Roy Ayers Ubiquity - Mystic Voyage (1975)

Depending on who you talk to, 1975's "Mystic Voyage" is either a classic or an example of a talented musician lowering his standards in order to make more money. Many funk and soul aficionados consider Mystic Voyage a classic, and the album has been sampled extensively by hip-hop and acid jazz artists. But jazz snobs have about as much use for Mystic Voyage as they have for George Benson's Breezin' and Patrice Rushen's Pizzazz, both of which found artists who used to specialize in straight-ahead jazz burning up the Billboard charts with more commercial music. Mystic Voyage doesn't pretend to be jazz; its primary focus is R&B, and it must be judged by R&B standards instead of jazz standards. Judging Mystic Voyage by jazz standards is like ordering a pizza and complaining that it doesn't taste like Vietnamese food; pizza isn't supposed to resemble Vietnamese cuisine, and similarly, Mystic Voyage isn't meant to impress jazz's hardcore. The only tune on the album that has anything to do with jazz is the title track, a laid-back pop-jazz instrumental that became a favorite with the quiet storm crowd. But Mystic Voyage is dominated by vocal-oriented R&B, and that includes gritty funk items like "Funky Motion," "Evolution," and "Spirit of Doo Do," as well as Ashford & Simpson's mellow "Take All the Time You Need." Although Mystic Voyage is a favorite among Ayers fans, it isn't the best R&B-oriented album that he recorded in the 1970s -- Vibrations and Everybody Loves the Sunshine are actually stronger and more essential. But it's definitely enjoyable and pleasing if you fancy 1970s soul and funk and aren't a jazz snob.

Track listing

01.  "Brother Green (The Disco King)"   (Edwin Birdsong, Roy Ayers)  - 5:35 
02.  "Mystic Voyage"   (Roy Ayers)  - 3:39 
03.  "A Wee Bit"   (Calvin Brown)  - 2:45 
04.  "Take All The Time You Need"   (Ashford & Simpson)  - 5:34 
05.  "Evolution"   (Roy Ayers)  - 4:34 
06.  "Life Is Just A Moment - Part 1"   (Chano O'Ferral, Roy Ayers)  - 4:06 
07.  "Life Is Just A Moment - Part 2"   (Chano O'Ferral, Roy Ayers)  - 2:32 
08.  "Funky Motion"   (Ronnie Foster)  - 3:10 
09.  "Spirit Of Doo Doo"   (Edwin Birdsong)  - 6:00 
10.  "The Black Five"   (Roy Ayers)  - 3:57 

Credits
Vibraphone, Lead Vocals, Synthesizer [Arp], Electric Piano, Clavinet, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Roy Ayers
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Chicas
Vocals [Special Guest] – Edwin Birdsong
Bass, Backing Vocals – Byron Miller
Congas, Bongos – Chano O'Ferral
Drums – Ricky Lawson
Guitar, Vocals – Calvin Brown
Percussion – Willie Michael
Soprano Saxophone – Joe Brazil
Arranged By – Roy Ayers
Arranged By [Strings] – Onzy Matthews
Art Direction – Sheri Leverich
Engineer [Assistant, Electric Lady Studio] – Neal Teeman
Engineer [Electric Lady Studio] – Ralph Moss
Engineer [Kaye-smith/van Ackeren Studios] – Buzz Richmond
Mastered By – SJR
Photography By [Black & White] – David Rawcliffe
Photography By [Color] – Joel Brodsky
Illustration – Robert Hickson
Programmed By [Arp] – P. Craig Turner
Recorded By [Kaye-smith/van Ackeren Studios] – Ron Gangnes
Producer – Roy Ayers

Notes
This album is dedicated to the memory of Julian "Cannonball" Adderly and to his musical contribution to this world.
Recorded at Kaye-Smith/Van Ackeren Studios, Seattle, Washington and Electric Lady Studio, N.Y.
Genre: Jazz-Funk, Soul
Length:
Label: Polydor Records

© 1975