Search - Roy Ayers, Ubiquity :: Change Up the Groove (Dig)

The Warm-Up

John L. Hughes, Jr. | Nashville, TN | 10/22/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"CHANGE UP THE GROOVE pushed Roy Ayers into a more r&b funk groove that would later dominate his breakthrough album MYSTIC VOYAGE. The title tune, "The Boogie Back" and "Fikisha" feature rapid-fire vibe solos from Mr. Ayers himself, while "When Is Real, Real?" and "Sensitize" employed mother-wit lyrics, Arp string ensemble chords, and mellow grooves that would be used in full effect on such future classic Ayers albums as VIBRATIONS and EVERYBODY LOVES THE SUNSHINE.



The three covers, Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", "Theme from MASH (Suicide Is Painless)" and Roberta Flack's "Feel Like Making Love", bring the album down a bit because while Roy's vibes are pleasant, they sound like cheesy elevator music.



ChANGE UP THE GROOVE could be subtitled, PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS.



"

Roy Ayers Begins His Classic Musical Journey

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 02/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After several releases such as Ubiquity that found Roy Ayers looking funkify his sound to different degrees Roy is now looking for new ways to further popularize his sound.The result is that this is probably the very first album in the the acid jazz catagory-a genre Roy is often credited for having created.And besides all acid jazz ended up being was a modern day jazz-funk anyway-the fact Roy's particular style of music became the template is pretty much coinsidence. So this album presents a number of tries at new varriations on Roy's already patented style.The title track,the chunky "The Boogies Back" really explore these grooves well;the style and production was state of the art for it's time and the grooves are strong enough to more then stand on their own two feet;both are now considered Ayer's classics and deservadly so as they pave the way for the greatness to come.Even if it is the shortest tune here "Fikisha (To Help Someone To Arrive" is an absolute KILLER jam;afro cuban perussive vibe funk all the way and never letting up;if it's gotta be short it might as well be great! "Sensitize" features a mellower EWF/Lonnie Liston Smith kind of sound with William Allen soaring with his falsetto over the ethereal tune and lyrics. A nice piece of gospel vocal drenched funk in "When Is Real,Real" also makes a tasty addition on that end.As far as Roy's vision of crossover three cover songs dare to go in that direction.Roy actually ups the tempo on Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" and comes up with a cover that is more or less just a companion to the original,then fairly new. On a version of the MASH theme "Suicide Is Painless" Roy and the gang get an effect not a whole lot different then George Benson would get in a couple years on his Breezin';the track is poppy,easy going but,when Roy improvises on the main theme of the song on his vibes it becomes his own tune with it's own musical message.I would never presume it to be elevator music. As far as Roberta Flacks "Feel Like Makin' Love" fares well.....that one is a little less adventurous but is certainly not too bad.Still if there is a cut here one could describe as the weakest that would likely be it. Still this album is a very key transitional album for Roy,his classic works still yet to come and it is very important that this is available now on CD."