Night Birds (album)

Last updated

Night Birds
Night Birds (album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 1982
StudioJacobs Studios (Surrey)
Pye Studio II (London)
Genre Jazz-Funk, crossover
Length43:32
Label Polydor
Producer Nigel Wright
Shakatak chronology
Drivin' Hard
(1981)
Night Birds
(1982)
Invitations
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Night Birds, released in 1982 on the Polydor label, is the second album by English jazz-funk band Shakatak. Night Birds established Shakatak's trademark jazz-funk sound, and contains two of the band's biggest hits, "Easier Said than Done" and "Night Birds", the former reaching the No. 12 spot in 1981, the latter climbing to No. 9 in the following year.

Contents

Track listing

Side 1:

  1. "Night Birds" – 6:25
  2. "Streetwalkin'" – 5:30
  3. "Rio Nights" – 5:18
  4. "Fly the Wind" – 4:20

Side 2:

  1. "Easier Said Than Done" – 6:10
  2. "Bitch to the Boys" – 6:28
  3. "Light on My Life" – 4:48
  4. "Takin' Off" (William "Bill" Sharpe) – 5:08

Charts

Chart (1982/83)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [2] 52
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [3] 35
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company) [4] 4

Personnel

Additional personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shakatak</span> English jazz-funk band

Shakatak is an English jazz-funk band founded in 1980 by Bill Sharpe, Nigel Wright, Roger Odell and Keith Winter. Following an initial white label release, "Steppin", the band's name was derived from a record store in Soho, London Record Shack with the name created by Les McCutcheon, Passion records label owner and Northern Soul DJ Kev Roberts, It was they who first showed interest in the initial single.

<i>The Beach Boys</i> (album) 1985 studio album by the Beach Boys

The Beach Boys is the 25th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on June 10, 1985. Produced by Steve Levine, the album is the band's first after the drowning of founding member Dennis Wilson. It was also the band's first album to be recorded digitally and the last released by James William Guercio's Caribou Records. The record sold poorly, charting at number 52 in the U.S. and number 60 in the UK.

<i>Secrets</i> (Herbie Hancock album) 1976 studio album by Herbie Hancock

Secrets is a jazz-funk fusion album by keyboard player Herbie Hancock. It is also Hancock's seventeenth album overall. Participating musicians include saxophonist Bennie Maupin and guitarist Wah Wah Watson.

<i>1984</i> (Rick Wakeman album) 1981 studio album by Rick Wakeman

1984 is a studio album by the English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released in June 1981 on Charisma Records. After reforming his band The English Rock Ensemble in 1980 and completing a European tour, Wakeman entered a recording deal with Charisma and began preparing material for a studio album. He decided on a concept album based on the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. The lyrics are by Tim Rice.

<i>Cyclone</i> (Tangerine Dream album) 1978 studio album by Tangerine Dream

Cyclone is the eighth studio album by Tangerine Dream and the first in their canon to feature proper vocals and lyrics. The cover is a painting by band leader Edgar Froese.

<i>Michael W. Smith Project</i> 1983 studio album by Michael W. Smith

Michael W. Smith Project is the debut album of Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith. Originally released in 1983, the album was reissued in CD format in 1987 with a new cover featuring an updated photo of Smith. The album reached number nine on the Top Contemporary Christian chart.CCM Magazine ranked Michael W. Smith Project at number 34 on their 2001 book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. Smith earned his first Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance, Male at the 26th Grammy Awards.

<i>Its a Fact</i> 1982 studio album by Jeff Lorber

It's a Fact is the first solo album by jazz musician Jeff Lorber.

<i>Tap Step</i> 1980 studio album by Chick Corea

Tap Step is a studio album recorded by Chick Corea in 1979 & 1980. It features previous Corea collaborators Flora Purim, Joe Farrell, Stanley Clarke and Gayle Moran, along with percussionists Airto, Don Alias and Laudir de Oliveira.

<i>Born to Love</i> (Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack album) 1983 studio album by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack

Born to Love is a 1983 studio album of duets by American singers Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack. It was released by Bryson's label Capitol Records on July 22, 1983, in the United States. The album yielded the hit single "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love", written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser. The track "Maybe" was written and recorded for the film Romantic Comedy (1983).

<i>Drivin Hard</i> 1981 studio album by Shakatak

Drivin' Hard, released in May 1981 on the Polydor label, is the first album by English jazz-funk band Shakatak.

<i>Shakatak Live in Japan</i> 1984 live album by Shakatak

Live in Japan is a live double album by English jazz-funk band Shakatak. It was recorded at the Nakano Sun Plaza Hall during the 1983 Japan tour, and originally released only in that country.

<i>Straight from the Heart</i> (Peabo Bryson album) 1984 studio album by Peabo Bryson

Straight from the Heart is the tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Peabo Bryson. It was released in 1984 on Elektra Records, his first of four discs for the label. The album peaked at number 44 on the US Billboard 200 and produced three singles, including his first top-ten pop hit "If Ever You're in My Arms Again", which also topped the Adult contemporary chart. Bryson himself co-produced the record as well as writing five of the eight songs himself and playing keyboards throughout the album.

<i>Voyeur</i> (David Sanborn album) 1981 studio album by David Sanborn

Voyeur is the sixth studio album by American saxophonist David Sanborn, released on the Warner Bros. label in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Sharpe (musician)</span> British musician (born 1952)

Bill Sharpe is a British musician, who has worked as a member of Shakatak, as a solo artist, and with others, such as Gary Numan and Don Grusin.

<i>Out of This World</i> (Shakatak album) 1983 studio album by Shakatak

Out of This World, released in 1983 on the Polydor label, is the fourth album by English jazz-funk band Shakatak.

<i>Touchstone</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Chick Corea

Touchstone is an album by Chick Corea, released in 1982 through Warner Bros. Records. The album peaked at number nine on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart.

<i>Wizard Island</i> (album) 1980 studio album by The Jeff Lorber Fusion

Wizard Island is the fourth album by The Jeff Lorber Fusion, released in 1980. The album was both Lorber's and the group's first to reach number one on the US Jazz Album chart.

<i>Objects of Desire</i> 1982 studio album by Michael Franks

Objects of Desire is a jazz vocal album by Michael Franks, released in 1982 with Warner Bros. Records. It was Franks' seventh studio album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jill Saward (singer)</span> British singer, musician and composer (born 1953)

Jill Saward is a British singer, musician and composer, best known for being the lead voice of the English jazz-funk band, Shakatak.

<i>Mr. Nice Guy</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Ronnie Laws

Mr. Nice Guy is the seventh studio album by American saxophonist Ronnie Laws, released in 1983 by Capitol Records. The album reached No. 19 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Albums chart and No. 24 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.

References

  1. Shakatak - Night Birds (1982) album review by Sharon Mawer, credits & releases at AllMusic
  2. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 269. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  3. "Top 40 New Zealand Albums Chart" (PDF). Official NZ Music Chart. 31 October 1982. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 492. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.