The Blackbyrds

American band

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The Blackbyrds

Origin| Washington, D.C., United States
Genres| Jazz fusion, jazz-funk, jazz, smooth jazz
Years active| 1973-1981, 2012–present
Labels| Fantasy
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.[1]

## History[edit]

The group was inspired by trumpeter Donald Byrd[2] 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".[3]

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.[4]

Founding member Allan Barnes died on July 25, 2016, at the age of 66.[5] Pianist Kevin Toney died from cancer on March 18, 2024, at the age of 70.[6]

## Sampling of Blackbyrds music[edit]

The Blackbyrds have influenced the hip-hop generation, with Tupac Shakur, Gang Starr, Da Lench Mob, and Full Force sampling their music.[7] 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.[8] 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, Eric B. & Rakim, Massive Attack, Heavy D, Nas, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Tone Lōc, Mac Dre, and Wiz Khalifa.[9]

## Discography[edit]

### Studio albums[edit]

Year  | Album  | Chart positions  | Label

|
|
|

[10] | US R&B
[10] | US Jazz
[10]
1974  | The Blackbyrds | 96  | 14  | 6  | Fantasy
Flying Start | 30  | 5  | 2
1975  | Cornbread, Earl and Me (Soundtrack) | 150  | 19  | 39
City Life | 16  | 3  | 1
1976  | Unfinished Business | 34  | 6  | 5
1977  | Action | 43  | 8  | —
1980  | Better Days | 133  | 40  | —
2012  | Gotta Fly | —  | —  | —  | K-Wes Indi Records
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

### Compilations[edit]

* 1978: Night Grooves (Fantasy)
* 1989: Greatest Hits (Fantasy)
* 2007: Happy Music: The Best of The Blackbyrds (Fantasy FCD-30194-2)

### Singles[edit]

Year  | Title  | Peak chart positions

|
|

[10] | US R&B
[10] | US Disco
[10] | US A/C
[10] | UK
[11]
1974  | "Do It, Fluid"  | 69  | 23  | ―  | ―  | ―
"Gut Level"  | ―  | ―  | 9  | ―  | ―
1975  | "Walking in Rhythm"  | 6  | 4  | 9  | 5  | 23
"Future Children, Future Hopes"  | ―  | ―  | 3  | ―  | ―
"Flyin' High"  | 70  | 22  | ―  | ―  | ―
"City Life"  | ―  | ―  | 4  | ―  | ―
1976  | "Happy Music"  | 19  | 3  | 6  | ―  | ―
"Rock Creek Park"  | 93  | 37  | ―  | ―  | ―
"Unfinished Business"  | ―  | ―  | 14  | ―  | ―
"Time Is Movin'"  | 95  | 15  | ―  | ―  | ―
"Party Land"  | ―  | 30  | ―  | ―  | ―
1977  | "Soft and Easy"  | ―  | 20  | ―  | ―  | ―
"Supernatural Feeling"  | ―  | 19  | ―  | ―  | ―
"Street Games"  | ―  | ―  | ―  | ―  | ―
1980  | "Don't know what you say"  | ―  | ―  | ―  | ―  | ―
"What We Have Is Right"  | ―  | 38  | ―  | ―  | ―
"Love Don't Strike Twice"  | ―  | 52  | ―  | ―  | ―
"Dancin' Dancin'"  | ―  | ―  | 59  | ―  | ―
2002  | "Mysterious Vibes"
(remix, originally released in 1977) | ―  | —  | ―  | ―  | 97
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

## References[edit]

1. ^ "The Blackbyrds". Discogs. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
2. ^ Blackbyrds walking in rhythm song Retrieved 19 February 2024
3. ^ "The Blackbyrds : Rock Creek Park". Songfacts.com. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
4. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 354. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
5. ^ Stryker, Mark (July 29, 2016). "Allan Barnes, soulful Detroit saxophonist, dies at 66". Detroit Free Press.
6. ^ "Jazz and Soul great Kevin Toney dies at age 70". Soul Tracks. March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
7. ^ "The Blackbyrds: Talking In Rhythm". Bluesandsoul.com. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
8. ^ Niebur, Louis (2022). Menergy: San Francisco's Gay Disco Sound. Oxford University Press. p. 49\. ISBN 9780197511077.
9. ^ Thompson, Dave (2001). Funk. Backbeat Books. p. 81\. ISBN 0-87930-629-7.
10. ^ a b c d e f g "The Blackbyrds - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
11. ^ "BLACKBYRDS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.

## External links[edit]

* The Blackbyrds at AllMusic
* The Blackbyrds discography at Discogs
* D’Angelo, Enrico (June 2, 2003). "The Blackbyrds". The Harbus. Retrieved on October 27, 2007.

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