Roy Ayers - Silver Vibrations Vinyl LP

Silver Vibrations was perhaps the last album to capture the organic “classic” sound of Roy Ayers’ late ’70s period, and it stands up well under modern re-evaluation. The unedited version of “Chicago,” exclusive to this LP, received considerable airplay upon release and has remained enduringly memorable, its woozy, mysterious vibe and cosmic reflections in the second half still resonating today. The strutting, funky “Good, Good Music” showcases Ayers at his pre-’80s up-tempo disco peak, combining grit with an old-school party energy. The title track, “Silver Vibrations,” was originally released only in the U.K., both on this album and as a single backed with “Fast Money.” “Lots of Love” and “Keep On Movin’” offer pleasant nods to earlier styles, while “Smiling With Our Eyes” is a mid-tempo, jazzy track with vocals that occasionally recall Stevie Wonder. The wistful “D.C. City,” a close companion to Ubiquity’s original recording of The Third Eye, is in many ways quintessentially Roy Ayers.