Jump to content

Action (Blackbyrds Album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Action
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 1, 1977
Recorded1977
StudioThe Sound Factory
Genre
Length33:45
LabelFantasy
ProducerDonald Byrd
The Blackbyrds chronology
Unfinished Business
(1976)
Action
(1977)
Better Days
(1980)
Singles from Action
  1. "Street Games" / "Soft and Easy"
    Released: 1977
  2. "Soft and Easy" / "Something Special"
    Released: 1977
  3. "Supernatural Feeling" / "Soft and Easy"
    Released: 1978[1]

Action is the fifth studio album by American R&B/jazz-fusion band the Blackbyrds. It was the band's fourth highest-charting album on both the Pop and R&B album charts at number 43[2] and number 8, respectively, and was their first album not to appear on the American Jazz album charts.[3] The album was certified gold by the RIAA.[4]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic

Ed Hogan reviewed the album for AllMusic in a somewhat positive light. He said, "If you had to own only one album by the Blackbyrds then Action should be it." He reasoned that "all the elements came together for the Donald Byrd protégés" and he singled out "Supernatural Feeling" for its wise lyrics as well as "Something Special" and "Dreaming About You" for their smooth jazz feel.[5]

Band members' thoughts

[edit]

Drummer Keith Killgo briefly referenced the album during a 2022 interview with East of the River News when recounting the band's history.

"I would have to say that 'Soft and Easy' is my favorite song out of all the Blackbyrds compositions. It is a ballad but then it is really not. I love 'Mysterious Vibes' too."[6]

Track listing

[edit]
Side One
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Supernatural Feeling"Orville Saunders, Kevin Toney3:47
2."Lookin' Ahead"Toney5:30
3."Mysterious Vibes"Keith Killgo4:46
4."Something Special"Killgo4:43
Side Two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Street Games"Toney4:45
6."Soft and Easy"Saunders4:25
7."Dreaming About You"Toney5:49

Personnel

[edit]

The Blackbyrds

  • Kevin Toney – acoustic piano and ARP synthesizers
  • Keith Killgo – drums
  • Joe Hall – bass
  • Orville Saunders – guitar
  • Stephen Johnson – saxophone

with:

  • Ernie Watts – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
  • Ray Parker, Jr. – guitar
  • Ollie Brown – vocals (with the Block Boys Orchestra), drums, percussion
  • Eddie "Bongo" Brown – congas
  • David Shields – bass
  • Donald Byrd – trumpet
  • The Block Boys Orchestra singers (Jim Gilstrap, John Lehman, Roy Galloway, Bill Threadford, Ollie Brown, Ronnie Mayez) – vocals
Production
  • Phil Carroll – art direction
  • Gerald Panopolous – photography
  • Lance Anderson – design
  • Wade Marcus – arranging and conducting
  • George Bohanon – horn contractor
  • Charles Veal, Jr. – concertmaster and string contractor
  • Jim Nipar – recording and remix engineer
  • Serge Reyes – assistant engineer
  • Mike Reese – engineer[7]

Charts

[edit]

Album

[edit]
Chart (1977) Peak
position
Billboard Top LPs 43
Top Soul LPs 8

[3]

Singles

[edit]
Year Single Chart Position
1977 "Soft and Easy" Hot Soul Singles 30
1978 "Supernatural Feeling" Hot Soul Singles 19

[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b https://www.blackbyrdsmusic.com/about
  2. ^ https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1977-11-20/
  3. ^ a b https://web.archive.org/web/20141021115317/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-blackbyrds-mn0000049367/awards
  4. ^ "Certifications for Blackbyrds". Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  5. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/action-mw0000870921#review
  6. ^ https://eastoftheriverdcnews.com/2022/12/20/meet-keith-killgo/
  7. ^ Action (album). The Blackbyrds. Berkeley, California: Fantasy Records. 1977. F-9535.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)