Rest in Peace, Mr. Roy Ayers

Music has sadly lost another beloved figure. Renowned record producer, composer, and vibraphonist, Mr. Roy Ayers, has passed away at the age of 84. His influence in music cannot be understated, as he was a key figure in several different genres, such as jazz-funk, neo soul, and acid jazz. He has released nearly 40 projects during his long-standing career, while his musical ideology inspired thousands. He was also considered to be one the most commercially successful jazz artists of his generation. During his career, he collaborated with many iconic artists, such as Rick James, Erykah Badu, Fela Kuti, and Wayne Henderson.

Roy’s most well known composition is “Everybody Loves The Sunshine,” from the 1976 album of the same name. His compositions were sampled by a huge array of Hip-Hop artists, including Naughty By Nature, A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, 2Pac, Kendrick Lamar, Common, Tyler The Creator, nad J.Cole. The work of Roy Ayers with Hip-Hop artists exceeds only sampling, as he has played the vibraphone on a number of notable tracks, like Guru’s “Take a Look (At Yourself),” Lord Finesse’s “Soul Plan, and ” Talib Kweli and Ye’s “In The Mood,” to name a few. He also accompanied Guru on his “Jazzmatazz Tour,” alongside the late jazz musician Donald Byrd.

Ayers was the founder of two records labels, Uno Melodic, and Gold Mink Records, the first of which released several studio albums, including Sylvia Striplin’s “Give Me Your Love,” in 1981. During the 2000’s and 2010’s he ventured into house music, working with the genre’s prominent artists, such as Masters At Work, and Kerri Chandler. In 2008, he hosted a fictitious radio station, “Fusion FM,” in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. Erykah Badu has proclaimed Roy as “The Godfather of Neo Soul.”

The legacy of Mr. Roy Ayers remains to be cherished.

May he rest in peace.