Update:

It was fantastic to have RAMP on the show on Midnight Soulstice last night. The band's name stands for Roy Ayers Music Project, and the group is indeed the hottest act ever coming out of Roy's music and song writing factory. Listen to RAMP's original members talk about their legacy, how the feel about being sampled by artists like Tribe Called Quest and Erykah Badu and what's up for the future. We also played RAMP's entire cult album "Come Into Knowledge" plus a few previously unreleased songs, so make sure to listen to the show:

http://wrir.org/x/modules...oryid=9542

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And another one for the books – RAMP will guest on our radio show Midnight Soulstice this Friday, April 10th, from 11 pm – 1 am EST. It will be the very first time for RAMP to be featured on a full two-hour radio special dedicated to their music.

RAMP is a group formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the mid-1970s. Originally called Saturday Night Special, the group changed its name to RAMP after being discovered by Roy Ayers. RAMP stands for Roy Ayers Music Production and Roy Ayers Music Project. Bandleader and drummer John Manuel also states: "The name actually refers to taking you on a journey, elevation, as in an on or up ramp, an access to another place as in highway ramps.”

The group released one album, Come Into Knowledge (1977), which is now considered a classic among rare groove collectors and artists (such as PM Dawn, Digable Planets, Erykah Badu and a Tribe called Quest, who have used RAMP samples in their music). Featuring the female vocals of Sharon Matthews and Sibel Thrasher, the album was recorded in New York and California and released on Blue Thumb Records. But due to a lack of promotion, the album never charted, and the group split up shortly after the release and after only a handful of lives shows.
RAMP were meant to be a vehicle for the songwriting talents of Roy Ayers and Edwin Birdsong. Their only album featured a version of Roy Ayers' Everybody Loves The Sunshine along with the 'rare groove' track Daylight.

RAMP reunited in 2006 with all of its original members. Midight Soulstice co-host DJ Pari has made two trips to Europe with RAMP as their tour DJ – so expect a very personal interview with bandleader John Manuel and other original members of the group. We'll also play a few tracks that did not make it on the Come Into Knowledge and that were not released until recently.

To listen to the radio show live, visit www.wrir.org and click on the webstream.



Check out RAMP on MySpace www.myspace.com/ramp77
And make friends with Midnight Soulstice www.myspace.com/midnightsoulstice

Here some of RAMP's cuts -

Daylight


Everybody loves the Sunshine


American Promise (sampled by Erykah Badu)


Daylight (live at Jazz Cafe London, 2008)


RAMP today:

[Edited 4/11/09 10:32am]

Come into knowledge of
the spiritual law..

deep velvet

Very cool!

Love the album.

I have "Deep Velvet"
on repeat right now
in my office

I can never get enough
of this damn song

that one & "I Just Love You"

was Deep Velvet NOT on the
original release of the RAMP album?
cuz I mentioned it to a Roy head
and he had never heard of it

DirtyChris said:

Neither track is a RAMP track. Wrong thread.

MrSoulpower said:

maybe that's why he hadn't a clue

here is the tracklisting
for the one on my ZUNE:

01 The American Promise
02 I Just Love You
03 Give It
04 Everybody Loves The Sunshine
05 Come Into Knowledge
06 Try, Try, Try
07 Daylight
08 Look Into The Sky
09 Deep Velvet

it's some trickery goin on

DirtyChris said:

No the trickery is in my brain. Of course that's the right tracklist. I'm still mashed up from my weekend trip.

MrSoulpower said:

okay well which is it?

from what I read in this thread
I'm guessing "Deep Velvet"
is one of the ones you'll be sharing
that won't found on Come Into Knowledge

J'ADOOOORE that song man

No, the previously unreleased tracks you'll get to hear are RAMP's version of Roy's The Old One Two and Paint me any Color.

MrSoulpower said:

so where does "Deep Velvet"
come from?
was it on the vinyl?

(last comment about Deep Velvet )

DirtyChris said:

yeah, it's on Come into knowledge.

BUMP!

RAMP radio show airs tonight!
11 pm - 1 am EST on www.wrir.org

MrSoulpower said:

you know I'll be listening

IAintTheOne said:

I would certainly hope so.

MrSoulpower said:

well uh yeah

IAintTheOne said:

Midnight Soulstice should be mandatory listening for any Funkhead. Dontcha think? It's pretty sad that a Samantha Fox or Janet Jackson thread would attract more people. But then again, this is Prince.org.
[Edited 4/10/09 15:07pm]

MrSoulpower said:

I agree Funkhead. Hence why I dont even know why I still post mixes here anymore

IAintTheOne said:

Wrong website, dude. But then again, there's a good amount of people in here who have good taste in funky music.

MrSoulpower said:

Yeah I need a new spot to post this new one. I kinda dig it myself

IAintTheOne said:

Go to soulstrut.

MrSoulpower said:

Hittin it now

By the way, of course we are gonna play some less obvious Roy Ayers tracks as well ...

MrSoulpower said:

So im guessing nothing from the "Coffy" soundtrack then?

IAintTheOne said:

Naw, we'll do that when Roy guests on our show. For now, we stick to the RAMP period.

MrSoulpower said:

Man I went through 3 copies of that album, well 2 were jacked and 1 is left in NY

And here some real treats ...

Sibel Thrasher of RAMP with Rou Ayers...


Some rare pics of RAMP from 1977, when Come Into Knowledge was released (pics courtesy of RAMP drummer John Manuel)








In the studio with Roy, recording Come into Knowledge ...

MrSoulpower said:

Man I miss the 70's

As you know, I was pretty lucky. Access to a RAMP show in the 70s looked like this ...



This was the tour pass for the 2008 reunion tour ...




And a ticket ... that's my most valuable collectible for personal reasons ...

MrSoulpower said:

That's some good shit there.