ROY AYERS UBIQUITY — Virgo Red (1973-2009) RM | Serie Verve Originals | FLAC (tracks+.cue) lossless

Despite contributions from an abundance of soul-jazz greats including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jimmy Owens, and Garnett Brown, Virgo Red is the most stripped-down and nuanced of Roy Ayers' Ubiquity LPs. Its sinuous funk grooves are first and foremost a showcase for the intuitive interplay of Ayers and electric keyboardist Harry Whitaker, whose Fender Rhodes' fills orbit Ayers' vibes' solos like a planet circling the sun. The material is a crazy quilt of righteously soulful originals and deeply funky covers spanning Leroy Hutson's soul classic "Giving Love" to Stories' soft pop smash "Brother Louie" to absolute treacle like The Poseidon Adventure's "The Morning After" -- by all rights it shouldn't work, but as the astrological overtones winding through Virgo Red attest, sometimes the stars align. Jason Ankeny
Tracklist :
1    Brother Louie 6:08
Composed By – E. Brown, T. Wilson
2    Virgo Red 2:58
Composed By – C. Clay, R. Ayers
3    I Am Your Mind 6:13
Composed By – C. Clay, R. Ayers
4    The Morning After 4:37
Composed By – A. Kasha, J. Hirschhorn
5    Love From The Sun 2:43
Composed By – C. Clay, R. Clay, W. Garfield
6    It's So Sweet 4:23
Composed By – R. Alderson, W. Salter
7    Giving Love 4:26
Composed By – J. Reaves, L. Hutson
8    Des Nude Soul 4:49
Composed By – R. Ayers
Credits
Arranged By [Vocals] – Bert DeCoteaux
Artwork – Haruo Miyauchi
Baritone Vocals – Argerie Ayers, Arthur Clark, D.D Bridgewater, Leslie Carter, Seldon Powell, Willie Michael
Bass – David Johnson, Gordon Edwards
Congas, Bongos, Vocals – Chano O'Ferral
Drums, Percussion – Dennis Davis
Guitar – Dennis Heaven, Will Hawes
Percussion – Adrian Dey, Stephen Sadiz Shbazzberrios
Piano, Electric Piano, Organ – Harry Whitaker
Sitar [Electric Sitar] – Jerry Friedman
Trombone – Garnett Brown
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jimmie Owens
Vibraphone, Organ, Vocals, Percussion, Arranged By [Vocals] – Roy Ayers

ALPHONSE MOUZON — Funky Snakefoot (1973-2006) RM | BNLA Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although Alphonse Mouzon is celebrated largely for his drumming skills, the brilliant Funky Snakefoot is first and foremost a showcase for his keyboard prowess. Galvanized by its thick, greasy Arp, Moog, and organ solos, the album recalls Blue Note contemporaries like Gene Harris, albeit augmented by Mouzon's monster rhythms. Add his ragged-but-right vocals to the mix and Funky Snakefoot veers closer to mainstream R&B than virtually anything else the label ever released, but there's no denying the ferocity or virtuosity of this music. Mouzon's remarkable interplay with fellow keyboardists Harry Whitaker and Leon Pendarvis boasts a harmonic complexity that belongs solely to jazz, and the sheer vitality of cuts like "You Don't Know How Much I Love You" and "Where I'm Drumming From" is undeniable. Jason Ankeny
Tracklist :
1    I've Given You My Love    4:43
2    You Don't Know How Much I Love You    4:40
3    I Gotta Have You    2:46
4    My Life Is So Blue    4:37
5    Funky Snakefoot    3:45
6    My Little Rosebud    2:02
7    A Permanent Love    4:20
8    The Beggar    4:35
9    Oh Yes I Do    4:35
10    Tara, Tara    3:35
11    Where I'm Drumming From    1:20
12    Ism    3:08
Credits :
Bass – Gary King (tracks: 1 to 7, 9, 12)
Clavinet – Harry Whitaker (tracks: 3, 5, 10)
Congas, Bongos – Ray Armando (tracks: 1, 2, 7)
Drums – Alphonze Mouzon
Electric Piano – Leon Pendarvis (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8)
Electric Piano, Programmed By [Synthesizer] – Mike Mandel (tracks: 3, 12)
Guitar – Richie Resnicoff (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9)
Organ – Alphonze Mouzon (tracks: 9), Leon Pendarvis (tracks: 9, 10)
Pedal Steel Guitar, Banjo – Mark Harowitz (tracks: 6)
Percussion – Angel Allende (tracks: 1), Steve Berrios (tracks: 1)
Piano – Harry Whitaker (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6 to 9), Leon Pendarvis (tracks: 3, 5)
Piano [Tack] – Alphonze Mouzon (tracks: 1)
Saxophone – Andy Gadsden (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 9, 12)
Synthesizer – Alphonze Mouzon (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 to 10)
Trombone – Barry Rogers (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 9, 12)
Trumpet – Randy Brecker (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 9, 12)
Vocals – Alphonze Mouzon (tracks: 2 to 4, 7 to 10)