HWright Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 (edited) While reading the AMG entry on Nat Adderley last night, I came upon an interesting description of a Roy Ayers Atlantic album from 1967 called "Virgo Vibes": "Long before he switched to playing disco and pop music, Roy Ayers was considered a promising young jazz vibraphonist. This LP, his second as a leader, was one of his finest. On four of the five selections (obscurities and pieces by group members), Ayers teams up with trumpeter Charles Tolliver, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, bassist Reggie Workman, drummer Bruno Carr, and the mysterious pianist Ronnie Clark (Herbie Hancock under a disguised name). On "Glow Flower," Ayers and Tolliver are joined by Harold Land on tenor, pianist Jack Wilson, bassist Buster Williams, and drummer Donald Bailey. The music is primarily advanced hard bop with some freer moments on Tolliver's "The Ringer." This underrated music is long overdue to be reissued on CD and displays Roy Ayers' lost potential." Anyone ever hear this on LP? Any thoughts? It would certainly be an excellent candidate for reissue by Koch or one of the other small labels that has been reissuing obscure Atlantic jazz dates. Edited July 23, 2004 by HWright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 this has been released in digipac by Rhyno/Warner in 2002 and paired with Daddy Bug on Collectibles in 1999. Should still be available. It is indeed a pretty good album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 I have the Collectibles twofer and dig it. Then again, I like a lot of Roy's later r&b/funk tracks too. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 I like that date. Have the Atlantic LP. Several problems with it, beside the album being an excellent one and worthy of a proper reissue: - I have not cared much for Ayers albums after that one, but then I'm not into funk jazz, - the LP is stored next to the Albert Aylers and every time I attempt to pull it out I see those Aylers and decide to give these a hearing, - the notes from our friend Leonard Feather. OK this was 1967 but did he have to describe Ayers as a Virgo, Joe Henderson as a Taurus, Reggie Workman as a Cancer, etc... Feather signs his liner notes as Leonard Feather (Another Virgo) Joe Henderson is superb on side A and so is Harold Land on side B! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 Groovy baby, YEAH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMP Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 "Stoned Soul Picnic," from the same period, is also good. Parts of "Daddy Bug" were released on LP without the "sweetening" - that version has never made it to CD. (And catch Ayers on the Curtis Amy "Mosaiic Select.") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 Mighty fine stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWright Posted July 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 Couw: Thanks for the info. I will look into picking it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 The digipak version of Virgo Vibes has two bonus outtakes not included on the Collectables version, both from the date that included Harold Land. I'd love to see Pacific Jazz release Ayers' West Coast Vibes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMP Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 Is Eric Dolphy on "West Coast Bibes?" I thought was on "United Artists," but that's all part of the Pacific Jazz/Blue Note/Captitol conglomerate these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 Is Eric Dolphy on "West Coast Bibes?" I thought was on "United Artists," but that's all part of the Pacific Jazz/Blue Note/Captitol conglomerate these days. No. If I recall correctly, its Curtis Amy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 The digipak version of Virgo Vibes has two bonus outtakes not included on the Collectables version, both from the date that included Harold Land. How are the bonus tracks??? Are both Tolliver and Joe Henderson on both of the bonus tracks?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajf67 Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 (edited) No, the bonus tracks are with Harold Land. Toliver is on both though. Two tunes: "Mine Royd" and "Number Seven." This is a good album., I agree with the above. Edited July 24, 2004 by ajf67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 David Newman's early 1970s Atlantic album Newmanism has fantastic Roy Ayers on it (in additional to sublime David Newman). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 I dig that David Newman too, kh. Also, Roy Ayers Ubiquity - Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival--falls in a transitional period between the more jazz-oriented early Roy to the latter funk/r&b-leaning Roy. Includes a cool version of "In A Silent Way." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 The digipak version of Virgo Vibes has two bonus outtakes not included on the Collectables version, both from the date that included Harold Land. Is the digipack version available in the States? Can't seem to find it online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 cduniverse lists it as an Australian import, albeit that they're showing the cover for Daddy Bug. And there some listed on half.com as well (or so it seems). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 Amazon UK has the digipak version listed. I've had many good dealings with them, though the shipping's a little high. I see that half.com has it listed also. And Tower online has it as a special order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcoliv Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 Roy Ayers it´s available there too MCO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom in RI Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 I bought the digipac version earlier this year from a shop that I know ordered it from a company that deals in discontinued and overstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphie_boy Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Virgo Vibes is indeed a very good date! BTW - I believe that Herbie Hancock is in the piano chair under an assumed name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Virgo Vibes is indeed a very good date! BTW - I believe that Herbie Hancock is in the piano chair under an assumed name. You may be on to something. This seems to be pianist Ronnie Clark's only record date. The only thing that Leonard Feather mentions about him in the liner notes is that he 'is an Aries with a brillantly original style'. Herbie Hancock was born April 12, 1940. An Aries! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Virgo Vibes is indeed a very good date! BTW - I believe that Herbie Hancock is in the piano chair under an assumed name. You may be on to something. This seems to be pianist Ronnie Clark's only record date. The only thing that Leonard Feather mentions about him in the liner notes is that he 'is an Aries with a brillantly original style'. Herbie Hancock was born April 12, 1940. An Aries! read the AMG quote in the very first post in this thread, it seems to be common knowledge that we're indeed dealing with Hancock here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMP Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Ayers is also on Newman's "Lonely Avenue" - nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 OK, have to admit I did not read the very first post carefully enough. Probably a mention of AMG scared me away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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