''City Life'' is the third studio album by the American
R&B/
jazz-funk
Jazz-funk is a subgenre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat, electrified sounds, and analog synthesizers. The integration of funk, soul, and R&B music and styles into jazz resulted in the creation of a genre that ranges from ...
fusion group
the Blackbyrds, released in 1975 on
Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records is an American independent record label company founded by brothers Max and Sol Stanley Weiss in 1949. The early years of the company were dedicated to issuing recordings by jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, who was also one of its inves ...
.
This album peaked at No. 1 on the US
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
Top Jazz LPs, No. 3 on the
Top R&B Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip-hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Luminate. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated January 30, ...
and No. 16 on the
Top Pop LPs charts. City Life has also been certified Gold in the US by the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
.
Background
City Life was produced by
Donald Byrd and includes singles "Happy Music" and "Rock Creek Park." "Happy Music" peaked at No. 19 on the US
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...
and No. 3 on the
Hot R&B Songs
Hot R&B Songs is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular R&B songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations, digital download sales and streaming data. It was establi ...
charts. The tune also got to No. 11 on the US
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
Dance Club Songs
The Dance Club Songs (also known as National Disco Action, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance Club Play) was a chart published weekly between 1976 and 2020 by ''Billboard'' magazine. It used club disc jockeys set lists to determine the mos ...
chart.
What's more, Rock Creek Park peaked at No. 37 on the US
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
Hot R&B Songs
Hot R&B Songs is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular R&B songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations, digital download sales and streaming data. It was establi ...
chart.
Critical reception
Stewart Mason of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
proclaimed, "The Blackbyrds -- a jazz-funk outfit formed in a university class taught by jazz trumpeter
Donald Byrd, who produced the albums and wrote most of the tunes -- were more of an
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire (abbreviated as EW&F or EWF) is an American band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1969. Their music spans multiple genres, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling ba ...
-style horn band than a purist jazz crew, but few groups were better in their chosen style, and 1975's City Life is probably their best album...This is often-sublime stuff ripe for rediscovery by fans of '70s funk, soul, and fusion."
Track listing
Song credits and timings taken from original LP.
Personnel
;The Blackbyrds
*
Kevin Toney – keyboards
*Stephen Johnson – saxophone
*Orville Saunders – guitar
*Joe Hall – bass
*Keith Killgo – drums
;Additional musicians
The original LP doesn't credit any musicians individually and instead gives a general "very special thanks" to them. Vocals for the album are also uncredited.
*
Merry Clayton – vocals on "Rock Creek Park" and "Happy Music"
[https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/artists/1151/merry-clayton]
*
George Bohanon
*
Ernie Watts
*
Patrice Rushen
Patrice Louise Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American jazz pianist, R&B singer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and music director.
At the 25th Annual Grammy Awards, her 1982 single, "Forget Me Nots", received a no ...
*
Gary Bartz
*
Larry Mizell
*
Fonce Mizell
*
Tommy Morgan
Charts
Album
Singles
References
External links
The Blackbyrds-City Life at DiscogsThe Blackbyrds-Billboard Albums at AllMusicThe Blackbyrds-Billboard Singles at AllMusic
{{Authority control
1975 albums
The Blackbyrds albums
Fantasy Records albums