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Night Birds, released in 1982 on the Polydor label, is the second album by English jazz-funk band Shakatak. Night Birds established Shakatak’s trademark jazz-funk sound, and contains two of the band’s biggest hits, “Easier Said than Done” and “Night Birds”, the former reaching the No. 12 spot in 1981, the latter climbing to No. 9 in the following year.

Reception

AllMusic review by Sharon Mawer awarded the album 3.5 stars and wrote:”Shakatak was an underground instrumental dominated jazz-funk band at a time when the genre hadn’t really hit the mainstream, mainly showcasing the keyboard skills of Bill Sharpe and the jazz guitar of Keith Winter. Taking a chance on a female vocalist, Jill Saward, they released their second album, Nightbirds, which featured a radio-friendly vocal over the top of their jazz meanderings, and suddenly the pop market opened up for them with the hit single “Easier Said Than Done” with its mainly piano based tinkling and a dance beat, and Saward’s vocal on the chorus. They followed this with an even bigger hit, “Night Birds” which became the title track of the second album, still with the trademark piano and jazz bassline. Taking a break from the danceable pop/jazz was the track “Rio Nights,” which slowed the pace down, perfectly reminiscent of a balmy night out in the Caribbean or Latin America. One could almost feel the warm breeze as the George Benson style guitar played. The first track, “Taking Off,” was an instrumental with some scat singing at the end, and “Light of My Life” would predate the soulful singing of Anita Baker and Mica Paris by half a decade, but Nightbirds would prove to be the high point for Shakatak who never troubled the Top Ten again.:

Track listing
All tracks written by William “Bill” Sharpe and Roger Odell except where indicated.
Side 1:

“Night Birds” – 6:25
“Streetwalkin'” – 5:30
“Rio Nights” – 5:18
“Fly the Wind” – 4:20

Side 2:

“Easier Said Than Done” – 6:10
“Bitch to the Boys” – 6:28
“Light on My Life” – 4:48
“Takin’ Off” (William “Bill” Sharpe) – 5:08

Personnel
Bill Sharpe – Bösendorfer grand piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Oberheim OB-X synthesizer, ARP Odyssey and Prophet-10 synthesisers
Nigel Wright – Fender Rhodes electric piano, Oberheim OB-X & Prophet-10 synthesisers, trombone, brass arrangements
Keith Winter – Yamaha SG2000 & Gibson ES-345 electric guitars, Ovation acoustic guitar; Mesa Boogie amplification and Custom Pedal Board
George Anderson – Music Man StingRay and G&L 2000E electric basses
Roger Odell – Sonor drums, Avedis Zildjian cymbals
Jill Saward – vocals
Jackie Rawe – vocals (also lead vocal on “Streetwalkin'”)
Additional personnel
Vocals by Lorna Bannon; lead vocal on “Light on My Life”
Percussion, Portuguese translation and vocal on “Rio Nights” by Simon Morton
Trumpet by Stuart Brooks
Saxophone solos on “Streetwalkin'” and “Light on My Life” by Dick Morrissey (courtesy of Beggars Banquet)

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Released: May 1982
Studio: Jacobs Studios (Surrey)
Pye Studio II (London)
Length: 43:32
Label: Polydor
Producer: Nigel Wright