ROY AYERS

He is one of the pioneers of the jazz-funk movement that started back in the ‘70s and although it’s a decade or so since Roy Ayers named appeared on the R&B singles charts, he has not only maintained a ‘vibe-rant’ career touring the world – most especially performing in the U.K. more often than ever – but the multi-talented musician, producer and songwriter has been releasing albums on a consistent basis, all without being signed to a major label. Proof, indeed, that artists can make a more than a decent living recording and - thanks to the advent of the Internet in particular – selling CDs to a loyal and strong audience. In addition to the release of some seven albums in over the past decade, Roy’s career has been enhanced by the reissue of his much-loved work for Polydor Records (recorded from 1971 to 1981), his ‘60s recordings (for Atlantic, reissued by Warner Music Group in the U.K.) and most recently, two of his three ‘80s Columbia albums.

Just weeks away from the release of his own latest project, “Mahogany Vibe,” the British division of Universal Music Group has issued a wonderful compilation entitled “Destination: Motherland,” a 31-track 2-CD set, filled with vintage Ayers music from the ‘70s. Speaking from his home base in New York, the L.A. born-maestro notes, “The title of the project comes from a 1981 album I did called [with famed Nigerian musician Fela Kuti] called “Africa, Center Of The World.” It’s wonderful because the record company in Britain is 100% behind it. I was always taught to work real hard and promote my records so I was over there doing that: I must have done eighteen interviews in a row! I did three weeks at Ronnie Scott’s in London and I go to the U.K. at least once a year to play there or at the Jazz Café or The Royal Festival Hall. What I love is that the U.K. record company folks are very respectful – I’m very happy with most of the songs they selected for “Destination: Motherland.” There are still some early Polydor albums that haven’t come out yet on CD – from the period from 1971 to 1975 – but I’m hoping they get round to them. It’s great because I do make money from all those reissues!”

As happy as Roy is about having his previous work made available, he’s even more jazzed about his upcoming album. “Mahogany Vibe” follows 1992’s “Double Trouble,” the 1995 BMG set, “Nasté,” the 1995 release, “Lots Of Love,” 1996’s “Wake Up,” the 1997 release “Spoken Word” (featuring Bonita Brisker),” 1999’s “Smooth Jazz” and the 2000 CD “Perfection.” Notes Roy, “After working with major companies, I figured I might as well be doing this myself. It works: I was on a show with Betty Wright in Virginia a few years ago and I announced I was doing a song from my [then-]new CD and we sold 3,000 copies of it!”

Mention of Ms. Wright segues perfectly into talk about “Mahogany Vibe” since she is one of the featured artists on the new album, singing two songs, “Pretty Brown Skin” (a new recording of an old Polydor track) and “Long Time Ago.” Roy explains that Betty’s appearance on the album came about through another of the special guests on the record, Erykah Badu. “I was in the studio with Erykah in Dallas working on a new version of “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” and she mentioned that Betty was in town,” Roy recalls. “I asked where she was performing and Erykah said, ‘she’s not…she’s my buddy and she came to town to see me.’ I told Erykah I wanted Betty on my record so she called her on the cell phone and Betty told me she was leaving the next day. I asked her if she’d come in…and she did! Working with her – and with Erykah – was so smooth and everything turned out to be great.” Most of the album – due out in May – was cut in Baltimore with co-producer Eric Parham and the thirteen songs also include a new version of the Ayers classic “Searchin’” with Erykah Badu.

For Roy, the release of his latest album is a sign that “the independent people are here! If a major label showed interested, I might consider it but for doing this record myself is consistent with how I’ve always done my career.” That illustrious career just keeps on keeping on and that Roy’s music has consistently been sampled over the last few years doesn’t hurt. “Artists who’ve done my music? Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Gerald Levert, Whitney Houston, Vanessa Williams, Rick James, Eric Benét, the Brand Nubians. It’s a compliment when rappers use my music. It’s funny because Erykah calls me the ‘king of neo-soul’ because a lot of the R&B that’s done today comes from my sound. Of course, when I first wrote songs like “Runnin’ Away” and “Everybody Loves The Sunshine,” there was no way to know that this material would have such a long life. I had no idea it was going to happen…”

Beyond having his music sampled and releasing his own product, it’s performing that “keeps me energized,” Roy concludes. “I still work all the time and that’s what gives me my motivation. I spend about three months in the U.K. and let me tell you the Brits are kicking ass. There’s a whole new slew of British musicians and they’re enthusiasm is so strong and they play hard. All I have to do is take a drummer with me and work with British musicians when I’m there. I go to Australia every three years and Japan about very other year. I do festivals and concert halls in the U.S. because there aren’t that many clubs left here – I do shows with artists like Boney James, George Duke, Gerald Albright…and I do a good show! After a certain amount of time, you gain confidence and you know you’re just a bad mutha! I play and I make the people rock…and I just know I’m bad!”

Bad, indeed, and like so many other Ayers fans worldwide, we look forward to the release of “Mahogany Vibe.” Meanwhile, you can check out Roy Ayers’ CDs at: http://www.soulmusic.com/A.htm and Roy’s own website at: http://www.royayers.com

*****

PATRICE RUSHEN

As I have often commented, one of the wonders of the modern age was the invention of the compact disc. Not only has it revolutionized the way new music is marketed and presented – with developments such as enhanced CDs which show videos – but it has thankfully given us access to music that has been out of print, virtually since original LPs were issued. It’s particularly gratifying when the work of a fine musician is made available once again, stimulating memories for those who remember the music when it first came out and also potentially introducing that same music to a new generation. Case in point: Patrice Rushen, who made a series of great albums for Elektra Records in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Other than a Rhino compilation and her 1982 pop and R&B crossover hit album “Straight From The Heart,” four of Patrice’s original records were not available until the independent Wounded Bird label licensed them and reissued them. Initial interest in “Patrice” and “Pizzazz” (both issued in 1979) and “Now” (1984) at The Soul Music Store prompted us to track Patrice down, here in sunny California to get her reaction to the reissues and find out what she’s been up to in recent times…

“I think it’s great,” says the award-winning musician, producer, arranger and songwriter. “Lots of people have asked me, especially over last five years, about those albums. There were a couple of Japanese imports and then almost ten years ago, Rhino did their compilation. But when people would ask me about those Elektra albums, I couldn’t answer. For me, having them out again is a big compliment. As a songwriter and producer, you hope the music will be relevant beyond its immediate shelf live. I always felt those records were of high musical quality. I was fortunate not to have a tremendous amount of interference unlike today where there’s a lot of censoring and modifications that are made before the artists have a chance to flush things through themselves. Maybe it’s because artists are not as developed as we were required to be back in the day. Back then, we had to prove the potential we had not just then but for the years that would follow…”

Patrice reflects that “it was the collaborative efforts of the producers, songwriters and musicians, the fact that a lot of great artists participated in making those albums and that we spent a lot of time together working on them is probably why the music has held up for so long.” Looking back at the time when she was beginning to make a name as a recording artist, Patrice recalls, “I was making the transition from Prestige to Elektra. The Prestige albums were basically instrumental and then on “Shout It Out,” my last LP for the label, I sang one song, “Let Your Heart Be Free.” Suddenly the record was getting airplay. The precursor to what we now call the ‘smooth jazz’ format at radio was ‘quiet storm’ and that song fit the format perfectly…”

Just as Patrice was leaving Prestige, she found other labels were becoming more interested in “music with a jazz sensibility. Elektra was starting their jazz fusion department and I was one of first of the four artists signed along with Grover Washington Jr., Lenny White and Donald Byrd. We were the nucleus. Now we were with a bigger machine that we felt was able to capitalize on kind of music we were doing.” Her first Elektra outing, “Patrice” was significant for the L.A.-born artist:

“The first thing I remember was we had a bigger budget. I was like ‘wow’. Of course, by jazz standards, it was bigger but by pop standards, it was not. Anyway, it was big enough for me! The company still wanted me to play and not lose what I had developed musically but they wanted more from me, singing-wise. It was perfect for where I had left off at Prestige. I knew that I at least I would have a shot. Prestige was part of Fantasy Records and unless you were in the rock & roll area, you got very little airplay. I knew that as soon as I came close to R&B and pop, I had to have the machinery in place…”

Noting that she always felt she was “growing as a musician” during her Elektra years, Patrice wrote all the string and horn arrangements for her albums and “had as much creative as I could at that time. I knew I could do my part and with each album, the company gave me more creative freedom. The challenge really came with the requirement to ‘cross over,’ taking my jazz sensibilities to R&B and now make me a pop artist. I thought, at the time, ‘this will be an interesting challenge!’ The people listening to R&B were not all black and it was like a double-edged sword for pop because there was a certain kind of format at radio. I had spent years being myself and I thought I might have to conform in some way but I was up for challenge to try to find what it was about me that was accessible for pop radio…”

Elektra album number two, “Pizzazz” offered a step in that direction with the single “Haven’t You Heard,” her first Top 10 R&B and Top 50 pop chart record. She recalls, “I was floored! The machinery at [distribution company] WEA at that time moved a little slowly. We got some pop airplay in L.A., Washington DC and a little in New York City and we got some response in the U.K. too but it didn’t turn into to mega hit. That was a disappointment although we had handled one goal in getting R&B play…”

Because “Haven’t You Heard” was not a bigger hit, Patrice says she felt that her next album shouldn’t be “so much about pop radio. It was like ‘develop your signature sound and if something happens, maybe the [industry] machine will be in better place. For my own taste, my third album, “Posh” had some real good writing and songs on it. There was probably not one song that, at that time, was really commercial. The main lesson that we learned was that there was not a marketing plan for that album. I saw that I had to take a more active role in marketing for my next record…”

Taking note of “artists that were successful and looking at campaigns they would do that went beyond what the record company would do for you, we saw that independent promotion was involved. I remember, my producer Charles Mims and I went to a meeting with the heads of special marketing and promotion at Elektra. The album, “Straight From The Heart” was completed and handed in. We knew clearly that the song “Forget Me Nots” was a single but the company people sat there and said, ‘we don’t hear anything on here we can do anything with.’ They took it a step further by saying, ‘you probably shouldn’t write your own material. The only people who should be doing that are artists like Luther Vandross.’ Well, I excused myself and went to the ladies room! When I went back to the meeting, they were talking about what the album was not. It was like, ‘we’ll put it out and see what happens.’ Fortunately, Charles and I had collected some data and we got feedback from friends. We believed in “Forget Me Nots” so I took most of my life savings – which was not a lot – and Charles took some of his and we hired an independent promoter to take it and run with it. We had good reason to believe the record company might be wrong. I toured that year also and man, the record took off so fast, faster than ever before and faster than what we expected. “Forget Me Nots” took off like wildfire. Afterwards, the president of the label found out I had used my life savings so he wrote me a check to reimburse me for the money I spent on hiring an independent promotion man!”

Patrice earned two Grammy nominations and found herself with a bona fide hit album. However, the regime at Elektra had changed so she was faced with new challenges. She remembers, “Doing the ‘Now’ album was important because it represented the first time I had worked in my home studio. We were in a technological rebirth as to how records were made and I loved fooling with all that new stuff. Synthesizers had become so advanced that I was able to put my ideas down immediately. When I made ‘Now,’ I was no longer worried about the ‘crossover’ thing. I wanted to get back to the music- making because of all the toys I had. I think my songwriting abilities were much more developed and ‘Now’ was a transitional album like ‘Posh’ was. “Feels So Real” was the single and it was No. 2 on the R&B charts, sandwiched between Prince’s “When Doves Cry” and Jermaine Jackson’s “Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming.” Right about that time, my contract was over and the company wanted to know if I was going to re-up. I had been there for seven years. My question was ‘what are you going to do with the single’ before you talk to me about renewing my contract. I was poised between two powerhouse artists on the the charts and I knew I couldn’t compete without a major machine. I guess it was a friendly standoff with Elektra…”

When “Feels So Real” got only residual pop airplay, Patrice was ready to leave and “suddenly Clive Davis was in my midst. I had meetings with Arista Records and the label had made noise with Whitney Houston and Kenny G. I think Clive was very sincere and I didn’t have any other offers as appealing. I was ready for a change so I went there and did for one album. When I look back on those Elektra years, they were happy ones, a developmental time that brought audience to me in a way that was tremendously rewarding.”

After her brief experience with Arista, Patrice took time out from recording and put her emphasis on composing, mostly for film and television, occasionally performing at small jazz clubs, on special programs and at festivals “where I can do my thing.” About four years ago, she began to write symphonic music and a piece she wrote resulted in a commission to write several pieces for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Over the years, Patrice has written music for five comedy specials for Robert Townsend, has served as musical director and head arranger for the Emmy Awards for the past two years as well as being musical director for the NAACP Image Awards for the last thirteen years. She was responsible for music for the popular “Steve Harvey Show” and worked on BET’s “Walk Of Fame” tribute to Stevie Wonder. “I’ve done a nice variety of things that have allowed me to stretch out and use my skills,” Patrice says. “I still perform and write and it’s nice to get and enjoy respect of my colleagues. I’m still playing with all musical tools in my studio at home and it’s amazing the advances we’ve had. Of course, I have the advantage of having worked in both situations – using equipment like ProTools and back in the day, recording to tape. It’s a tremendous asset to the work I do currently that I have that experience of recording from back in the ‘70s and ‘80s…”

Of course, with such a myriad of activity, the one thing Patrice hasn’t focused in on a while is a brand new album. “I did a record for Sin-Drome in 1994 – entitled “Anything But Ordinary” – and then in 1997, I made “Signature” for Discovery Records, a subsidiary of WEA. That was as a result of a request to do a smooth jazz album but in the time it took to mix and master the album, the company had changed administration and its policies – and when “Signature” came out, they were doing alternative rock instead!”

In line with how so many pioneering artists are thinking, Patrice says she “won’t do another record for another company and put my own money into it and not own it. It’s been a while now but I can say that however I do it, I will participate as an owner in the very next record I make!” With her own website and Internet sites like The Soul Music Store, Patrice can be assured that when she does decide to cut a new album, it will certainly have a receptive and accessible audience worldwide. Until such time, you can check out some of the great music she did back in the day at: http://www.soulmusic.com/R.htm and check on her activities at: http://www.patricerushen.com

Harlepolis said:

WOW!!!! New interviews with two of my all time favorite artists.....Thanks LIL SIS!!!!!

Brother 9/15
[This message was edited Tue Mar 2 10:55:00 2004 by BRO915]

Thanks - I have still have many original vinyl albums by Roy, and he has a good following in the UK.

And good to hear about the further work with Erykah - his contribution on 'Cleva' was lovely.

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