Love has come around - Donald Byrd

A must-listen for any fan of classic dance music, "Love Has Come Around" is the quintessential boogie anthem from jazz-funk legend Donald Byrd and his 125th Street Band, N.Y.C.. Released in 1981 on the album Love Byrd, the track represents a fascinating period in Byrd’s career as he successfully pivoted from his hard bop roots into sophisticated commercial funk and post-disco.

The reason this track hits so hard? It was produced by the soul icon himself, Isaac Hayes. Hayes’ signature touch is evident in the irresistible groove, the enthusiastic vocals, and the wonderful blend of horns and piano. Written by long-time band member William Duckett, the infectious album version (at a running time of 7:52) is pure, sophisticated dancefloor ecstasy.

"Love Has Come Around" was a significant hit, becoming Byrd’s most successful single on the soul charts. It peaked at a strong Number 15 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and soared to Number 4 on the US Billboard Disco Top 100 chart. More than forty years later, it remains a beloved, feel-good track that never fails to bring the groove.