Roy Ayers, J. Rocc, Thundercat - Exchange LA - 11/17/11
See Also:*Thundercat Emerges With His Debut, Co-produced by Flying Lotus
Max Meuleveld Roy Ayers
Homage: Roy Ayers, J. Rocc, Thundercat
Exchange LA
11/17/11
Better than...Organizing my vinyl collection.
In the break between Roy Ayers' two sets at Exchange LA last night, KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad presented the musician with a commendation from the Los Angeles City Council. Ayers is truly a local who did well. The L.A. native is a talented vibraphonist and vocalist who, at 71, has maintained a successful career for decades. He's also one of the musicians whose work became the foundation of hip-hop.
Even if you don't know Ayers by name, you will recognize his music, particularly the jam "Everybody Loves the Sunshine," which has been sampled frequently. He is beloved by DJs, producers and musicians. Thursday night's event, titled "Homage," was the best example of that. Exchange was packed, filled with generations of music fans, all there to catch Ayers joined by a full band that
Max Meuleveld Thundercat included renowned hip-hop producer Pete Rock was to include Pete Rock, though the hip-hop producer was unable to attend due to the death of his cousin, Heavy D.
The concept was great, and the connection between hip-hop and jazz -- not to mention the connection between musicians and DJs -- was on display. Opening for Ayers were DJ J. Rocc and up-and-coming bassist/vocalist Thundercat, who performed with a full band. Downstairs, DJs played soul, jazz, funk and Latin sounds for a crowd of serious dancers.
The one problem was the venue. Exchange is primarily a dance club. Its sound system is set up for optimal DJ performance. Bands, on the other hand, sound muddy from in front of the stage. There's a passageway directly behind the stage where the sound is better. There are two plexiglass windows, which provide a decent, close-up, behind-the-scenes view of the stage. There were a few of us crowded around the windows for Ayers' set.
Thundercat, whose jazz-funk influences clearly point to Ayers, opened the night with a bang. Joined on stage by two keyboardists, a drummer, a saxophonist and a second bassist, he played an intense set, the kind where you could lose yourself in the rhythm.
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Exchange LA
618 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA
Category: Music
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