The Best Of Roy Ayers: Honoring the Jazz Pioneer On His Birthday

Jazz got a little less soulful after the death of vibraphonist Roy Ayers this past March. Roy Ayers was a musician who pioneered a new, funkier strain of jazz and became one of the most sampled musicians by hip-hop artists with his hit “Everybody Loves The Sunshine.” Ayers incorporated electronic instruments and rhythm and Blues into his music, making him have a more distinctive sound for jazz at the time. During his lifetime, he released nearly four dozen albums. “Roy Ayers is largely responsible for what we deem as ‘neo-soul,’” said producer Adrian Younge, who collaborated with Ayers and Ali Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest in 2020.

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Ayers learned piano at an early age and studied advanced music theory at Los Angeles City College before releasing his debut album, “West Coast Vibes, in 1963. In the later years of his career, Ayers recorded several albums expanding several genres but always remained true to soul and jazz. He also made appearances on albums by Whitney Houston, Rick James, George Benson, and other artists. On what would’ve been the jazz pioneer’s 85th birthday, we have compiled a list of some of his greatest hits.

1. Running Away (1977)

2. Searching (1976)

3. Don't Stop The Feeling (1979)

4. You Send Me (1978)

5. Mystic Voyage (1975)

6. Coffy Is The Color — From "Coffy" Soundtrack (1973)

7. Love Will Bring Us Back Together (1979)

8. We Live In Brooklyn, Baby (1972)

9. Vibrations (1976)

10. Everybody Loves The Sunshine (1976)