Red, Black & Green

Released in 1973 on Polydor, Red, Black & Green represents a crucial developmental stage for Roy Ayers Ubiquity. While Ayers would later become the 'Godfather of Neo-Soul' with more polished, disco-adjacent hits, this record finds him deeply immersed in the gritty, analog jazz-funk of the early 70s. The album is notable for its ambitious reinterpretations of contemporary soul classics like Bill Withers' 'Ain't No Sunshine' and The Temptations' 'Papa Was a Rolling Stone,' stripping them of their pop urgency and replacing it with a fluid, improvisational jazz sensibility. The title itself reflects the Black Power movement's colors, signaling a period of cultural awareness that permeated the jazz world at the time. Sonically, the album is a bridge between the post-bop jazz of Ayers' early career and the heavy-sampling 'rare groove' sound that would later define 90s acid jazz and hip-hop production. It remains one of his most atmospheric and cohesive long-players.