Latest news with #RunningAway
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Actor Marcus Harris publishes first novel after stroke
An actor known to audiences in the 1970s as one of Enid Blyton's Famous Five has released his first Harris played Julian in ITV's adaptation, which was filmed in the New Forest and Dorset in 1978 and 1979, and has also served as the mayor of Wallingford in Harris said he was driven to write his thriller, Running Away, two-and-a-half years ago after he suffered a doing so, he fulfilled a lifelong ambition to get a book published. "I have always wanted to write and I have always been writing and had a number of things rejected by various agents and publishers," Mr Harris told BBC Radio Solent."Two-and-a-half years ago I got out of bed on a Saturday morning and I hit the bedroom floor and luckily my wife got me into hospital within the hour because I had had a major stroke."I took five-and-a-half hours to come through it – my wife was told I was probably not going to make it and the family was assembled."As I woke up and come round having survived with no detriment at all, I thought, what are the things I haven't done with my life?"Mr Harris said he looked back fondly on the summers spent filming the Blyton classic."To live in Exbury and to film in the New Forest and Dorset for two years was just an amazing experience," he said."To live in a hotel and be treated like celebrities – that we weren't at that stage – was just absolutely phenomenal."He said once the programme ended, he suffered a "huge crash" – but that being recognised on the street "made for an interesting couple of years". You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Washington Post
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Everybody vibed with Roy Ayers
There's a kind of hip, laid-back, feel-good mood that we call 'vibing.' The vibraphone isn't the source of that slang term, but the instrument has a strong claim on epitomizing it anyway. Its metallic, resonant sound is so inherently cool and mellow that even its lightning-fast virtuosos — mainly in jazz, where the vibes most often appear — sound more chilled-out than they really are. Roy Ayers, who died March 4 at 84, understood this perhaps better than any other vibraphonist. He had the chops to run rings around many of his peers, and he did just that as a sideman on some of the hardest-grooving soul jazz of the 1960s. But when he broke through in the '70s as a name artist and as a crossover jazz-funk hitmaker, it was as the metaphoric ice cube in a hot drink. In doing so, Ayers taught us all how to vibe. You can hear it in his breakthrough record, the soundtrack to the 1973 blaxploitation classic 'Coffy.' All the requirements for blazing-hot funk to break out are there in the movie's theme: energetic drums, slippery bass, percussive guitar and horns. Yet there sits Ayers, putting tranquil chords into the rhythmic accents, keeping the whole thing at a simmer rather than a boil. (Even his solo, which carries a lot of oomph, goes down with the cool sensation of a rainfall.) As Ayers's star rose, so did the cool in his music; the simmer went down. By the time of his signature hit, 1976's 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine,' he had mastered it so thoroughly that the song didn't need a vibraphone solo: Even the instrument's accents are barely noticeable, washed out in the mix by guitar and Fender Rhodes. Yet the mellowness they brought to Ayers's music is the whole ballgame. And look how Ayers described the atmosphere surrounding the tune's creation: 'The sun was down, but the vibe in the studio was really nice,' he told the Guardian in 2017. 'Pure vibes.' He knew what he and his instrument represented when they came together. It translated easily to Ayers's other landmark tunes, such as 1976's 'Searching' — which even restored the burning horns that 'Sunshine' stripped out but achieved a similarly chill result. The next year's 'Running Away' brought Ayers a genuine dance club hit, the kind that merited a longer version on a 12-inch record. Those are the versions where we really expect the song's kinetic energy to throttle up to 11. Instead, though, the big feature of 'Running Away's' extended mix is … a vibraphone solo. It plays right into the groove, offering a lyrical complement to the propulsive rhythm. But make no mistake: It's a coolant, and it feels like one. Ayers tapped into a tremendous power when he put the chill-out into funk and dance music. There's a reason that version of him became a musical and cultural force. His recordings are part of the foundation of contemporary R&B and hip-hop. The likes of Jay-Z, a Tribe Called Quest, Mary J. Blige and Jill Scott have all woven samples of Ayers's tracks into their own. 'Sunshine' alone is a cottage industry; 'Searching' isn't far behind. When the jazz-rap pioneer Guru wanted to create that vibe, he bypassed the samples and got the man himself. Ayers appeared on the seminal 1993 hip-hop album 'Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1' and subsequently toured with Guru. In all cases, Ayers's presence comes with a mission to turn the temperature of the music down — to create a vibe. Ayers's vibe was one that never ceased to be relevant. In 2018 he even landed the gig that's become the signifier of musical-cultural relevance in the United States: an NPR Tiny Desk concert. Then 77 years old, Ayers was flanked by a much younger trio of jazz-, funk- and hip-hop-schooled musicians. In his hands, though, they were slowed-down, relaxed, riding a gentle groove. They were vibing.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Roy Ayers, a jazz legend who influenced hip-hop and R&B musicians, dies at 84
NEW YORK (AP) — Roy Ayers, a legendary jazz vibraphonist, keyboardist, composer and vocalist known for his spacy, funky 1976 hit 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine' that has been sampled by such R&B and rap heavyweights as Mary J. Blige, N.W.A., Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Mos Def and Ice Cube, has died. He was 84. The Ayers family said in a Facebook post that he died Tuesday in New York City after suffering from a long illness. 'He lived a beautiful 84 years and will be sorely missed,' it said. Ayers had 12 albums land in the Billboard 200 album charts, the highest being 'You Send Me' in 1978 at No. 48. His 'The Best of Roy Ayers' spend 50 weeks on the Contemporary Jazz Album chart. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. His music never went out of style, appearing in the 2019 'Queen & Slim: The Soundtrack.' His song 'Running Away' propelled A Tribe Called Quest's 1989 opus 'Description of a Fool,' and the song was sampled by Big Daddy Kane and Common. Ayers was heard on Tyler, the Creator's album 'Cherry Bomb' and Erykah Badu's 'Mama's Gun.' 'Well, I have more sampled hits than anybody," he said in a 2004 interview with Wax Poetics magazine. "I might not have more samples than James Brown, but I've had more sampled hits. Oh, man, and there's a few I don't know about.' One of Ayers' most popular albums was "Lifeline," which peaked at No. 9 on what has become the Top R&B/Hip-hop chart in 1977 and contained the hit 'Running Away,' which peaked at No. 19 on the R&B chart and became a massive club hit. During a visit to Johannesburg in 2017, Ayers offered some rhythmic advice for youth in the city's Soweto area: Get serious, be inspired, rap on, keep on and 'eventually you'll get it.' 'You guys, you have to pick your plateau. Get serious about everything,' said Ayers. He also named a few musicians who have inspired him: Nigerian Fela Kuti ('he was really like a genius'), Herbie Mann ('he taught me the business') and Miles Davis ('He was the coolest. He was the grandmaster. He was out of sight'). After debuting on record with hard bop tenor saxophonist Curtis Amy's group in 1962, he teamed with jazz flutist Mann to record three albums for Atlantic Records — 'Virgo Vibes,' 'Stoned Soul Picnic' and 'Daddy Bug' — and wrote and produced the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film 'Coffy' starring Pam Grier. He also moved on to work with David 'Fathead' Newman, the tenor mainstay of Ray Charles' great '60s orchestra. In 2017, he appeared alongside such acts as Tom Petty, the Shins, Alabama Shakes, Charles Bradley and William Bell at the eclectic Arroyo Seco Festival in Los Angeles. Ayers is survived by his wife Argerie, and their children Mtume and Ayana Ayers.
Boston Globe
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Roy Ayers, a jazz legend who influenced hip-hop and R&B musicians, dies at 84
His music never went out of style, appearing in the 2019 'Queen & Slim: The Soundtrack.' His song 'Running Away' propelled A Tribe Called Quest's 1989 opus 'Description of a Fool,' and the song was sampled by Big Daddy Kane and Common. Ayers was heard on Tyler, the Creator's album 'Cherry Bomb' and Erykah Badu's 'Mama's Gun.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'Well, I have more sampled hits than anybody,' he said in a 2004 interview with Wax Poetics magazine. 'I might not have more samples than James Brown, but I've had more sampled hits. Oh, man, and there's a few I don't know about.' Advertisement One of Ayers' most popular albums was 'Lifeline,' which peaked at No. 9 on what has become the Top R&B/Hip-hop chart in 1977 and contained the hit 'Running Away,' which peaked at No. 19 on the R&B chart and became a massive club hit. During a visit to Johannesburg in 2017, Ayers offered some rhythmic advice for youth in the city's Soweto area: Get serious, be inspired, rap on, keep on and 'eventually you'll get it.' 'You guys, you have to pick your plateau. Get serious about everything,' said Ayers. He also named a few musicians who have inspired him: Nigerian Fela Kuti ('he was really like a genius'), Herbie Mann ('he taught me the business') and Miles Davis ('He was the coolest. He was the grandmaster. He was out of sight'). After debuting on record with hard bop tenor saxophonist Curtis Amy's group in 1962, he teamed with jazz flutist Mann to record three albums for Atlantic Records — 'Virgo Vibes,' 'Stoned Soul Picnic' and 'Daddy Bug' — and wrote and produced the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film 'Coffy' starring Pam Grier. He also moved on to work with David 'Fathead' Newman, the tenor mainstay of Ray Charles' great '60s orchestra. Advertisement In 2017, he appeared alongside such acts as Tom Petty, the Shins, Alabama Shakes, Charles Bradley and William Bell at the eclectic Arroyo Seco Festival in Los Angeles. Ayers is survived by his wife Argerie, and their children Mtume and Ayana Ayers.
The Independent
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Roy Ayers, a jazz legend who influenced hip-hop and R&B musicians, dies at 84
Roy Ayers, a legendary jazz vibraphonist, keyboardist, composer and vocalist known for his spacy, funky 1976 hit 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine' that has been sampled by such R&B and rap heavyweights as Mary J. Blige, N.W.A., Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Mos Def and Ice Cube, has died. He was 84. The Ayers family said in a Facebook post that he died Tuesday in New York City after suffering from a long illness. 'He lived a beautiful 84 years and will be sorely missed,' it said. Ayers had 12 albums land in the Billboard 200 album charts, the highest being 'You Send Me' in 1978 at No. 48. His 'The Best of Roy Ayers' spend 50 weeks on the Contemporary Jazz Album chart. His music never went out of style, appearing in the 2019 'Queen & Slim: The Soundtrack.' His song 'Running Away' propelled A Tribe Called Quest's 1989 opus 'Description of a Fool,' and the song was sampled by Big Daddy Kane and Common. Ayers was heard on Tyler, the Creator's album 'Cherry Bomb' and Erykah Badu's 'Mama's Gun.' 'Well, I have more sampled hits than anybody," he said in a 2004 interview with Wax Poetics magazine. "I might not have more samples than James Brown, but I've had more sampled hits. Oh, man, and there's a few I don't know about.' One of Ayers' most popular albums was "Lifeline," which peaked at No. 9 on what has become the Top R&B/Hip-hop chart in 1977 and contained the hit 'Running Away,' which peaked at No. 19 on the R&B chart and became a massive club hit. During a visit to Johannesburg in 2017, Ayers offered some rhythmic advice for youth in the city's Soweto area: Get serious, be inspired, rap on, keep on and 'eventually you'll get it.' 'You guys, you have to pick your plateau. Get serious about everything,' said Ayers. He also named a few musicians who have inspired him: Nigerian Fela Kuti ('he was really like a genius'), Herbie Mann ('he taught me the business') and Miles Davis ('He was the coolest. He was the grandmaster. He was out of sight'). After debuting on record with hard bop tenor saxophonist Curtis Amy's group in 1962, he teamed with jazz flutist Mann to record three albums for Atlantic Records — 'Virgo Vibes,' 'Stoned Soul Picnic' and 'Daddy Bug' — and wrote and produced the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film 'Coffy' starring Pam Grier. He also moved on to work with David 'Fathead' Newman, the tenor mainstay of Ray Charles' great '60s orchestra. In 2017, he appeared alongside such acts as Tom Petty, the Shins, Alabama Shakes, Charles Bradley and William Bell at the eclectic Arroyo Seco Festival in Los Angeles. Ayers is survived by his wife Argerie, and their children Mtume and Ayana Ayers.
