Freaky Deaky (1978)
Kenny Turman’s funky slap bass line drives this dynamic dance groove. The song features singers Sylvia Cox and Merry Clayton, who lit up the Rolling Stones’ classic “Gimme Shelter” with her soul-wrenching vocal performance. “Freaky Deaky” was a single from Ayers’ album Let’s Do It (1978). It peaked at #29 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart.
Everybody Loves The Sunshine (1976)
Roy Ayers caressed the airwaves with this majestic track back in 1976. The song is immaculately produced and arranged. It features luminous synths and an exquisite vocal performance from Debbie Darby (aka Chicas). Music magazine Pitchfork placed it at #72 on its “200 Greatest Songs of the 1970s” list. It’s the title track from Ayers’ album released on May 12, 1976. The collection performed well on the charts, peaking at #10 on Billboard’s R&B album chart and #51 on the Billboard 200. “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” has been sampled on 188 songs, including tracks by prominent artists such as Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Tupac Shakur, OutKast and Common.
Love Will Bring Us Back Together (1979)
There is so much groove goodness on this irresistible cut. Ayers’ serves up some marvelous keyboard work, particularly the funky clavinet parts. And he infuses his lead vocals with tons of smooth soul, nicely complemented by Carla Vaughn's strong backing vocals. William Allen anchors the track with a tasty bass line. “Love Will Bring Us Back Together” was the lead single from Ayers’ album Fever (1979). It peaked at #41 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart.
Hot (1985)
Roy Ayers brought truckloads of funk to this dope groove. The track features cold guitar riffs, a wicked beat, and electrifying synth lines. And Ayers delivers a smokin’ vibraphone solo, which augments the funk level considerably. “Hot” was the second single from Ayers’ album You Might Be Surprised (1985). The song had a pretty strong showing on the charts, peaking at #20 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart and #12 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart. It was famously played at the intro of Michael Jackson’s iconic “The Way You Make Me Feel” video, which first aired on October 31, 1987.
Running Away (1977)
This smooth indelible groove had music lovers everywhere bobbin’ their heads and tapping their feet. It’s one of Roy Ayers’ best-known tracks, and it still gets a lot of play on classic R&B, jazz and soul stations. William Allen’s fantastic bass line is the funky nexus of this memorable groove, flawlessly linking all of the elements together. The track features a creative vocal arrangement, with vocals provided by Edwin Birdsong, Silvia Cox, Roy Ayers, and Marguerite Arthurton. Steve Cobb keeps the groove tight and deep in the pocket with his stellar drumming. And Chano O'Ferral's percussion work is topflight. “Running Away” is a single from Ayers’ 1977 album Lifeline. The song peaked at #19 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart and #14 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart. It has been sampled on 34 songs, including tracks by noted music acts such as A Tribe Called Quest, Common, Big Daddy Kane, and Slick Rick.
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