On 3rd March, Ayers takes to the stage in the Barbican alongside some very special guests including Tru Thoughts own Nostalgia 77.
Now in his fourth decade in the music business, Roy Ayers, known as the Godfather of Neo-soul, continues to bridge the gap between generations of music lovers. In the 60’s he was an award-winning jazz vibraphonist, and transformed into a popular R&B band leader in the 70’s/80’s.
Nostalgia 77, aka Ben Lamdin, emerged in 2002 as a collector and sampler of jazz records before going on to expand his concept group to form a live band, The Nostalgia 77 Octet. Their debut album ‘Sevens and Eights’ was recorded in 2006, boasting album tracks like “Freedom” and went on to win the ‘Jazz Album of The Year’ at Gilles Peterson’s 2006 Worldwide Awards. Alongside his work with the Nostalgia 77 live band, Lamdin has collaborated with a wide-ranging selection of musicians including famed singer songwriter Jeb Loy Nichols and British improvisational jazz legends Keith Tippett and Julie Tippetts.
Collaborating with Mike “Prince Fatty” Pelanconi to illuminate the shared roots and spirit of rebellion at the heart of dub and jazz, 2014’s renowned ‘In The Kingdom of Dub’ was born. With tastemaker support including reviews from The Wire, Clash, Q, DJ Mag and Blues & Soul, official playlisting on BBC 6Music and support from Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), this energetic and transporting listen celebrated and built upon the cultural beauty of Lamdin’s diverse, decade-spanning repertoire. Since releasing his last album ‘Measures’,the title track of which Guy Garvey (BBC 6 Music) called “a fantastic record”, Lamdin has been writing, recording and producing records for artists including Jamie Cullum, Jerry David DeCicca, The Last Poets and for his side project Game Show withTim Giles (drums) and Matthew Bourne (piano).
