DONALD BYRD — Street Lady (review)

DONALD BYRD — Street Lady album cover Album · 1973 · Funk Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
liontime
This record is a lot of fun; it's extremely listenable for the first few plays and its undeniably catchy at many times. However, after the first few euphoric listens, the shimmer wears away and the record starts to fall flat. Lansana's Priestess is the star track undoubtedly and is ultimately the only essential song on the album.

Street Lady is pretty easily described as jazz disco and Lansana's Priestess is a great example of the two opposed genres melding together into something fresh and exciting. The guitar is funky and crisp, the flute and synthesizer are pastoral and Donald Byrd does a fair bit of improvisation. However, the record as a whole is a bit mind numbing and an unfortunate harbinger of bloodless over produced jazz pop of the later 70's. Don't mistake this for harsh criticism, it is meant only to be honest. As a background or party album, it's tremendous. But it's not an album that warrants repeated intensive listening.

Play this album for your friends or while working out. It's got a lot of pep and won't drag anyone's mood down.

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