Donald Byrd (1932–2013) was an American post-bop trumpeter who apprenticed with the Jazz Messengers and played on multiple mid-Fifties albums by Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Gigi Gryce, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, and John Coltrane. In 1959, Byrd released Off to the Races, his first of twenty-seven albums through 1976 on Blue Note. He embraced jazz-funk […]
The Blackbyrds were an American soul-funk band from Washington, D.C., named after the 1973 album by trumpeter and band-mentor Donald Byrd, who taught the members at Howard University. They released six albums and a soundtrack between 1974 and 1980 on Fantasy Records. Members: Kevin Toney (piano, synthesizer, vocals), Keith Killgo (drums, percussion, vocals), Joe Hall […]
Blair — aka Barney Blair Perry — is an American soul-funk multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who served as the original Blackbyrds guitarist. He released the 1978 solo album Night Life on self-press Solar Sound Records & Tapes. Background Blair was born Barney Blair Perry in 1953 in Buffalo, New York. Perry played guitar professionally in Buffalo […]
City Life is the third album by American funk band The Blackbyrds, released in 1975 on Fantasy. Tracklist: A1. “Rock Creek Park” (4:35) A2. “Thankful ‘Bout Yourself” (5:11) A3. “City Life” (5:22) A4. “All I Ask” (3:50) B1. “Happy Music” (4:32) B2. “Love So Fine” (5:00) B3. “Flying High” (3:29) B4. “Hash and Eggs” (5:06) […]
