City Life＜限定盤＞

1973年にワシントンDCで結成されたアメリカのR&B/ジャズ・ファンク・フュージョン・グループ、ブラックバーズの3枚目のスタジオ・アルバム1975年作品。
リリース50周年を記念してオリジナル・マスターテープからケヴィン・グレイが新たにカッティング。180g重量盤LPでのプレス、ゲイトフォールド仕様にてリリース。
このアルバムは、アメリカのビルボード誌のトップ・ジャズLPチャートで1位、トップR&Bアルバムチャートで3位、トップ・ポップLPチャートで16位を記録した。また、RIAAからゴールド認定を受けた大ヒット作品。
〈パーソネル〉 Kevin Toney(key) Stephen Johnson(sax) Orville Saunders(g) Joe Hall(b) Keith Killgo(ds)

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-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. It's certainly their most successful, including the pop hit "Happy Music" and what has become their signature tune, a percolating Latin-flavored jam called "Rock Creek Park" that's one of the pinnacles of '70s jazz-funk. As on the bouncy title track, the lyrical content is minimal, a simple hypnotic chant, but the fluid interplay of the musicians, who are masters of the unison horn section and the polyrhythmic groove, is what's important about this music. Other highlights include the funky southern-style soul of "Hash and Eggs" and the lyrical ballad "Love So Fine." This is often-sublime stuff ripe for rediscovery by fans of '70s funk, soul, and fusion. ~ Stewart Mason