Happy Music: The Best of the Blackbyrds

by The Blackbyrds

Overview

There was 1978's Night Grooves: The Blackbyrds' Greatest Hits, then 1989's Greatest Hits, and now there are two additional sets that handle the Blackbyrds' discography with a little more love and depth. This one -- Happy Music: The Best of the Blackbyrds -- covers most of R&B chart hits and other energetic highlights, while LoveByrds: Soft and Easy focuses on the finer proto-smooth jazz material. Here's some of the most uplifting, most melodically developed (and most sampled) jazz-funk made, and the disc also showcases the group's versatility. Including the exuberant "Happy Music," the lilting "Walking in Rhythm," the heart-melting "Mysterious Vibes," the awesomely sleazy "Rock Creek Park," and the War dead ringer "Do It, Fluid," along with eight other highlights and an unreleased track that doesn't feel out of place, it easily trumps the compilations that came before it. It sounds much more vivid, and the liner notes, from producer Don Mizell, are another treat. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	02/27/2007
Label:	Fantasy
UPC:	0888072301948
Rank:	58459

Tracks

1. The One-Eye Two-Step
2. Supernatural Feeling
3. Happy Music
4. Unfinished Business
5. Do It, Fluid
6. Rock Creek Park
7. A Hot Day Today
8. Feel Like a Kid
9. Walking in Rhythm
10. Mysterious Vibes
11. Enter In
12. Gut Level
13. Reggins
14. Blackbyrds' Theme

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Blackbyrds   Primary Artist
Allan Barnes   Wind,Saxophone
Stephen Johnson   Wind,Saxophone
Barney Perry   Guitar
Orville Saunders   Guitar
Kevin Toney   Keyboards
Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson   Saxophone,Wind Instruments
Allan Curtis Barnes   Saxophone,Wind Instruments
Keith Killgo   Drums
Perk Jacobs   Percussion

Technical Credits

Chris Clough   Project Assistant
Larry Mizell   Composer
Donald Byrd   Composer
Don Mizell   Liner Notes,Compilation Producer
Stuart Kremsky   Project Assistant
Orville Saunders   Composer
Kevin Toney   Composer
Bill Belmont   Project Assistant
Jennifer Peters   Project Assistant
George Horn   Mastering
Lincoln Ross   Composer
Allan Curtis Barnes   Composer
Keith Killgo   Composer
Larissa Collins   Art Direction
Rikka Arnold   Project Assistant
Phil Bray   Cover Photo
Tony Lane   Photography
Stephen Johnson   Composer
Joe Hall   Composer
Barney Perry   Composer