This week's radio show ended with one of my all-time favorite Donald Byrd tracks(which for the record is saying a lot) in "The Emperor". This funky jazz gem was featured on Byrd's 1971 album Ethiopian Knights, which was released by Blue Note Records. The entire recording, including "The Emperor", is a solid blend of Byrd's mid to late seventies signature jazz-funk sound combined with a bit of an overall heavy-hittin' Afro groove. The record features two main standout tracks that are over fifteen-plus minutes and one composition "Jamie" that serves more of an outro to "The Emperor" than anything else. A solid and large cast of musicians join Byrd on this recording including Harold Land (tenor saxophone), Bobby Hutcherson (vibes), Joe Sample (organ), Wilton Felder (bass), as well as many others. Overall, one of Donald Byrd's greatest pre-Mizell brothers produced albums.
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