Personnel: Roy Ayers (vocals, electric piano, keyboards, vibraphone); William Allen (vocals, bass); Carla Vaughn, Merry Clayton, Sylvia Cox, Edwin Birdsong (vocals); Justo Almario (tenor saxophone); John Mosley (trumpet); Philip Woo (piano, keyboards); Bobby Lyle, Harry Whitaker (piano); Chuck Anthony (guitar); Nathaniel Phillips, Peter Brown (bass); Dennis Davis, Bernard Purdie, Steve Cobb, Bruce Carter (drums); Chano O'Ferral (congas).

Compilation producers: Roy Ayers, Peter Adarkwah, Sarah Williams, Eddie Bezalel.

Recorded between 1976 & 1981. Includes liner notes by Roy Ayers, Carl Clay, Edwin Birdsong.

Personnel: Roy Ayers (vibraphone); Ivana Santilli (vocals, grand piano); Vanessa Freeman (vocals); Chuck Treece (guitar); Tim Motzer (Spanish guitar); Troy Simms (saxophone); Alix Alvarez (Fender Rhodes piano); DJ Spinna (synthesizer); Selan Lerner (ARP synthesizer, keyboard bass); Toni Economides (programming).

Audio Mixers: DJ Spinna; Andreas Schorpp; King Britt; Steven Barkan; Toni Economides; Vikter Duplaix.

Audio Remixers: Sean P; DJ Spinna; Jeremy Newall; E. Nathaniel Dawkins III; King Britt; Vikter Duplaix; Phil Asher.

Recording information: Kay Recording Studios; The Hut, Philly; The I'lle, Puerto Rico.

Given that Roy Ayers really never left the spotlight, it would be inappropriate to call any sort of rediscovery or renaissance of his music a comeback. However, the resurgence of interest in the jazz musician's expansive and innovative catalog has prompted ears both new and old to give Ayers his long overdue credit as a soul-jazz pioneer. This two-disc set features remixes from BBE's excellent Virgin Ubiquity, Vol. 2: Unreleased Recordings 1976-1981, and brings a veritable A-list who's who of soul/electronic/downtempo remixers to the plate. House gurus Kenny Dope and Osunlade offer up heavy sessions of tasteful grooves without overshadowing the genius of the original tracks. King Britt also contributes a strong reinterpretation of "Kwajilori," while DJ Spinna and the Platinum Pied Pipers focus their remixes more toward the downtempo/hip-hop crowd. At two discs in length, normally a project of this size could be trimmed to a single disc for an excellent release. But there's something for everyone here, regardless of your subgenre affiliation. At least it's not remixing the classics in a feeble attempt to update an artist's catalog, and that in itself is a breath of fresh air. ~ Rob Theakston

Genre:

• Dance

Music Categories:

• R&B: Dance