Reviewed For TheFunkStore.com..By
Compiled For TheFunkStore.com..By:Tylard Tatt II
BLACKBYRD McKNIGHT
'BOUT FUNKIN' TIME
TFS/TCC Release Date:12/08/2009
LABEL: BBMC
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:USA
DISC : 1
ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE:2009
CONDITION:NEW
STOCK STATUS:INSTOCK
The greatest improvisational guitarist in rock. Period. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to indoctrinate a newbie into the dense musical stew of rock/funk/ gospel/ doo-wop psycheclica that is live P-Funk, only to have that person come out of the venue and ask the immortal question: “Who in the funk was that unfunkinbelievable axeman standing stage-left?!?”
Indeed. Mention the name DeWayne Blackbyrd McKnight in any round table discussion amongst jazz/fusion & funk purists and the mere thought at what this man’s body of work suggest sends shivers into the earhole. Unfortunately outside of that circle, the name is less well know if at all, which is a travesty.
After a 30- year tour of duty as band leader of Parliament Funkadelic’s greatest show in rock circus, the Blackbyrd is ready to spread his wings and “Fly On”. On any given night onstage with George, we found him ripping up and constructing new arrangements over such P classics as Atomic Dog, Pumpin’ It Up, Generator Pop and Dog Star. The Dr. would simply holla “Byrd” in that crusty, funky growl, next thing you know you had been taken into an outer metal spaceway with another mind-boggling 20 minute solo rendering these classic songs complete shred fests.
Byrd lives to play guitar. GC says, “don’t mess with his amp, when he wants to play he’s gonna play now and he’s gonna play loud”. By the time he debuted with the P on Funkadelic’s 1979 classic Uncle Jam LP and lead axe in the Brides of Funkenstein crack touring unit, he had already introduced electric guitarisms into the legendary Headhunters on the “Survival of the Fittest” album of 1975.
A straight-up Guitar God badass whose absence from Clinton’s bands is sorely missed. Byrd has now boldly taken off into his own territory and as these tracks attest, he takes you where no mere mortal has ever dared to tread while playing an axe.
His playing is so spontaneous that no matter how many times you’ve seen him do his thang in concert, no matter how many bags you’ve attempted to put him in, he naturally universally escapes categorization. Here he takes that live spirit and translates it into studio majik not yet found this side of Hendrix’ Electric Ladyland. These cuts sweat, bang and vamp hard with a wall-shaking, earth-rattling body-bumping snasty funk/metal groove.
From the time he launches into the definitive “Funkarockaholic” Byrd shreds, slices and dices thru 10 ear-splitting guitar jams that pounds the listener, in the know and uninitiated alike, into a frenzied state of ultra energetic satiation. He just wears your ass out, when I finished digesting my first listen to this all I wanted to do afterwards is just roll over and take a deep breath. Dayum!!
And oh yea, if you missed the Blackbyrd doin’ his thang with Clinton & Co. don’t fret, he just co-founded the experimental rock collective Socialybrium with Bernie Worrell and his back on the road with his own show as well. McKnight’s incredible musical journey has now come full circle and he is “Funkin Where You Belong”, dare to kick the volume up another notch, if you can hang.
Noted Cincinnati-OH Funk Journalist~"Bustin'"Bob Mitchell
**USUALLY SHIPS WITHIN 1 To 2 BUSINESS DAYS ..
OUT OF STOCK ..
TRACK LISTING
1.Funkarockaholic~Listen
2.Joke of the Butt~Listen
3.P.T.P.B~Listen
4.#06~Listen
5.Funkin Where You Belong~Listen
6.#03~Listen
7.Smoosh~Listen
8.On Down the Line~Listen
9.The Mad Hit~Listen
10.Graffiti~Listen
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