roy ayers, adrian younge and ali shaheed muhammad: jazz is dead 002
Francisco Espregueira
Around the same time the legendary vibraphone genius of Roy Ayers performed four sold out shows in Los Angeles, as part of the Jazz Is Dead Black History Month series, he was joining forces with the mighty knowledge and talent of the duo Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. The result is an entire album, the second in the Jazz Is Dead collection.
Over the last few years Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad have been making music with the masters, composing and producing brand new albums with their heroes. The first installment of the series dropped back in March, featuring Ayers himself, Gary Bartz, Azymuth, Marcos Valle and other legendary names. Over the course of its eight original compositions, the second part made in collaboration with Roy Ayers, sounds startling, new and unexpected. Like an unearthed an unreleased album from Ayers’ classic period in the 1970s.
Jazz Is Dead 002 is an album that testifies to the love not only of a legendary musician’s legacy, but to the vitality and necessity of this music and these sounds in the present era. Available in vinyl