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5.0 out of 5 stars
Grooves Guaranteed -- Can't Stop Listening!, Mar 5 2004
I usually view "unreleased recordings" with suspicion. After all, if they weren't released in the first place, then something must have been wrong with them. Right?In the case of "Virgin Ubiquity," song selections were culled from a massive amount of master tapes that Roy was able to keep back in the day (thanks to the negotiating of a shrewd lawyer). These songs are not throwaways or filler. In many cases, they even top the quality of material that Roy did release in the late 70s. And for this reason, "Virgin Ubiquity" is a holy grail for true Ayers (and even current acid jazz and neosoul fans), in both theory and reality. Memorable songs include the perfect "Boogie Down," with an irresistable swirling groove that will make you wonder why Roy never released it. It's already a classic in my eyes. Then there's "Brand New Feeling," which stretches nearly 10 minutes long with the sound that Ayers fan clamor for. (Some minor vocal pitch issues and one small/amusing lyrics slip-up warrant its unreleased status.) The vocals by Sylvia Cox are truly passion-fueled and intense, and Roy's comments about her and why she split from the band (in the great liner notes) will increase the mystery and, perhaps, tragicness behind this powerful performance. Virgin Ubiquity does an excellent job at spotlighting Roy's female vocalists, even more than his own vibes work. Especially in the case of Merry Clayton, the infamous 70s session singer, who sings lead on 6 of the CD's 13 cuts. (Other featured vocalists include Cox, Carla Vaughn and Dianne Ventner.) The potent, gruff-voiced Clayton shines on each track she touches -- especially on the William Allen-penned "Oh What a Lonely Feeling." An earlier comment made that these songs sound like "Running Away" remakes is simply not true since most are more mellow or mid-tempo than dancefloor-oriented. So for fans who prefer Roy's uptempo stuff, this might be the only downfall. If you are a fan of Ayers albums like "Everybody Loves the Sunshine," "Fever," "Let's Do It," "Searching" and everything else from '76 up to '82 (including the Ramp, Wayne Henderson & "Starbooty" releases), you'll find even more to love on "Virgin Ubiquity." You might even like it better than some of the aforementioned. Guaranteed. djsoulsister.com
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