GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue

About Me

This is all we do. We do it every day, and we keep doing it because making real ass music as a unit is all that really matters to us as a group of musicians. We write and perform our own material as well as serve as a live and studio band for most of the Detroit hip hop and soul community at large. In some ways you might call us the modern incarnation of the Funk Brothers (Motown Records band of 14 musicians who played on every record produced in the city). We can play just about any style at the drop of a hat, and wear our diversity on our sleeve with pride.The group was formed 3 years ago from the core of two bands, Ubiquitus and the Urbanights. 5 out of the 7 of us played in one or both bands at one point or another. Originally assembled in Kalamazoo, Mi. the band relocated back to the Detroit area in 2003 where we added one of the dopest musicians in the city limits, Zo!. Since then we've performed with just about everyone in the hip hop scene in the city, and have recorded with several artists from the area as well.The style can best be described as a union of funk, fusion, hip hop, and soul all blended together with veteran musicians, and topped with a proper flow or a graceful voice.There are several other people who have been influential and pivotal in helping the Funk Mob become what we are that are not listed in the core band membership. Check the first blog for a complete list of the Funk Mob extended family.Thanks for checking out the site, and if you heard something you've liked please rate the song or leave a comment. We are interested in feedback.--------Peace

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 7/15/2005
Band Members: Greg 'G-Rock' Sanders: Bass / Tate McBroom: Drums, Percussion / Chaka Bloodsaw: Congas,Percussion / Lorenzo 'ZO!' Ferguson: Keyboards / Mikus Nelson: Keyboards, Vocals / Tony Ozier: Keyboards, Vocals / Brett Farkas: Guitars
Influences: Korg, Yamaha, and Alesis Workstations, Plucked bass strings, piccolo snare drums, raw unquantitized beats, hip hop in general. Fusion jazz from the 70's, mexicali latin jazz band leaders with the last name Escovedo. Any funk bands from Ohio. Dilla, Slum, The Funk Brothers, the sound of the city of Detroit at its core. Every emcee who we have ever performed with. Underappreciated R&B artists who have to get sampled before they get any respect. Basement studios anywhere in the state of Michigan. Anyone who ever played drums for Miles, or keyboard bass for Parliament. Musically supportive communities, the church, Dr. Juma Santos. Our extended family of musicians who have since left Kalamazoo, and those still there. Life and every thing about it that makes us play the way we play. People (ya'll) who believe in what we do.
Sounds Like: ...........the return of real music performed by actual musicians.
Record Label: Space available for Rent
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Preivew of the songs from Blackbyrd Revue

If you look at our profile pic right now, you'll see that we're going to be backing a guy named Allan Barnes, at this thing called 'The Blackbyrd Revue' in Detroit coming up in just a little over a we...
Posted by GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue on Thu, 29 May 2008 01:59:00 PST

The Blackbyrd Revue Saturday June 7th @ Alvins

Saturday June 7th, the Gorilla Funk Mob will be performing with Allan Barnes (original saxophonist for the Blackbyrds)live at Alvin's in the debut concert of Barnes 'Blackbyrd Revue'.Getting a chance ...
Posted by GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue on Mon, 26 May 2008 05:02:00 PST

Gorilla Funk Mob @ Cityfest July 5th w/ Alan Barnes on Sax

We'll be performing with legendary saxaphonist Alan Barnes (Blackbyrds, Mizell Brothers, Donald Byrd, Prince) @ the Cityfest in the New Center Area of Detroit this Thursday July 5th starting @ 7:30 PM...
Posted by GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 11:54:00 PST

DILLA TRIBUTE 6/3/03 PHOTOS BY MY GOD COMPLEX

FUNK MOB 4 DILLA.... PICS AND WORDS FROM &n...
Posted by GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue on Sat, 24 Jun 2006 07:24:00 PST

The Best Show we've ever played.....................

......................is the consensus from last night at Northern Lights Lounge How it all came together? We might never know. It had the makings to be a disaster, but somehow it turned into a bonafi...
Posted by GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue on Mon, 05 Jun 2006 08:42:00 PST

OneBeLo & Gorilla Funk Mob LIVE SHIT!!!!!!

Back around the beginning of April, the Funk Mob played a show in Kalamazoo with the whole Subterraneous Crew, along with Nick Speed (G-Unit Producer) as the host of the night. We ended up recording t...
Posted by GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue on Sat, 06 May 2006 11:13:00 PST

The man responsible for making us look good.

As you can tell there is a recurrent theme every time we do a blog. We don't post blogs about how a day went or a recap of every show for that matter. Only the really great shows get any mention up he...
Posted by GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue on Wed, 31 Aug 2005 10:01:00 PST

'The Cleansing' ; Live

So, when the original songs went up. The one that got the most consistent positive feedback was 'The Cleansing'. I lost track of how many people contacted us about a remix. And to all those who did, ...
Posted by GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue on Sat, 20 Aug 2005 12:32:00 PST

Black Economics

'BLACK ECONOMICS' is a song we've been blessed to get the opportunity to perform almost everytime we rock with one of our favorite emcees S.U.N. (Scientific Universal Non-Commercial. The Funk Mob...
Posted by GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue on Sat, 20 Aug 2005 11:45:00 PST

Tuesday Aug. 16th, 2005; History in the Making.....

This may be a little late going up, but f*#k it. Tuesday night at the Northern Lights Lounge was history in the making thanks in no small part to House Shoes, all the great emcees who came out and bl...
Posted by GFM aka The Blackbyrd Revue on Fri, 19 Aug 2005 12:33:00 PST