Tonight's Jazz Feature is a tribute to the late vibraphonist Roy Ayers. Roy passed away recently on March 4,2025 at age 84. Although he was more famous for a style called Neo Jazz/Funk Fusion and had many hit recordings we're going to return to his more than promising debut album called "West Coast Vibes". It was done before Roy moved to that other area which he gained the most fame. Roy proved on this debut album that he was a new fresh voice of the vibraphone. It was recorded in July of 1963 in Los Angeles, Roy's home town with the fine tenor and soprano saxophonist Curtis Amy, the fine pianist Jack Wilson, Bill Plummer or Victor Gaskin on bass and Tony Bazley or Kenny Dennis on drums. The album wa produced by the great Jazz writer, Leonard Feather and gives us 10 tunes mixing standards with original compositions. "West Coast Vibes" is a fine debut for someone who went a long way in music and never lost the respect of his peers. Enjoy!
