Black 47 - Fire of Freedom

The basic ingredients are one part street-wise, horn-driven New Jersey rock a la early-Springsteen / Southside Johnny, and one part ethnic Irish pop in the spirit of Dexy's Midnight Runners. Where the mind boggles is when New York City's Black 47 (the peak year of the Irish Potato Famine) also manages to incorporate reggae ("Fire Of Freedom"), mutant Dixieland jazz ("Fanatic Heart"), groove music ("Funky Ceili") and hip-hop (the autobiographical "Rockin' The Bronx")...all with a lead vocalist who has a similar angst-ridden whine as Robert Smith of The Cure. Overall, Fire Of Freedom could be the most fun you squeeze out of a five-inch disc. ~ Roch Parisien, All Music Guide

Name Credits Chris Byrne ?, Uillean Pipes, Vocals, Bodhran, Pipe, Tin Whistle, Whistle (Instrument) Darryl Jenifer Keyboards, Speech/Speaker/Speaking Part, Bass, ?, Toaster Dave Conrad Bass David Conrad Bass David Heglmeier Engineer Deborah Berg Vocals (Background) Emily Bindiger Vocals (Background) Fred Parcells Trumpet, Whistle (Instrument), Vocals, Tin Whistle, Trombone, Arranger, Brass Arrangement Geoffrey Blythe Brass Arrangement, Sax (Baritone), Sax (Soprano), Arranger, Sax (Tenor) Greg Calbi Mastering Hal Belknap Assistant Engineer Henry Marquez Art Direction Johnny Byrne Engineer Jon Goldberger Engineer, Mixing Julio Peña Engineer Kurt Mundahl Photography Larry Kirwan Percussion, Producer, Vocals, Brass Arrangement, Remixing, Keyboards, Guitar, Arranger, Composer Marc Cozza Art Direction, Design Mark Dannat Assistant Engineer Mary Martello Soprano (Vocal), Vocals Mike Fazio Guitar Morning-Star Courtney Vocals Ric Ocasek Vocals, Keyboards, Producer, Guitar Richard Scott Assistant Engineer Samrat Vasisht Assistant Engineer Sherryl Marshall Vocals (Background) Steven Ett Remixing Thomas Hamlin Percussion, Drums