The Blackbyrds "Action" (1977) -Jazz Funk / Smooth Soul-

Label : Fantasy Records

 Side 1

01 - Supernatural Feeling (Orville Saunders & Kevin Toney)

02 - Lookin' Ahead (Kevin Toney)

03 - Mysterious Vibes (Keith Killgo)

04 - Something Special (Keith Killgo)

Side 2

01 - Street Games (Kevin Toney)

02 - Soft And Easy (Orville Saunders)

03 - Dreaming About You (Kevin Toney)

The Blackbyrds :

Kevin Toney : Acoustic Piano & ARP Synthesizers

Keith Killgo : Drums

Joe Hall : Bass

Orville Saunders : Guitar

Stephen Johnson : Saxophone

Ernie Watts : Tenor & Soprano Sax

Ray Parker Jr. : Guitar

Ollie Brown : Drums, Percussion

Eddie 'Bongo' Brown : Congas

David Shields : Bass

Donald Byrd : Trumpet

The Block Boys Orchestra Singers : Jim Gilstrap, John Jehman, Roy Galloway, Bili Thedford, Ollie Brown, Ronnie Mayez

Produced by Donald Byrd for Blackbyrd Productions, Inc.

Arranged & Conducted by Wade Marcus

Horn Contractor : George Bohannon

Concertmaster, String Contractor : Charles Veal Jr.

Recorded at The Sound Factory, Hollywood

Recording & Remix Engineer : Jim Nipar

Assistant : Serge Reyes

Mastered at The Mastering Lab, Hollywood

Engineer : Mike Reese

The Blackbyrds "Flying Start" (1974) -Funk / Jazz Funk-

Label : Fantasy Records

 Side 1

01 - I Need You (Donald Byrd & Cheryl Toney)

02 - The Baby (Donald Byrd)

03 - Love Is Love (Keith Killgo)

04 - Blackbyrds' Theme (Joe Hall, Allan Barnes & Kevin Toney)

Side 2

01 - Walking In Rhythm (Barney Perry)

02 - Future Children, Future Hopes (Kevin Toney)

03 - April Showers (Allan Barnes)

04 - Spaced Out (Kevin Toney)

Allan Barnes : Flute, Tenor & Soprano Saxophones

Kevin Toney : Acoustic & Electric Piano, Clavinet, ARP Synthesizers

Barney Perry : Guitar

Joe Hall : Bass

Keith Killgo : Drums

Perk Jacobs : Percussion

Horns :

Bobby Bryant, Oscar Brashear : Trumpets

Alexander Thomas, George Bohannon : Trombones

Jackie Kelso : Baritone Saxophone

Ernie Watts : Tenor Saxophone ("I Need You")

Vocals :

Keith Killgo ("I Need You")

Sigidi, Bruce Fisher, the Blackbyrds ("Blackbyrds' Theme")

Sigidi, the Blackbyrds ("Walking In Rhythm")

Keith Barbour ("April Showers")

Produced by Donald Byrd for Blackbyrd Productions

Recording Engineers : Val Garay, Jim Stern

Remix Engineer : Val Garay

Recorded & Remixed at the Sound Factory, Los Angeles (August, September, October 1974)

Mastered at the Mastering Lab, Los Angeles (Engineer - Doug Sax)

Executive Producer : Orrin Keepnews

The Blackbyrds "Unfinished Business" (1976) -Funk-

Label : Fantasy Records

 Side 1

01 - Time Is Movin' (Keith Killgo)

02 - In Life (Kevin Torney, Orville Saunders, Keith Killgo & Joe Hall)

03 - Enter In (Joe Hall)

04 - You've Got That Something (Donald Byrd & Kevin Toney)

Side 2

01 - Party Land (Donald Byrd & Orville Saunders)

02 - Lady (Joe Hall)

03 - Unfinished Business (Kevin Toney)

Produced by Donald Byrd for Blackbyrd Productions, Inc.

Kevin Toney : Keyboards

Orville Saunders : Guitar

Wesley Jackson : Saxophone, Flute

Joe Hall : Bass

Keith Killgo : Drums

Lew McCreary : Bass Trombone

Charles Loper, George Bohannon : Trombones

Chuck Findley, Steve Madaio, Gary Grant, Nolan Smith : Trumpets, Flugelhorns

Alan Robinson, Marilyn Robinson, Vince DeRosa : French Horns

William Green, Jackie Kelso (The Block Boy Orchestra) : Tenor & Baritone Sax, Flute

Solos : Ernie Watts (Flute), Tommy Morgan (Harmonica), Ray Parker Jr. (Guitar)

Vocals : The Blackbyrds, Mildred Lane (Soloist), Jerry Spikes, Charles Barnett, Kenny Moore, Marti McCall, John Lehman, Alex Brown, Myrna Matthews, Bill Medford, Jim Gilstrap

Contractor : George Bohannon

Arranged & Conducted by Wade Marcus

Recording Engineers : Jim Nipar, Serge Reyes

Remix : Jim Nipar 

Assistant : Serge Reyes

The Sound Factory, Hollywood

Mastered at the Mastering Lab, Hollywood by Mike Reese

The Blackbyrds "Night Grooves" (1978) -Funk-

Label : Fantasy Records

 Side 1

01 - Happy Music (Donald Byrd)
02 - Gut Level (Lincoln Ross)
03 - Walking In Rhythm (Bernard Perry)
04 - Do It Fluid (Donald Byrd)

Side 2

01 - Rock Creek Park (Kevin Toney, Stephen Johnson, Orville Saunders, Joseph Hall, Keith Killgo & Donald Byrd)
02 - Supernatural Feeling (Orville Saunders & Kevin Toney)
03 - Soft And Easy (Orville Saunders)

Produced by Donald Byrd for Blackbyrd Productions, Inc.

Engineer : Jim Nipar, The Sound Factory, Hollywood

Mastered at The Mastering Lab, Hollywood, by Mike Reese


Side 1

01 - Happy Music

Kevin Toney : Keyboards

Stephen Johnson : Saxophone

Orville Saunders : Guitar

Joe Hall : Bass

Keith Killgo : Drums

The Blackbyrds, Merry Clayton : Vocals

Ernie Watts : Saxophone

George Bohannon : Trombone

String & Horns Arranged by Wade Marcus

02 - Gut Level

Kevin Toney : Keyboards

Barney Perry : Guitar

Allan Barnes : Soprano & Tenor Saxophones

Joe Hall : Bass

Keith Killgo : Drums

Perk Jacobs : Percussion

03 - Walking In Rhythm

Kevin Toney : Keyboards

Allan Barnes : Flute

Barney Perry : Guitar

Joe Hall : Bass

Keith Killgo : Drums

Perk Jacobs : Percussion

The Blackbyrds, Sigidi : Vocals

04 - Do It Fluid

Kevin Toney : Keyboards

Barney Perry : Guitar

Allan Barnes : Soprano & Tenor Saxophones

David Williams : Bass

Keith Killgo : Drums

Ray Armando : Percussion

Oscar Brashear : Trumpet & Flugelhorn

Side 2

01 - Rock Creek Park

Kevin Toney : Keyboards

Stephen Johnson : Saxophone

Orville Saunders : Guitar

Joe Hall : Bass

The Blackbyrds, Merry Clayton : Vocals

Ernie Watts : Saxophone

George Bohannon : Trombone

String & Horns Arranged by Wade Marcus

02 - Supernatural Feeling

Kevin Toney : Acoustic Piano, ARP Synthesizers

Keith Killgo : Drums

Joe Hall : Bass

Orville Saunders : Guitar

Stephen Johnson : Saxophone

Ernie Watts : Tenor & Soprano Sax

Ray Parker Jr. : Guitar

Eddie 'Bongo' Brown : Congas

David Shields : Bass

Vocals : 'The Block Boys Orchestra' - Jim Gilstrap, John Lehman, Roy Galloway, Bili Thedford, Ollie Brown, Ronnie Maynez

String & Horns Arranged & Conducted by Wade Marcus

03 - Soft And Easy

Kevin Toney : Acoustic Piano, ARP Synthesizers

Keith Killgo : Drums

Joe Hall : Bass

Orville Saunders : Guitar

Stephen Johnson : Saxophone

Ernie Watts : Tenor & Soprano Sax

Ray Parker Jr. : Guitar

Ollie Brown : Drums & Percussion

Eddie 'Bongo' Brown : Congas

David Shields : Bass

The Blackbyrds "Better Days" (1980) -Westcoast Funk / Disco-

Label : Fantasy Records

 Side 1

01 - Dancin' Dancin' (Marcus Gordon, Louisa Farmer & Deborah Gordon)
02 - Lonelies For Your Love (Orville Saunders & Louisa Farmer)
03 - Better Days (Roslyn Monroe, Dan Stewart & Keith Killgo)
04 - Do It Girl (Roslyn Monroe, Joe Hall & Jo Ann Hall Skrehan)
05 - Without Your Love (Jo Ann Hall Skrehan, Roslyn Monroe & Joe Hall)

Side 2

01 - Do You Wanna Dance? (Leroy Bell & Casey James)
02 - Love Don't Strike Twice (Alvin Alexander, Keith Killgo & Roslyn Monroe)
03 - What's On Your Mind (Orville Saunders & Alvin Alexander)
04 - Don't Know What To Say (Orville Saunders & Louisa Farmer)
05 - What We Have Is Right (Orville Saunders & Louisa Farmer)


The Blackbyrds : 

Keith Killgo : Drums, Vocals

Joe Hall III : Bass, Vocals

Orville Saunders II,  : Guitar
Kevin Toney : Keyboards
Also Featuring :
James Garrett : Vocals
Dan Stewart : Percussion

Produced by George Duke for George Duke Enterprises, Inc. & Never Productions, Inc.
Rhythm Arrangements by The Blackbyrds
Recorded & Mixed by Tommy Vicari at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley
Assistant : Wally Buck
Mastering : George Horn at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley


Side 1

01 - Dancin' Dancin'

Keith Killgo : Drums & Lead vocals
Joe Hall III : Bass & Lead vocals
Orville Saunders : Guitar
Kevin Toney : Electric Piano
Marc Cohen : Mini-moog Synthesizer
James Garrett : Lead vocals
Dan Stewart : Percussion
Jerry Hey : Trumpet (Horn Arrangement)
Gary Grant : Trumpet
Larry Williams : Saxophone
Bill Reichenbach : Trombone
Jim Gilstrap & Carl Carwell : Background vocals

02 - Lonelies For Your Love

Keith Killgo : Drums & Background vocals
Joe Hall III : Bass & Background vocals
Orville Saunders : Guitar & Background vocals
Kevin Toney : Yamaha CP30 & ARP Quadra
James Garrett : Lead vocals
Paulinho Da Costa : Percussion
Jerry Hey : Trumpet
Larry Williams : Saxophone
Gary Grant : Trumpet
Bill Reichenbach : Trombone (Horn Arrangement)
The Blackbyrds : Handclaps

03 - Better Days

Keith Killgo : Drums, Lead vocals & Keyboards
Joe Hall III : Bass & Background vocals
Orville Saunders : Guitar
Mark Smith : Acoustic Guitar
George Duke : Moog Synthesizer
Jerry Hey : Trumpet (Horn Arrangement)
Gary Grant : Trumpet
Larry Williams : Saxophone
Bill Reichenbach : Trombone
James Garrett : Background vocals

04 - Do It Girl

Keith Killgo : Lead & Background vocals, Drums
Joe Hall III : Bass & Background vocals
Orville Saunders : Guitar
Kevin Toney : Electric Piano & Moog Synthesizer
Marc Cohen : Clavinet & Alto Sax
George Duke : Prophet V Synthesizer
Dan Stewart : Percussion
Jim Gilstrap & Carl Carwell : Background vocals

05 - Without Your Love

Joe Hall III : Bass, Lead vocals, Moog Synthesizer & Yamaha CP30
Keith Killgo : Drums
Orville Saunders : Guitar
Kevin Toney : Electric Piano
Dan Stewart : Percussion
Mark Smith : Acoustic 12 String Guitar
James Garrett, Jim Gilstrap & Carl Carwell : Background vocals

Side 2

01 - Do You Wanna Dance?

Keith Killgo : Drums & Lead vocals
Joe Hall III : Bass & Lead vocals
Orville Saunders : Guitar
Kevin Toney : ARP Quadra & Mini-moog
Marc Cohen : Electric Piano
George Duke : Prophet V Synthesizer
Paulinho Da Costa : Percussion
James Garrett, Jim Gilstrap & Carl Carlwell : Background vocals
Jerry Hey : Trumpet (Horn Arrangement)
Gary Grant : Trumpet
Larry Williams : Saxophone
Bill Reichenbach : Trombone

02 - Love Don't Strike Twice

Keith Killgo : Drums & Background vocals
Joe Hall III : Bass & Background vocals
Orville Saunders : Guitar
Marc Cohen : Electric Piano
George Duke : Prophet V Synthesizer
Kevin Toney : Moog Synthesizer
Dan Stewart : Percussion
James Garrett : Lead & Background vocals
Jim Gilstrap & Carl Carwell : Background vocals

03 - What's On Your Mind

Keith Killgo : Drums & Background vocals
Joe Hall III : Bass & Background vocals
Orville Saunders : Guitar
Kevin Toney : Electric & Acoustic Piano, ARP Quadra (Horn Arrangement)
James Garrett : Lead & Background vocals
Sheila Escovedo : Percussion
Jerry Hey & Gary Grant : Trumpets
Larry Williams : Saxophone
Bill Reichenbach : Trombone

04 - Don't Know What To Say

Keith Killgo : Drums, Bells & Background vocals
Joe Hall III : Bass & Background vocals
Orville Saunders : Guitar
Marc Cohen : Yamaha Electric Grand Piano
George Duke : Prophet V Synthesizer
Mark Smith : Acoustic Guitar
James Garrett : Lead vocals
Jim Gilstrap & Carl Carwell : Background vocals
Paulinho Da Costa : Percussion
Jerry Hey & Gary Grant : Trumpets
Larry Williams : Saxophone & Flute (Horn Arrangement)
Bill Reichenbach : Trombone

05 - What We Have Is Right

Keith Killgo : Drums & Lead vocals
Joe Hall III : Bass
Orville Saunders : Guitar
Kevin Toney : Electric Piano & ARP Quadra
George Duke : Prophet V Synthesizer
Sheila Escovedo & Dan Stewart : Percussion
Tramaine Hawkins, Lynette Stephens, Jim Gilstrap & Carl Carwell : Background vocals
Jose Hernandez : Alto Sax