Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayersis an American funk, soul, and jazz composer and vibraphone player. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 1970s, during which he helped pioneer jazz-funk. He is a key figure in the acid jazz movement, which is a mixture of jazz into hip-hop and funk, and has been dubbed by many as "The Godfather of Neo Soul". He is most well known...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionComposer
Date of Birth10 September 1940
CityLos Angeles, CA
I don't trip on that much. I just like to enjoy life and be happy.
Soul has no musical geographical or racial boundaries.
Back in the day, I used to be in the studio recording 20 hours a day. And that was all of the time. I still record a lot of hours, but I don't go as long as I used to.
Artists don't always know. Almost every song I ever recorded that was a hit at the majors that the promotional people picked I didn't think it would be a hit. I was wrong every time!
A lot of the hip hop artists don't write music. They write words.
What we call soul has been around a long time. It comes out of a particular culture that is African in origin, but influenced by 250 years of slavery, as well as other forms of racial oppression.
Now I get exposure first with people directly in the clubs. This is a unique situation for me.
Most musicians count at the beginning, and never count and talk to their musicians after that. They only talk to them at the end of the song. But I would count with them and talk.
I was with PolyGram; that was the big label that I was with for the longest, like 12 years.
It's a wonderful feeling just being in this creative motif.
I've been sampled so much and I'm glad it's happened, it's a great compliment.
I still look good. I'm trippin', but people tell me that all the time. So check it out, I'm 63, and still kicking. I've been putting records out every year.
Having good health, being able to breathe and be happy, that's one of the most beautiful gifts. On top of that, I have the gift to play music and make people happy through that. I'm just telling you from my heart, I'm so in love with life.
I'm celebrating my 40th year in show business this year.