Coffy

Music by Roy Ayers

 

 

 

 

 

Vibraphonist Roy Ayers was one soul musician that has divided his act between jazz and the demands pop from the 60s and 70s. Began piano studies in childhood. In adolescence was presented with a vibraphone by Lionel Hamptom, one of the greatest jazz vibraphonists, a fact that reoriented the career of the young Ayers.

In 1970 set up his own group, the Roy Ayers Ubiquity which counted with the presence of great black music instrumentists such as Omar Hakim, Billy Cobham and Alphonse Mouzon. In this period of effervescence of black power culture, Ayers composed the soundtrack for the adventure Coffy (1973), grade B production by American International. Coffy is today properly raised to the status of cult movie for several reasons: starring Pamela Grier, star of several blaxploitation films, also has Syd Haig (Captain Spaulding on the 70's!) as a memorable villain and above all the great Roy Ayer´s music as one of its high points. From opening track, the swinging Coffy is the Color, to tracks for action as King's Last Ride, the soundtrack is rich in its instrumental soul, and this mainly due to the ever present electric bass lines, and the dynamic and jazzy touch of Ayers on vibraphone. The inevitable soul ballads are also present in Coffy Sauna and Making Love, this with a splendid romantic-psychedelic feel (some flute and harpsichord). For its turn, the track Aragon, with its throbbin bass and the urgent touch of metal would be the greatest funk ever written for the screen, and with the alternating solos of electric and acoustic piano, develops to an incredible jazzy dimension. Some tracks have been used by Quentin Tarantino in Jackie Brown soundtrack, not coincidentally also starring Pam Grier.