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A legendary live album released only in Japan in 1972. Now reissued as part of HMV Japan's Deep Jazz Reality series. No pretense whatsoever. Roy Ayers, uninhibited, gets to the heart of groove.

Roy Ayers, the vibraphonist who captivated the world has countless masterpieces to list, but amongst them, this album, Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival, has been sought after for its content and rarity. It is one of the earliest works, and one of the few live recordings, released under the name Ubiquity. It was also produced as a Japan-only release. Several factors combine to make its existence legendary. The feverish "Daddy Bug," the cool and psychedelic "In A Silent Way," the intensely groovy "Move To Groove" featuring Harry Whitaker's vocals, and the exciting "A Cup Of Tea" with its changes in tempo and dynamics. The edgy performance is reminiscent of Roy Ayers' peak at this time and foreshadows the golden age of Ubiquity to come. This is truly a live performance of pure passion. — (via Label)

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Generally disregarded by jazz purists, Roy Ayers' Live At the Montreux Jazz Festival is nevertheless a thoroughly engaging set of funky jazz fusion. In fact, the album is one of the most sampled jazz records in hip-hop. Loops of this performance of "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" have appeared on tracks by A Tribe Called Quest, Brand Nubian, and several others. The original grooves on this album are just as funky as those the hip-hop artists have derived from it. In fact, Ayers is probably funkier and looser than the musicians that borrowed from him several years later. Live At the Montreux Jazz Festival is one of the core recordings of acid jazz, "rare grooves," and jazz hip-hop; it's a record that sounds better 20 years after its release than it did when it first appeared. — (via All Music)

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Label: Universal Music
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition
Reissued: 2026 / Originally Released: 1972
Genre: Jazz

File under: Soul-Jazz / Jazz-Funk
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