posted: 2022-04-01 Ethiopian Knights Donald

“Right from the stop-start bass groove that opens “The Emperor,” it’s immediately clear that ‘Ethiopian Knights’ is more indebted to funk than any previous Donald Byrd project. And, like a true funk band, Byrd and his group work the same driving, polyrhythmic grooves over and over, making rhythm the focal point of the music. Although the musicians do improvise, their main objective is to keep the grooves pumping, using their solos more to create texture than harmonic complexity. Even though ‘Ethiopian Knights’ did move Byrd closer to R&B, it’s still more jazz than funk, and didn’t completely foreshadow his crossover. The dense arrangements and lo-o-o-ng workouts are indicative of Byrd’s continued debt to Miles Davis. It’s clear from the title that Byrd’s emerging Afrocentric consciousness was leading him – like Davis – to seek ways of renewing jazz’s connection to the people who created it. ‘Ethiopian Knights’ is another intriguing transitional effort that deepens the portrait of Byrd the acid jazz legend.” - Steve Huey, AllMusic