Obituary: Roy Ayers, musician
Roy Ayers, US funk, soul and jazz composer and vibraphone player, during a live concert performance at the Kool Jazz Festival, at the Riverfront Stadium in Cincinatti, Ohio, USA, in July 1976. Photo: Getty Imaes
Jazz composer Roy Ayers was as known for the music his songs ended up in as he was for his own work. Mary J. Blige, N.W.A., Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Mos Def and Ice Cube all sampled the vibraphonist, keyboardist, composer and vocalist's 1976 Everybody Loves the Sunshine, and Ayers believed that he had more sampled hits than anyone, even the much re-utilised James Brown. The Los Angeles-born Ayers started out as a session player in the 1960s but found fame after striking out on his own. His blend of jazz and funk struck a chord just as disco was emerging and songs like Running Away and You Send Me were hits. Ever in demand as a musical collaborator, Ayers worked with artists as diverse as Rick James and Tyler the Creator. Roy Ayers died on March 4 aged 84. — APL/agencies
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