VIBRATIONS

In the digging world, is there a more solid musical catalog than that of Roy Ayers Ubiquity? The catalog starts strong with the iconic Hes Coming and ends strong with the equally iconic Lifeline. Theres no late seventies fizzle like other decade spanning artists, and everything in between seems to be a diggers staple. 1976s Vibrations is Ubiquitys penultimate record. What always impressed me about this particular album is the diversity of musical styles from track to track. I havent listened to this in a couple years, and Im taken back by its unusual flow. Yeah, we all know about the Pete Rock-sampled Searchin, but followed by the hard funk of One Sweet Love To Remember; the breezy title track (almost like a sequel to Everybody Loves The Sunshine); the spastic boogie of Moving, Grooving; to the hard midtempo drums of Baby You Give Me A Feeling... it becomes an inseparable part of the bigger picture. Youll find the theme on the equally strong A-side, check Domelo, Baby I Need Your Love and Higher for a taste. Always loved the grainy cover photography too. 11 tracks in all, recommended.