The Blackbyrds (album)

Last updated
The Blackbyrds
Blackbryds cover.jpg
Studio album by
the Blackbyrds
Released1974
RecordedOctober 1973 to March 1974
Studio Fantasy Studios (Berkeley, California)
Genre Jazz funk, jazz fusion [1]
Label Fantasy
Producer Larry Mizell, Donald Byrd
The Blackbyrds chronology
The Blackbyrds
(1974)		 Flying Start
(1974)

The Blackbyrds is the debut album by the American rhythm and blues and jazz-funk fusion group the Blackbyrds. It was produced by Larry Mizell and Donald Byrd with production supervision by Orrin Keepnews.

Contents

The album artwork is a section of the Vincent Van Gogh painting Wheatfield with Crows .

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
The Rolling Stone Record Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Robert Gabriel of AllMusic declared, "This amazing album is the product of six full-time Howard University students taking the direction of department head and jazz great Donald Byrd into the Fantasy Studios along with the aid of production wizard Larry Mizell. The result is some of the finest groove-oriented jazz music ever recorded." [2]

Track listing

  1. "Do It, Fluid" (Donald Byrd) 5:27
  2. "Gut Level" (Lincoln Ross) 4:08
  3. "Reggins" (Larry Mizell) 4:05
  4. "The Runaway" (Donald Byrd, Kevin Toney) 4:13
  5. "Funky Junkie" (Donald Byrd) 7:01
  6. "Summer Love" (Allan Barnes) 5:08
  7. "Life Styles" (Larry Mizell) 3:13
  8. "A Hot Day Today" (Donald Byrd, Barney Perry) 3:16

Personnel

Charts

Album

Chart (1974)Peak
position
US Billboard Top Pop Albums 96 [3]
US Billboard Top R&B Albums 14 [3]
US Billboard Top Jazz Albums 6 [3]

Singles

YearSingleChartPosition
1974"Do It, Fluid"US Billboard Hot 100 69
1974"Do It, Fluid"US Hot Soul Singles 23
1974"Gut Level"US Disco Action 9

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References

  1. 1 2 The Rolling Stone Record Guide. Random House. 1979. p. 35.
  2. 1 2 Gabriel, Robert. "The Blackbyrds". AllMusic . Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Blackbyrds: Billboard Charts (Archived)". AllMusic . Retrieved January 14, 2025.
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