While in Amsterdam he began to focus his attention on writing and production. London based outfit “Loose Ensemble” got their hands on one of his demo’s and asked him to feature on two tracks for the “Catalyst EP” which was released on Foundation records. Following on from this he later collaborated with Echoplex’s Ed Eustace to be part of Vinylvibes’ first release which received DJ support from people like Dom Servini, Rainer Truby and Michael Ruetten.
Inspired by the positive reaction Stee was determined to develop his vocal talents, combined with song-writing to create a unique sound. He began to build his repertoire and put together a live show, later supporting Amp Fiddler, Bugz in the attic and Money Mark in 2006.
In April 2008 he teamed up with old friend and musical counterpart Ishfaq to record his debut album “All in a day”. They settled into their makeshift studio in Croatia and recorded the album in two weeks. Coming from the same school of thought and heavily influenced by similar music they formed a solid partnership and played all the instruments on the project.
Being a DJ for over ten years Stee credits much of his influence to Soul, Jazz, Funk and Latin music hailing artists such as Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, George Benson and Dangelo as having the biggest impact on him in his early years.
He is now poised for the release of his debut album ‘All in a Day’ on Sonar Kollektiv this autumn.
