Alim/BBE Vinyl & CDs

Review: With both tracks now coming out for the first time on 7" vinyl, the 'Liquid Love' and 'What's The T?' 7" single is a must get for all Roy Ayers fans and serious music collectors, not least as 2023 witnesses Roy's final ever tour of live dates. This release is a fitting tribute to the career of one of the most influential musicians in global Black music history and each track represents his virtuosity as a vibesman and his versatility across genres. 'Liquid Love' is taken from the 2015 BBE released album of Roy's unreleased material, Virgin Ubiquity II and is a wicked mid-tempo track where Roy's vibraphone complements an amazing female vocal arrangement to create harmonies and melody over a tough-as-you-like breakbeat, bassline and keyboard riff.

Review: Here's something to set the pulse racing: an all-star re-recording of Universal Robot Band's boogie classic "Barely Breaking Even" that brings together Masters At Work man Louie Vega, original vocalist and arranger Leroy Burgess, iconic disco producer Patrick Adams and an impressive backing band of hired musicians including Michael Kelley (better known in electronic music circles as Metro Area collaborator Kelley Polar). While there are plenty of audible nods towards the early '80s original - extensive use of cowbells, that oh-so familiar synth sound - the re-recording is altogether warmer, fuller and a more contemporary sounding affair rich in sweeping orchestration and tactile synth bass. Both the edited vocal and instrumental versions are superb.