Early Ubiquity funks like a motherfucker, & as I said, anything w/vibes takes me off the planet.  However, the stuff really noteworthy to this list would be Verve's reissue of the previously Japan-only Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival; this was the period when Roy was still jockeying for a spot in Miles' band, & trying real hard to sound like In a Silent Way (he even covers it here).  "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" & "We Live in Brooklyn", a couple of big Ubiquity hits, also make it onto my Kozmik mothership. [JW]

The CD issue of Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival restores the entire set of Ubiquity's Montreux appearance, and has some really fine moments.  The beginning of "Daddy Bug" is freeform psychjazz and their cover of "It's About That Time" (not "In A Silent Way" as the jacket-- and Roy-- indicate) is very sweet, as that glorious bass ostinato groove supports some truly whacked playing by Roy and Harry Whitaker on ring-modulated Rhodes.  Skip the two snoozy covers and dig the contemplative work on "Thoughts", the chilled "Sketches in Red, Yellow, Brown, Black, and White" and the jazzfunk monster "Move To Groove", which Verve subsequently used as title cut on their excellent 2CD compilation of 70s funky jazz. [DW]

I picked up a vinyl reissue of a Roy Ayers Ubiquity album from 1972-ish called He's Coming that is quickly climbing to the top of my favorites list. While it doesn't feature his more famous bg singers like DeeDee Bridgewater, it does prominently feature Sonny Fortune on sax and flute and is on the whole quite jazzy, though those of you who don't like vocals will not like much of it. It has "He's A Superstar" and "We Live In Brooklyn Baby" which are great, and a wonderful slice of early '70s politics "Ain't Got Time To Be Tired" about how everybody has to wake up and fight the revolution. [ISH]

(Information re. the Roy Ayers fan club is available from Brian@sunshine.f9.co.uk, or via PO BOX 1648, LONDON, N18 2EP, UK.)

I remember Roy from the old days baby. From the days when he was doin "Searching" at Mikels. He blew me away then. But recently I saw him play at the Iridium in NYC. With a fabulous set of very talented musicians behind him. I could not sit still. My date, who I met that night for the first time, could not handle the scene. But I could. When will you guys be in NY again? Rhosmag@aol.com
[Rhona the Real Estate Broker & Friend!]

I first saw Roy Ayres in 1972, the year my first child was born. Then, at Mikels. He blew me away then, but recently, I saw him at the Iridium in NYC with some incredible guys behind him, and he aged like a fine wine. I could not sit still. From my seat, my body swayed to their rhythms and rhymes and I truly enjoyed. Why doesn't he play more in NY? Please Roy, don't make me beg.
[Rhona the Realtor and Friend]

You can't say to have hearded the best vibrafonites until you've listened to "Every time I see you" by Roy. Tecnique, usually, it's like a railroad: tells you where you have to go. But on this tune Roy leaves the railroad and the earth too: he flies. When the tune is going to fade away you always think: "Too early!". How can the music lovers to live, without this song?
[MMG - Arimnum]