Roy Ayers Ubiquity: "Ubiquity"

Next to “He’s Coming,” this is the rarest of the Roy Ayers Ubiquity LP’s, and also is one of the best.  The production on this album is rawer and hazier than it would be on his subsequent work, and with Roy’s vibes being run through a fuzz pedal for a majority of the record, that rugged energy suits the material perfectly.  There are many Ayers classics here, including the anthemic “Pretty Brown Skin” and the low-down grunginess of “The Fuzz.”  It’s the so-called album cuts, however, that I find myself gravitating to upon repeated listens, with “Love,” “Hummin” and “Painted Desert” being among my personal favorites.  The band interplay throughout this record is spectacular; longtime Ayers associate Harry Whitaker contributes keyboards that are both ethereal and intense, as well as being a perfect foil for Roy’s fuzzed-out vibes tones, and Alphonse Mouzon drives the whole thing with his relentless yet subtle drumming.  This isn’t one of Ayers’ most popular LP’s, but its underground, almost lo-fi atmosphere makes it all the more wonderful for those with open ears and minds.