Roy Ayers was born in Los Angeles. Thanks to his trombone playing father and piano teaching mother, he became immersed in music from day one and the story goes that he was given his first set of vibe mallets by his hero Lionel Hampton at the age of 5. Constantly performing and recording since the 1960s, he is one of the most famous jazz vibraphonists. He has produced some of the most loved modern soul-jazz records of all time such as, "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", most influential afro-jazz with musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti (Africa - Centre Of The World) and the most seminal jazz-funk, such as "Running Away". And that's just the surface. 2004 saw the release of "Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased Recordings 1976-1981" which were 'lost' sessions tapes that he had discarded. Gilles Peterson described this as the equivalent of finding a lost Beatles album. No doubt this helped him win the Gilles Peterson 2004 Worldwide Lifetime Achievement Award. Roy Ayers is ageless and evergreen and as per the title of another one of hits, remember "We All Live In Brooklyn Baby".
Timeline
Ayers started recording as a bebop sideman in 1962 and rose to prominence when he dropped out of City College and joined jazz flutist Herbie Mann in 1966.
In the early 70's, Roy Ayers started his own band called Roy Ayers Ubiquity, a name he chose because ubiquity means a state of being everywhere at the same time.
Ayers was responsible for the highly regarded soundtrack to Jack Hill's 1973 blaxploitation film Coffy, which starred Pam Grier. He later moved from a jazz-funk sound to R&B, as seen on Mystic Voyage, which featured the songs "Evolution" and the underground disco hit "Brother Green (The Disco King)", as well as the title track from his 1976 album Everybody Loves the Sunshine.
In 1977, Ayers produced an album by the group RAMP, Come into Knowledge, commonly and mistakenly thought to stand for "Roy Ayers Music Project". That fall, he had his biggest hit with "Running Away".
In late 1979, Ayers scored his only top ten single on Billboard's Hot Disco/Dance chart with "Don't Stop The Feeling," which was also the leadoff single from his 1980 album "No Stranger to Love", whose title track was sampled in Jill Scott's 2001 song "Watching Me" from her debut album Who Is Jill Scott?
In the late 70's, Ayers toured in Nigeria for six weeks with Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, one of the Africa's most recognizable musicians. In 1980, Phonodisk released Music of Many Colors in Nigeria, featuring one side lead by Ayers' group and the other lead by Africa '70.
In 1981, Ayers produced an album with the singer Sylvia Striplin, Give Me Your Love (Uno Melodic Records, 1981). He has also worked in collaborations with soul songstress Erykah Badu.
Ayers performed a solo on John "Jellybean" Benitez's production of Whitney Houston's "Love Will Save The Day" from her second multi-platinum studio album Whitney. The single was released in July 1988 by Arista Records.
Ayers has played his live act for millions of people across the globe, including Japan, Australia, England and other parts of Europe.
Ayers is known for helping to popularize feel good music in the 70's, stating that "I like that happy feeling all of the time, so that ingredient is still there. I try to generate that because it's the natural way I am". The types of music that he used to do this consisted of funk, salsa, jazz, rock, soul and rap.
1990s to present
In 1992, Ayers released two albums, Drive and Wake Up, for the hip-hop label Ichiban Records.
In 1992, Ayers collaborated with Rick James for an album and is quoted to have been a very close friend of his.
In 1993, Ayers appeared on the record Guru's Jazzmatazz Vol.1 featuring on the vibraphone in the song "Take a Look (At Yourself)".
In 1994, Ayers appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African-American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by Time Magazine.
During the 2000s and 2010s, Ayers ventured into house music, collaborating with such stalwarts of the genre as Masters at Work and Kerri Chandler.
Ayers started two record labels, Uno Melodic and Gold Mink Records. The first released several LPs, including Sylvia Striplin's, while the second folded after a few singles.
In 2004, Ayers put out a collection of unreleased recordings called Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased recordings 1976–1981 which allowed fans to hear cuts that didn't make it onto the classic Polydor albums from his more popular years.
Roy Ayers hosts the fictitious radio station "Fusion FM" in Grand Theft Auto IV (2008).
In 2015, he appeared on Tyler, The Creator's new album Cherry Bomb on the track "Find Your Wings".
A documentary the Roy Ayers Project featuring Ayers and a number hip hop producers who have sampled his music and other people who have been influenced by him and his music has been in development for a number of years.
Pharrell Williams cites Roy Ayers as one of his key musical heroes.
Ayers is a recipient of the Congress of Racial Equality Lifetime Achievement Award.
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evolution
Roy Ayers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Evolution
Evolution
Evolution
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Evolution
The lyrics of Roy Ayers's song "Evolution" are simple, containing only one word repeated over and over again - "Evolution". The repetition of the word represents the idea of the constant and continuous nature of evolution. The song can be seen as a commentary on the human race's progress, technology and evolution as a species. It may also be a reference to how the world and its societal norms are continuously evolving, being redefined and updated as new feats of technology are achieved. The song may serve as a call to embrace change, progress and growth, rather than resisting what is new and unknown.
Though the theme of "Evolution" may suggest a serious tone, the music itself is an upbeat jazz-funk fusion, creating an uplifting feel to the song. The song's joyful energy may be symbolic of the liberation that can come with new technologies, new ideas and concepts. It may encourage listeners to embrace the changes that come their way, and to keep on moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Evolution
The gradual process of growth and development, resulting in a more advanced and complex state
Evolution
The transformation and progress over time toward a higher level of existence
Evolution
The natural and ongoing course of change and adaptation towards an improved state
Evolution
The continuous cycle of improvement and advancement through adaptation and change
Evolution
The constant process of transformation and adaptation towards a better and more advanced state
Evolution
The ongoing evolution towards a more superior and evolved existence, through progressive change over time
Evolution
The necessary process of adaptation and transformation towards an improved and more advanced state of being
Evolution
The gradual and continuous progress towards a more complex, refined, and sophisticated state of existence
Evolution
The ever-present and ongoing journey towards an advanced and superior state of being, through constant adaptation and growth
Evolution
The natural and essential process of development and improvement towards a more evolved and advanced form
Evolution
The process of refinement and growth towards a more complete and sophisticated state of being
Evolution
The constant and unending journey towards a more evolved and developed state of existence
Evolution
The ongoing and necessary process of transformation towards a more advanced and superior existence
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ROY AYERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@emaleplus
That’s the funkiest dirty ass bass line ever when it kicks in after the Evolution x 4 at the start..
@SHEARMINATOR
Tell me about it lol I saw A huge huge House spider last night!! lol Big up Mr Ayers. Pointblank Radio London brought me here peace
@jewelcarrington2169
Mystic Voyage 🔥
@spaghettieast
Amazing!
@anthonyd.4theloveofsoulful197
There's ONLY OnE Roy AyerS Polydor Label MiX he New it's aLL aboUT thE Evolution, Master @ Work and still Goin Strong 💪🏾 Ray2Point0 thanks for DroPpin DisC Splendid TunE Bro
@hectorsantos5540
Bboy world 2007👍👍👍
@elfranco7011
Uh huh🎅🏿