"Over two days in August 1971, Donald Byrd brought a powerful band into A&M Studios in Los Angeles to record the jazz-funk exploration Ethiopian Knights, continuing his evolution from top-flight hard bop trumpeter to pioneer of R&B/funk fusion. Consisting of just three tracks—the extended funk workouts “The Emperor” and “The Little Rasti” with the cleanser “Jamie” in between—the album preceded his Mizell Bros produced fusion masterpiece Black Byrd. This Blue Note 80 Vinyl Edition is all-analog.
"Over two days in August 1971, Donald Byrd brought a powerful band into A&M Studios in Los Angeles to record the jazz-funk exploration Ethiopian Knights, continuing his evolution from top-flight hard bop trumpeter to pioneer of R&B/funk fusion. Consisting of just three tracks—the extended funk workouts “The Emperor” and “The Little Rasti” with the cleanser “Jamie” in between—the album preceded his Mizell Bros produced fusion masterpiece Black Byrd. This Blue Note 80 Vinyl Edition is all-analog.