Flight of the Phoenix
The heart of Bird City buried deep within the earthen womb of soil and sleeping stones. Inside this solitude lived a beautiful and fiery creature.
For many years it lived in slumber, cooled and resting, regenerating. However, today is the first of the days that things will never be the same again.
With a rumble, the ground broke apart. The pavement began to melt and drip, oozing down into a pool of neon lava. Bubbling and swirling, something began to emerge from the river of fire.
A loud cry was heard for thousands of miles. Piercing and full of life, alive and on fire, the Phoenix stretched its wings…
…From the cold ashes of the old,
That which has been is anew again,
Wings stretched wide and very alive,
Blazing hot, yet consumed not,
As it sings, it spreads its wings,
What a sight when the Phoenix takes to Flight,
Soaring above the clouds, going way up on high,
Giving light to the sun up in the sky…
"Flight of the Phoenix" is the debut album from the 7 member Atlanta Afrofunk band Bird City Revolutionaries. Recorded in January 2013 for Behip Records, "Flight of the Phoenix" is comprised of Bird City's instrumental songs.
The title track "Flight of the Phoenix" is an aural interpretation of life in Atlanta, the Bird City. From Larry Thomas' swirling bass lines to Phil Floyds' firery sax lines, the song is very much alive and atmospheric. Like the Phoenix, Atlanta has arisen from the ashes and is fiery once again.
"Bird City Strut" and "Bird City Chase" are drenched in 70's influenced funky textures. "The KnowMads" and "They came from Nibiru" are musically inspired by otherworldly mythologies and desert scenes. "Sippar" and "El Hacha" both are steeped in the infectious rhythms of afrobeat music.
The final track on the album is "Hot Dog Dub". This is an on the spot improvisational moment that was caught on tape.
Guest musicians for this recording session included virtuoso Eric "The Professor" Fontaine (Living Space Trio, Currency, Atlanta Funk Society) on Bass Sax, Jason Collier (The Soulphonics, Atlanta Funk society) on Trumpet, Tenda (3052 Dub Collective, Tenda Sax) on alto sax, and Leonard Thomas plays percussion on "Hot Dog Dub".
The Bird City Revolutionaries are: Larry "Pocket" Thomas - bass; Eric Brown - Percussion/Keys on "Hot Dog Dub"; Julian "Scotty" Bryan - drums; Saude - Guitar/Dub FX; Phil Floyd - Tenor Sax/Melodica/Bird Calls; Daniel "D-Lab" Labrador - Guitar; Julian Morena - Keys/Melodica.
"Keep Your Eyes to the Skies"