The Blackbyrds
{{Short description|American band}}
{{Refimprove|date=July 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = The Blackbyrds
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = group_or_band
| origin = Washington, D.C., United States
| genre = Jazz fusion, jazz-funk, jazz, smooth jazz
| years_active = 1973–1981, 2012–present
| label = Fantasy
| associated_acts = KOJO
| website =
| current_members = Joe Hall
Keith Killgo
Orville Saunders
| past_members = Allan Barnes
Donald Byrd
Barney Perry
Kevin Toney
Jay Jones
Ray Armando
Oscar Brashear
Perk Jacobs
David Williams
Wesley Jackson
Stephen Johnson
Gary Hart
}}
The Blackbyrds are an American rhythm and blues and jazz-funk fusion group, formed in Washington, D.C., in 1973 and reformed in 2012 by Keith Killgo.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/30725-The-Blackbyrds|title=The Blackbyrds|website=Discogs|access-date=2016-12-06}}
History
The group was inspired by trumpeter Donald Byrd{{cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/blackbyrds-walking-in-rhythm-song/|title=Blackbyrds walking in rhythm song|accessdate=19 February 2024}} and featured some of his Howard University students: Kevin Toney (keyboards), Keith Killgo (vocals, drums), Joe Hall (bass guitar), Allan Barnes (saxophone, clarinet), and Barney Perry (guitar). Orville Saunders (guitar), and Jay Jones (flute, saxophone) joined later. Merry Clayton joined them to sing on "Rock Creek Park" and "Happy Music".{{cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-blackbyrds/rock-creek-park|title=The Blackbyrds : Rock Creek Park|website=Songfacts.com|access-date=October 16, 2019}}
The band signed with Fantasy Records in 1973. Their 1975 hit "Walking in Rhythm" received a Grammy nomination and sold over one million copies by May 1975. It was later awarded a gold disc.{{cite book| first= Joseph| last= Murrells| year= 1978| title= The Book of Golden Discs| url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr| url-access= registration| edition= 2nd| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd| location= London| page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/354 354]| isbn= 0-214-20512-6}}
Founding member Allan Barnes died on July 25, 2016, at the age of 66.{{cite news | url=http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/07/28/allan-barnes-saxophonist-obituary/87628024/ | title=Allan Barnes, soulful Detroit saxophonist, dies at 66 | first=Mark | last=Stryker | work=Detroit Free Press |date=July 29, 2016}} Pianist Kevin Toney died from cancer on March 18, 2024, at the age of 70.{{cite news |title=Jazz and Soul great Kevin Toney dies at age 70 |url=https://www.soultracks.com/story-kevin-toney-dies |access-date=21 March 2024 |publisher=Soul Tracks |date=21 March 2024}}
Sampling of Blackbyrds music
The Blackbyrds have influenced the hip-hop generation, with Tupac Shakur, Gang Starr, Da Lench Mob, and Full Force sampling their music.{{cite web|url=http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/288/the_blackbyrds_talking_in_rhythm/ |title=The Blackbyrds: Talking In Rhythm |website=Bluesandsoul.com |access-date=2016-07-28}} Their song "Happy Music" was issued on 45 rpm 12-inch single as the first club mix release by Fantasy Records, in November 1975, to enable club deejays to drop sequences into a mix.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=16lVEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA49 |page=49 |title=Menergy: San Francisco's Gay Disco Sound |last=Niebur |first=Louis |date=2022 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780197511077}} In particular, their 1975 song "Rock Creek Park" from the City Life album has been sampled by groups and artists such as MF Doom, De La Soul, Da Lench Mob, Eric B. & Rakim, Massive Attack, Heavy D, Nas, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Tone Lōc, Mac Dre, and Wiz Khalifa.{{cite book|last=Thompson|first=Dave|year=2001|title=Funk|publisher=Backbeat Books|page=81|isbn=0-87930-629-7}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album ! colspan="3"| Chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Label ! rowspan="2"| Certifications |
|---|
| style="width:35px;"| US {{cite web|title=The Blackbyrds - Awards|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-blackbyrds-mn0000049367/awards|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=January 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021115317/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-blackbyrds-mn0000049367/awards|archive-date=October 21, 2014}} ! style="width:35px;"| US R&B ! style="width:35px;"| US Jazz |
| rowspan="2"| 1974
| align="left"| The Blackbyrds | 96 | 14 | 6 | rowspan="7"| Fantasy | |
| align="left"| Flying Start
| 30 | 5 | 2 | |
| rowspan="2"| 1975
| align="left"| Cornbread, Earl and Me (soundtrack) | 150 | 19 | 39 | |
| align="left"| City Life
| 16 | 3 | 1 | US: Gold (RIAA){{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Blackbyrds#search_section|title=The Blackbyrds|publisher=RIAA|access-date=January 14, 2025}} |
| 1976
| align="left"| Unfinished Business | 34 | 6 | 5 | US: Gold (RIAA) |
| 1977
| align="left"| Action | 43 | 8 | | US: Gold (RIAA) |
| 1980
| align="left"| Better Days | 133 | 40 | | — |
| 2012
| align="left"| Gotta Fly | — | — | — | | K-Wes Indi Records |
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
=Compilations=
- 1978: Night Grooves (Fantasy)
- 1989: Greatest Hits (Fantasy)
- 2007: Happy Music: The Best of The Blackbyrds (Fantasy FCD-30194-2)
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" colspan="5"| Peak chart positions |
|---|
| style="width:35px;"| US ! style="width:35px;"| US R&B ! style="width:35px;"| US Disco ! style="width:35px;"| US A/C ! style="width:35px;"| UK |
| rowspan="2"| 1974
| "Do It, Fluid" | align=center | 69 | align=center | 23 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Gut Level"
| align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | 9 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| rowspan="4"| 1975
| align=center | 6 | align=center | 4 | align=center | 9 | align=center | 5 | align=center | 23 |
| "Future Children, Future Hopes"
| align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | 3 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Flyin' High"
| align=center | 70 | align=center | 22 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "City Life"
| align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | 4 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| rowspan="5"| 1976
| "Happy Music" | align=center | 19 | align=center | 3 | align=center | 6 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Rock Creek Park"
| align=center | 93 | align=center | 37 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Unfinished Business"
| align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | 14 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Time Is Movin'"
| align=center | 95 | align=center | 15 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Party Land"
| align=center | ― | align=center | 30 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| rowspan="3"| 1977
| "Soft and Easy" | align=center | ― | align=center | 20 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Supernatural Feeling"
| align=center | ― | align=center | 19 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Street Games"
| align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| rowspan="4"| 1980
| "Don't Know What You Say" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "What We Have Is Right"
| align=center | ― | align=center | 38 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Love Don't Strike Twice"
| align=center | ― | align=center | 52 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Dancin' Dancin'"
| align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | 59 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| 2002
| "Mysterious Vibes" | align=center | ― | align=center | — | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | 97 |
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p6121}}
- {{Discogs artist}}
- {{imdb name|2514971}}
- D’Angelo, Enrico (June 2, 2003). "[http://www.harbus.org/2003/The-Blackbyrds-2197 The Blackbyrds]". The Harbus. Retrieved on October 27, 2007.
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackbyrds, The}}
Category:Musical groups from Washington, D.C.
Category:American jazz ensembles
Category:American soul musical groups