Roy Ayers (1940–2025) was an American vibraphonist, composer, and producer who debuted with the 1963 UA release West Coast Vibes. Amid backing credits with Herbie Mann, Ayers cut the 1967–69 Atlantic albums Virgo Vibes, Stoned Soul Picnic, and Daddy Bug. In 1969/70, the Roy Ayers Quartet (with Sonny Sharrock and Miroslav Vitous) cut two albums […]
Edwin Birdsong (Aug. 22, 1941 — Jan. 21, 2019) was an American R&B-funk keyboardist from Los Angeles who released two albums and five singles on Polydor between 1971 and 1973, followed by a one-off on Bam-Boo Records in 1975. A deal with Philadelphia International Records yielded three 1978 singles and an eponymous fourth album in […]
RAMP was an American soul-funk band from Cincinnati that released the album Come Into Knowledge on ABC Blue Thumb in 1977. Their name was an acronym for Roy Ayers Music Productions. Members: John Manuel (drums), Landy Shores (guitar), Nate White (bass), Sharon Matthews (vocals), Sibel Thrasher (vocals), Kia Bennett (vocals), Desiree Jordan (vocals) Background RAMP […]
