The Blackbyrds | Mysterious Vibes (The Change Request Dreamix)
Inspired by their teacher—Howard University professor and musical maestro, Donald Byrd—The Blackbyrds are a jazz-funk fusion ensemble from Washington DC. Signed to Fantasy Records in 1973, they would go on to record 8 studio albums for the label over the next decade.
Their 1975 hit "Walking in Rhythm”—from their Unfinished Business LP—received a Grammy nomination, selling over one million copies by May 1975, and certified gold. Following up to this success, “Mysterious Vibes”—from 1977’s Action LP—was written by bandleader, Keith Killgo, and produced by their mentor, Donald Byrd.
The group’s work has became a major influence on Hip-Hop sound culture, particularly NYC’s Golden Era, coming from NYC, with artist’s such as Gang Starr, MF DOOM, De La Soul, Eric B. & Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Heavy D, Nas, Grandmaster Flash, and Tone Lōc to name a few.
One of the more sampled songs in their catalog, “Mysterious Vibes” has been sampled religiously over the years, appearing in 67 songs—to date—since it’s initial release in 1977. Keith Killgo reunited the band in 2012, and a lot of their work saw long-overdue represses, finally making their vast discography available to a new generation of funk fans and collectors.
Artist: The Blackbyrds
Song: Mysterious Vibes
Writer: Keith Killgo
Producer: Donald Byrd
Remixer: Change Request
Release: Action LP
Release Date: 1977
Label: Fantasy
Cat. No: F-9535
