Celebrate the 70th birthday of famed jazz, funk and soul pioneer Roy Ayers with world premieres of commissioned works from The Jazz Mafia, which has re-envisioned Ayers' classic works. The performance will include select students from Harlem School of the Arts.
Though he has gained renown for his funky, soulful and jazzy compositions, Roy Ayers’ signature sound is the vibraphone, incorporated into virtually all elements of his music. With hits such as “Brother Green” and “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” Ayers set the stage for modern R&B artists over the course of his forty plus year career with his innovative use of synthesizers and modern production techniques. Widely considered to be one of the most sampled artists of all time, Ayers’ music continues to engage and inspire audiences of all ages.
The Jazz Mafia Symphony, an intricately woven collective of jazz virtuosos, top MCs, singers, arrangers, and composers that include many of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most innovative and prolific musicians, had a break-through year in 2010. Performing their critically acclaimed 45 piece symphony, “Brass, Bows & Beats” in front of tens of thousands at major festivals including the Montreal and Newport Jazz Festivals.
New York City, NY; NYC