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Roy Ayers Gilles Peterson Tribute Mixtape
Roy Ayers Gilles Peterson Tribute Mixtape

Celebrate Roy Ayers's 75th Birthday With A New Mixtape From Gilles Peterson

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

Today, September 10th, marks jazz legend Roy Ayers's 75th birthday, and in honor of the auspicious occasion, British DJ extraordinaire Gilles Peterson has shared a brand new mixtape comprised of nothing but Ayers cuts. The musical source behind classic tracks like "Little Brother" and "Graffiti," Roy's body of work offers a practically endless trove of tasteful material to collect, learn, sample or just enjoy; it's only right that on his 75th, one of DJing's finest gives him his due. Peterson himself put this tribute mixtape--and Ayers's monumental impact on the music industry--into perspective:

Celebrating the 75th birthday of Mr Roy Ayers with this mix, showcasing some of my favourite tracks from his slightly lesser known material…Well, I mean compared to tracks like ‘Everybody Loves The Sunshine’, ‘Searching’, ‘We Live In Brooklyn’, ‘Running Away’ and ‘Love Will Bring Us Back Together’!

I also hear new stuff that I hadn’t noticed before when I listen to his music. Yhe track with Jack Wilson that opens the mix up is so heavy and cosmic for its time, and I’d forgotten about the track with Wayne Henderson! There are so many great albums out there including the two Virgin Ubiquities BBE put out. We could devote a whole week of radio programmes to Roy, his archive is so large!

He is the key to all things between jazz, soul, disco and hip hop. Thank you Roy for all the music.

Listen to the mix in its entirety below. Happy bornday sir Ayers!

Tracklist:

Jack Wilson Quartet feat. Roy Ayers – Ramblin’. LP: Ramblin, 1966 (Fresh Sound Records)

Roy Ayers – Lil’s Paradise. LP: Stoned Soul Picnic, 1968 (Polydor)

Roy Ayers – The Third Eye. LP: Everybody Loves The Sunshine, 1976 (Polydor)

Roy Ayers – Intro. LP: Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 1972 (Verve)

Roy Ayers – Sweet Tears. LP: He’s Coming, 1972 (Polydor)

Roy Ayers – Ain’t No Sunshine. LP: Red, Black and Green, 1973 (Polydor)

Roy Ayers – A Tear to a Smile. LP: A Tear to a Smile, 1975 (polydor)

Roy Ayers – Every Time I See You. LP: You Send Me, 1978 (polydor)

Ethel Beatty – It’s Your Love. 12”: 1981 (Uno melodic)

Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson – For Real. LP: Step Into Our Life, 1978 (Polydor)

RAMP – I Just Love You. LP: Come Into Knowledge, 1977 (Blue Thumb)

Roy Ayers – Everybody. LP: Lots of Love, 1983 (Uno Melodic)

Roy Ayers – Destination Motherland. LP: Africa Centre of the World, 1981 (Polydor)

Roy Ayers – Gotta Find a Lover. LP: Lifeline, 1977 (Polydor)

Roy Ayers – You Came into my Life. LP: Lets Do It, 1978 (Polydor)

Roy Ayers – Hummin’. LP: Ubiquity, 1970 (Polydor)

Roy Ayers – Shadows. LP: Daddy Bug, 1969 (Atlantic)