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The Blackbyrds – City Life & Unfinished Business
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Artist……………: The Blackbyrds
Album…………….: City Life & Unfinished Business
Genre…………….: Jazz-Funk
Source……………: CD
Year……………..: 1975
Ripper……………: Exact Audio Copy (Secure mode)
Codec…………….: Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC)
Version…………..: reference libFLAC 1.2.1 20070917
Quality…………..: Lossless, (avg. compression: 63 %)
Channels………….: Stereo / 44100 HZ / 16 Bit
Tags……………..: VorbisComment
Information……….:
Ripped by…………: Flabbergast on 1/23/2008
Posted by…………: AJ Productions on 12/22/2010
News Server……….:
News Group(s)……..:
Included………….: NFO, M3U, LOG, CUE
Covers……………: Front Back CD
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Tracklisting
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1. The Blackbyrds – Rock Creek Park [04:40]
2. The Blackbyrds – Thankful Bout Yourself [05:13]
3. The Blackbyrds – City Life [05:25]
4. The Blackbyrds – All I Ask [03:55]
5. The Blackbyrds – Happy Music [04:58]
6. The Blackbyrds – Love So Fine [05:03]
7. The Blackbyrds – Flying High [03:33]
8. The Blackbyrds – Hash and Eggs [05:10]
9. The Blackbyrds – Time Is Movin [04:45]
10. The Blackbyrds – In Life [05:15]
11. The Blackbyrds – Enter In [04:41]
12. The Blackbyrds – Youve Got That Something [04:18]
13. The Blackbyrds – Party Land [05:20]
14. The Blackbyrds – Lady [06:31]
15. The Blackbyrds – Unfinished Business [05:53]
Playing Time………: 01:14:47
Total Size………..: 477.36 MB
NFO generated on…..: 2/10/2013 4:45:33 PM
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City Life by Daryl Easlea bbc.co.uk
City Life, The Blackbyrds’ third album, is a textbook example of what
we now know as jazz funk. By 1975 the group, who had all met as
founder Donald Byrd’s students at Howard University, had got their
sound down pat and City Life married the group’s bravura jazz playing
with gritty boogaloo and their trademark in-unison vocals.
Many will recall City Life for its two big hits: Happy Music and Rock
Creek Park. The former – which reached the US top 20 – is a
brooding, urban beauty that nods towards Isaac Hayes’ Theme from
Shaft, but then breaks off with its infectious vocal refrain.
It is impossible to hear Rock Creek Park without visualising formation
dances in white-sock soul clubs throughout the UK. The song, about
the public space in their hometown of Washington DC, is a splendid,
Latin-influenced stomper that never outstays its welcome.
Bassist Joe Hall and drummer Keith Kilgo keep the groove irresistibly
watertight throughout, giving saxophonist Stephen Johnson plenty of
room to improvise, which is most evident on Thankful ‘Bout Yourself.
Its writer, guitarist Orville Saunders, showcases his impeccable rhythm
and lead playing.
However, unlike certain groups of a similar ilk, you never feel that
anyone here is trying to steal another’s limelight. The woozy, floating
vibe throughout thrives on a precise mixture of taut rhythm and soulful
jamming.
There is plenty of light and shade: the quiet storm of Love So Fine is a
perfect smoocher, while Hash and Eggs is a hard-hitting jam. The
Blackbyrds are one of several groups, alongside The Fatback Band
and Kool and the Gang, who truly make a claim for being the sound of
the sidewalk: keyboard player Kevin Toney’s City Life is a swaggering
soundtrack to a stroll downtown.
Unfinished Business From jazzmusicarchives.com
The Blackbyrd’s music ranged from funk jazz to dance grooves for the
disco, but in their hands such different styles sounded unified and
almost identical due to the Byrd’s ultra smooth, yet relentless groove
that drove every song they did. Sometimes referred to as a proto-
disco band, the Byrd’s didn’t have the heavy thud of the later disco
trend, but their subtle implied four on the floor beat could fill the dance
floors in the mid-70s. The rhythm section of Joe Hall on bass with
Keith Killgo on drums was poetry in motion that floated like a butterfly
while laying a solid groove for the icing on the cake, Orville Saunders’
driving repetitive chicken scratch guitar parts that grab you and never
let go. Make no mistake, “Unfinished Business” is music for the dance
floor, but there are also plenty of great jazz solos from folks like Ernie
Watts and Ray Parker for those who just want to listen.
There are a couple of standout cuts on here that may be of interest
to the collector of exotic rare groove; “Enter In” features a lengthy
solo on an old analog synth that struggles to stay in tune while fighting
against an extra thick coating of reverb, nice kitsch value on that one,
and album closer “Unfinished Business” is excellent instrumental funk
jazz with a killer guitar riff backed by a pretty repeating melody on the
vibraphone and topped with a funky sax solo. Probably the best cut on
the album though is the opener “Time is Movin”, once again Saunders’
guitar riffing is the star and the rest of the band falls in step while
keyboardist Kevin Tony plays a hot solo on the B3. Throwing a party?
Get rid of those tired old hits and put this on instead, your guests will
thank you.
City Life’s only questionable moment is Flying High: a little too smooth
and polished, it’s akin to incidental music from a 70s quiz show. That
said, you cannot deny its catchiness, so typical of the whole album.
If you ever wonder what The Blackbyrds are all about, City Life is the
place to start. It’s a joyously funky record.
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