No need to give the whole spiel here, I'll just state for the record that this is a classic LP whether you're slicing a loaf of Jazz, Funk, Soul, or Hip-Hop. My two copies are worn and tattered but still make the trip out to gigs with me on the regular. It may be "Brother Green" on one night, a NYC b-boy landmark with the Ultimate Breaks & Beats merit badge. Or on another it could be the smooth skull snapper "The Black Five," sampled relentlessly in the early '90s. Mostly I return to "Life Is Just a Moment," a two-part jam that musically and lyrically hits the spot every time: Life is just a moment so you better enjoy it, ya heard? Roy and lady singer Chicas trade lead vocals on about half of the tracks, letting the band breathe on suave (and heavily tapped) grooves like "Evolution" and "Mystic Voyage." The remainder of the ten tracks continue to illustrate a prototype for jazz-funk that is still being worked over today, almost 30 years down the line. Come on, any record with titles like "Spirit of Doo Doo" and "Funky Motion" has got to be good. Might be my favorite Roy Ayers LP and that's saying a whole lot.

• black vinyl pressing
• original release year: 1975
• music label: Polydor

reviewed by monk 05/2005