In the early 70s Donald Byrd hooked up with songwriting & producing team Alphonse and Larry Mizell and scored a major hit in 73 with the album Black Byrd (Brilliant LP). Caricatures was the last album after a run of successful Mizell collaborations with Byrd as well as his last album for Blue Note.
The Caricatures LP beautifully blends funk, soul, jazz and the grooves of disco. This Byrd/Mizell sound is still ever present today. Following on from the EPMD post check the long list of today’s artists who have sampled various Donald Byrd/Mizell Bros. encounters, such as A Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock, Tupac(rip), Jazzy Jeff, and many, many more.
Similarly On a House tip we have the killer Detroit Experiments interpretation of Think Twice & on Jazz Utopia by Dj Rhythm the re-rub of Onward Til Morning, taken from the Caricatures LP the original is a BIG favourite @ Love Unlimited HQ & here it is in all it’s glory.
Plenty more Byrd/Mizzell to follow.
