Stoned Soul Picnic is vibraphonist Roy Ayers’ third and probably best solo album, made in 1968 while he was still a part of Herbie Mann’s group. The album dates from the earlier part of Roy Ayers’ career as a leader, before he delved heavily into R&B and Funk fusions and instead concentrated more on Soul-Jazz grooves.

Producer Herbie Mann, a talent scout pur sang, assembled an exceptional septet for Ayers with Gary Bartz on alto sax, arranger Charles Tolliver on trumpet/flugelhorn, Hubert Laws on flute, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter or Miroslav Vitous on bass and Grady Tate on drums.

The program is a typical late 1960s menu, heavy on such Top 40 pop covers as the dated “Stoned Soul Picnic”, “For Once In My Life” and “What The People Say”. Ayers plays some of his finest-ever work on two modal originals: the lovely “A Rose For Cindy” and Tolliver’s waltz “Lil’s Paradise”.