The Jazz Crusaders • Live In South Africa

 

 

The Jazz Crusaders • Stretchin' Out

 

In 1961, four fellows from Houston transplanted themselves to Los Angeles and added more distinctly bluesy elements to the soul jazz style with an ear-grabbing album called “The Freedom Sound,” on the Pacific Jazz label. Its four co-leaders were trombonist Wayne Henderson, tenor saxophonist (and occasional bassist) Wilton Felder, pianist Joe Sample, and drummer Nesbert “Stix” Hooper.

They first joined together in Houston in the fifties with the formation of The Swingsters, the group’s embracing of many different musical styles starts where it normally does, at the beginning. “Because we came up on the streets and not in the studios,” says Felder, “our music was live. The Texas streets were rich with the blues of Lightnin’ Hopkins. We grew up on all the deep country sounds. At the same time, we had ears for modern jazz”Miles and Monk”and never saw a contradiction between the old and new.” It’s no surprise, then, that once in senior high, The Swingsters became The Modern Jazz Sextet, a group that continued through their college years at Texas Southern University. Before graduation, though, the call of the road was irresistible, and they were off to L.A.

Two years later, in 1960, the group was signed to Pacific Jazz Records and re-christened The Jazz Crusaders. Their trombone/sax frontline sound was unique, their bop chops impeccable. In a series of superlative albums, The Jazz Crusaders built a national reputation, surviving a decade in which the popularity of jazz was in extreme decline. On one hand, the British Invasion and Motown dominated the youth market; on the other, the jazz avant-garde alienated scores of fans.

The Jazz Crusaders sound caught on big time, and their subsequent Pacific Jazz albums rewarded them with a good deal of exposure. The band performed regularly and got plenty of airplay. But as times changed, so did the Jazz Crusaders. In the late Sixties, they placed popular songs in their repertoire, and firm backbeats began to bolster many a selection. By 1971, they decided that the word “jazz” kept them from attracting a wider listener base, and so they emerged anew with “The Crusaders, Vol. 1,” (Chisa), an album that openly infused jazz with pop, soul, and R&B elements.

If the Jazz Crusaders had achieved some degree of popularity, it was nothing like the crossover success that greeted the Crusaders. Such albums as “Scratch,” “Southern Comfort,” “Chain Reaction,” “Those Southern Knights,” “Free as the Wind,” “Images, Street Life,” and “Royal Jam” (recorded variously for the Chisa, ABC Blue Thumb, and MCA labels) sold well and brought in a deluge of new fans. Street Life’s title track, with Randy Crawford on vocals, provided the Crusaders with a major crossover hit in 1979.

The Crusaders’ popularity started to fade in the early Eighties, prompted by Henderson’s departure. Hooper then left as well, and by the early ‘90’s, Sample and Felder had disbanded the group.

A few years later, Henderson and Felder began performing together, first as the New Crusaders and then, as the Jazz Crusaders. Henderson was able to hold on to the name Jazz Crusaders and is still touring under that name.

They reunited after a 20-year absence, and in 2003, Verve Records released “Rural Renewal.” This record featured the heart of the original Crusaders lineup;Joe Sample on keys, Wilton Felder on saxophone, and Stix Hooper on drums, along with trombonist Steve Baxter, in Wayne Henderson’s former spot. Also on board was Stewart Levine, the producer credited for The Crusaders’ major successes in the 1960s and 1970s.

Henderson and Felder both went on to have solid solo careers both as performers and producers. Hooper likewise remained active though not as visible as the others.Joe Sample of course has gone on to become a first call pianist and has produced a score of fine albums as leader as well.

Even during the days of commercial success, the Crusaders had at their core a note of integrity. Though many will judge them for their latter more popular period, they are recognized by jazz aficionados for their work in the early ‘60’s as the Jazz Crusaders.

The young musicians performed their own mix of the sounds that came out of their culture and their experiences. It was only when they were signed to Pacific Jazz that they adopted the name that would remain unchanged for a decade.

From their first recordings, The Jazz Crusaders proved they sounded like no one else. They took as their foundation what Sample called the three pillars of African American music: jazz, blues and gospel. In fact, part of what makes The Jazz Crusaders' music through the decade of the 1960s so appealing is that their background and musical influences seemed to put them on a course of musical discovery, seeking ways to apply the art of self expression and improvisation to their own compositions and to a wide repertoire from the jazz and pop worlds.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jazzcrusaders

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 En 1961, cuatro compañeros de Houston se mudaron a Los Ángeles y añadieron elementos más distintivos de blues al estilo de jazz soul con un álbum que les llamó la atención, "The Freedom Sound", del sello Pacific Jazz. Sus cuatro co-líderes fueron el trombonista Wayne Henderson, el saxofonista tenor (y ocasional bajista) Wilton Felder, el pianista Joe Sample, y el baterista Nesbert "Stix" Hooper.

Se unieron por primera vez en Houston en los años 50 con la formación de The Swingsters, la adopción de muchos estilos musicales diferentes por parte del grupo comienza donde normalmente lo hace, al principio. "Porque llegamos a las calles y no a los estudios", dice Felder, "nuestra música era en vivo. Las calles de Texas eran ricas en el blues de Lightnin' Hopkins. Crecimos con todos los sonidos profundos del country. Al mismo tiempo, teníamos oídos para el jazz moderno "Miles y Monk" y nunca vimos una contradicción entre lo viejo y lo nuevo." No es sorprendente, entonces, que una vez en la secundaria, los Swingsters se convirtieran en el Sexteto de Jazz Moderno, un grupo que continuó durante sus años de universidad en la Universidad del Sur de Texas. Antes de la graduación, sin embargo, la llamada de la carretera era irresistible, y se fueron a Los Ángeles.

Dos años después, en 1960, el grupo firmó con Pacific Jazz Records y rebautizó The Jazz Crusaders.
Su sonido de primera línea de trombón y saxo era único, sus chuletas de bop impecables. En una serie de álbumes superlativos, The Jazz Crusaders construyeron una reputación nacional, sobreviviendo a una década en la que la popularidad del jazz estaba en extremo declive. Por un lado, la Invasión Británica y la Motown dominaron el mercado juvenil; por otro, la vanguardia del jazz enajenó a decenas de fanáticos.

El sonido de los Jazz Crusaders se hizo notar, y sus posteriores álbumes de Pacific Jazz los recompensaron con una buena dosis de exposición. La banda tocó regularmente y tuvo mucha difusión. Pero a medida que los tiempos cambiaban, también lo hacían los Jazz Crusaders. A finales de los sesenta, incluyeron canciones populares en su repertorio, y los firmes ritmos de fondo comenzaron a reforzar muchas de sus selecciones. En 1971, decidieron que la palabra "jazz" les impedía atraer a una base de oyentes más amplia, y así emergieron de nuevo con "The Crusaders, Vol. 1," (Chisa), un álbum que infundió abiertamente el jazz con elementos de pop, soul y R&B.

Si los Crusaders de Jazz habían alcanzado algún grado de popularidad, no era nada como el éxito del crossover que saludó a los Crusaders. Álbumes como "Scratch", "Southern Comfort", "Chain Reaction", "Those Southern Knights", "Free as the Wind", "Images, Street Life" y "Royal Jam" (grabados en varias ocasiones para los sellos Chisa, ABC Blue Thumb y MCA) se vendieron bien y atrajeron un diluvio de nuevos fans. El tema que da título a Street Life, con Randy Crawford a la voz, proporcionó a los Crusaders un gran éxito en 1979.

La popularidad de los Crusaders comenzó a desvanecerse a principios de los ochenta, impulsada por la salida de Henderson. Hooper también se fue, y a principios de los 90, Sample y Felder habían disuelto el grupo.

Unos años más tarde, Henderson y Felder comenzaron a actuar juntos, primero como los New Crusaders y luego como los Jazz Crusaders. Henderson pudo mantener el nombre de Jazz Crusaders y todavía está de gira bajo ese nombre.

Se reunieron después de una ausencia de 20 años, y en 2003, Verve Records lanzó "Rural Renewal". Este disco presentaba el corazón de la alineación original de los Crusaders; Joe Sample en las teclas, Wilton Felder en el saxofón, y Stix Hooper en la batería, junto con el trombonista Steve Baxter, en el antiguo lugar de Wayne Henderson. También estaba a bordo Stewart Levine, el productor acreditado por los grandes éxitos de Los Cruzados en los años 60 y 70.

Henderson y Felder tuvieron sólidas carreras como solistas, tanto como intérpretes como productores. Hooper también se mantuvo activo, aunque no tan visible como los demás. Joe Sample, por supuesto, se ha convertido en un pianista de primera llamada y ha producido una veintena de buenos álbumes como líder también.

Incluso durante los días de éxito comercial, los Cruzados tenían en su núcleo una nota de integridad. Aunque muchos los juzgarán por su último período más popular, son reconocidos por los aficionados al jazz por su trabajo a principios de los años 60 como los Cruzados del Jazz.

Los jóvenes músicos interpretaron su propia mezcla de los sonidos que salieron de su cultura y sus experiencias.
Sólo cuando firmaron con Pacific Jazz adoptaron el nombre que permanecería inalterado durante una década.

Desde sus primeras grabaciones, The Jazz Crusaders demostraron que sonaban como nadie más. Tomaron como base lo que Sample llamó los tres pilares de la música afroamericana: jazz, blues y gospel. De hecho, parte de lo que hace tan atractiva la música de The Jazz Crusaders a lo largo de la década de 1960 es que sus antecedentes e influencias musicales parecían ponerlos en un curso de descubrimiento musical, buscando formas de aplicar el arte de la autoexpresión y la improvisación a sus propias composiciones y a un amplio repertorio del mundo del jazz y del pop.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jazzcrusaders

The Jazz Crusaders • Uh Huh

Review by Scott Yanow

One of the best of the Jazz Crusaders LPs, this outing features fairly lengthy investigations of six group originals including "Uh Huh" and "Watts Happening." Tenor saxophonist Wilton Felder, trombonist Wayne Henderson, pianist Joe Sample, drummer Stix Hooper, and guest bassist Buster Williams all sound as if they are pushing each other. Their brand of soulful hard bop (utilizing their distinctive tenor-trombone frontline) is heard throughout at its prime.

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Reseña de Scott Yanow

Uno de los mejores LPs de Jazz Crusaders, esta salida presenta investigaciones bastante largas de seis originales del grupo, incluyendo "Uh Huh" y "Watts Happening". El saxofonista tenor Wilton Felder, el trombonista Wayne Henderson, el pianista Joe Sample, el baterista Stix Hooper, y el bajista invitado Buster Williams, todos suenan como si se estuvieran empujando. Su marca de soulful hard bop (utilizando su distintivo frente de trombón-trombón) se escucha en todo momento en su mejor momento.

VA • Blue Note Plays Bossa Nova

Jazz Crusaders • Lighthouse '68

 

The Crusaders, llamados originalmente The Jazz Crusaders. es un grupo norteamericano de soul jazz, jazz fusión y funk, creado en 1961 y que han editado más de 40 álbumes.

El grupo "The Jazz Crusaders" fue formado por el trombonista Wayne Henderson, el saxofonista Wilton Felder, el teclista Joe Sample y el baterista Stix Hooper, a los que se unieron el guitarrista Roy Gaines y el contrabajista Jimmy Bond, en 1961,1 aunque ya con anterioridad habían trabajado juntos, llegando a grabar un par de singles, bajo el nombre de "The Nite Hawks". Todos ellos eran originarios de Houston (Texas), aunque residían en California, siendo muy activos en la escena de jazz de la Costa Oeste. Su primer disco se llamó The Freedom Sound y fue publicado por el sello Pacific Jazz, que sería su compañía hasta 1969. El estilo del grupo, en esta época, oscilaba alrededor del funky jazz.

Época de mayor éxito.

En 1971, al escorarse su música hacía el r&b y el pop, mofidicaron su nombre eliminando la palabra "jazz" y adoptando un estilo más cercano al funk, incorporando a la banda al guitarrista Larry Carlton y al bajista Robert Popwell. La nueva tendencia crossover de la banda, hizo que sus discos comenzaran a aparecer en las listas de ventas de Billboard, consiguiendo su mayor éxito con el álbum "Street life" (1979), que consiguió alcanzar el nº 36 en el Billboard Hot 100, y su single entró en el Top 10 de R&B. Durante su época de mayor éxito, The Crusaders trabajaron como músicos de respaldo a un gran número de artistas, como Marvin Gaye, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen o Joni Mitchell.

En 1975, Henderson dejó la banda para proseguir su carrera como músico y como productor discográfico. Más tarde, 1983, Hooper también abandonó al grupo. Estos cambios modificaron la línea musical de la banda, que acabó por desaparecer a comienzos de la década de 1990. Sin embargo, en 1995, Wayne Henderson, junto a Wilton Felder y Larry Carlton, rehizo la banda para grabar una serie de discos, bajo el nombre nuevamente de "Jazz Crusaders", aunque con poca relación musical con el grupo original. La banda vuelve a deshacerse a comienzos de la década de 2000.

En 2003, serán Joe Sample y Stix Hooper, junto con Felder, quienes revivan al grupo para grabar un disco, en el que intervienen como guitarristas Eric Clapton y Ray Parker, bajo el nombre de "The Crusaders". La banda no publica más discos, pero en 2010 se produce una reunión de Sample, Felder y Henderson (sin Hooper), para realizar una gira. Wiki

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The Crusaders were an American music group popular in the early 1970s known for their amalgamated jazz, pop, and soul sound. Since 1961, forty albums have been credited to the group (some live and compilations), 19 of which were recorded under the name "The Jazz Crusaders" (1961–1970).

In 1960, following the demise of a few short-lived Houston-based groups called The Swingsters and the Nite Hawks, Joe Sample (piano), Stix Hooper (drums), Wilton Felder (saxophone), and Wayne Henderson (trombone), relocated to Los Angeles, CA. After changing their name to "The Jazz Crusaders," the group signed with Pacific Jazz Records, where they would remain throughout the 1960s. Employing a two-manned front-line horn section (trombone and tenor saxophone), the group's sound was rooted in hard bop, with an emphasis on R&B and soul.

The group shortened their name to "The Crusaders" in 1971, and adopted a jazz-funk style.They also incorporated the electric bass and electric guitar into their music. Bass guitarist Robert "Pops" Popwell and guitarist Larry Carlton joined the band, and featured on the group's albums throughout most of the 1970s. With this new style came increased crossover appeal, and the group's recordings started to appear on the Billboard pop charts. The height of the group's commercial success came with 1979's Street Life, with Randy Crawford as featured singer, which peaked at No. 18 on the pop album charts and the title track from the album made the Top 10 on the R&B chart and No. 36 on Billboard′s Hot 100 chart.

In 1975, following the release of their 28th album (their ninth as The Crusaders), Henderson left the group to pursue a full-time career as a producer. His departure created a void, permanently changing the character of the group. Another founding member, Hooper, left the group in 1983, thus signaling the end to the group's most popular period. Three more albums were recorded in the mid-1980s; however by the 1990s, The Crusaders, for the most part, had disbanded, with a comprehensive discography behind them.

The Crusaders performing at Knebworth Park, UK, as part of the Capitol Radio Jazz Festival, 1982

In 1991, The Crusaders (with Sample and Felder the only original members present) released Healing the Wounds. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Top Contemporary Jazz chart and No. 174 on the Billboard 200. The group did not release any more albums during the decade, as Sample focused on a solo career.

Henderson, who had left the group in 1975, revived the "Jazz Crusaders" moniker (despite Sample's objections) for 1995's Happy Again. The lineup for Happy Again included founding member Wilton Felder and former Crusaders guitarist Larry Carlton. The new Jazz Crusaders released a series of recordings in the late 1990s, but the music bore little resemblance to the acoustic, hard bop style of the original group, instead emphasizing synthesizers, sampling, electronics, and drum machines in the style of smooth jazz, rap music, or contemporary R&B.

In 2003, founding members Sample, Felder and Hooper revived The Crusaders and released Rural Renewal. Ray Parker Jr. and Eric Clapton played guitar on the album. That same year, the Henderson-led Jazz Crusaders released Soul Axess.

In April 2010, Joe Sample announced a reunion tour with Wayne Henderson and Wilton Felder (but not Stix Hooper) - the first reunion of these founding members of the Jazz Crusaders since 1974. Henderson died on April 5, 2014. Joe Sample died in Houston on September 12, 2014. Felder died on September 27, 2015.  Wiki

The Jazz Crusaders • Chile con soul

Review by Lindsay Planer

The Jazz Crusaders are among the most underrated jazz combos to have evolved from the post-bop movement. The original quartet blended its undeniably strong R&B and soul music influences into equally unique and rhythmically charged jazz progressions that likewise hark back to the bop mastery roots of Miles Davis or Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers -- from whom the Jazz Crusaders boldly acknowledge their own name. By the mid-'60s, the combo had expanded to feature the formidable talents of co-founders Joe Sample (piano), Wilton Felder (tenor sax), and Nesbert "Stix" Hooper (drums) along with longtime membersWayne Henderson (trombone) and Hubert Laws (flute). With the addition of the legendary Al McKibbon (bass) earlier in the decade, the band's sound began to shift. Chile con Soul (1965) is one of the best examples of the Jazz Crusaders at one of the many musical pinnacles in their 30-plus year existence. As one might anticipate, this long-player features some heavily Latin-flavored material. The LP's eight sides are further authenticated by percussionists Carlos Vidal (who played with Charlie Barnet's band as far back as the late '40s), Mongo Santamaria, and Cal Tjader veteran Carmelo Garcia. From the soulful strut of Sample's opening "Agua Dulce (Sweetwater)" or Laws' midtempo counterpart, "Tacos," Chile con Soul provides a funky façade that complements the fiery "Latin Bit" and syncopated frenzy of "Dulzura." Of particular note is the chugging cadence on this arrangement of "The Breeze and I," which pulsates and grooves behind some alternately pungent and slinky solos that trade freely between Felder, Henderson, and especially the unencumbered ethereal runs from Laws. Any level of jazz enthusiast will find much worth revisiting on Chile con Soul.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/chile-con-soul-mw0000037280

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Reseña de Lindsay Planer

Los Cruzados del Jazz están entre los combos de jazz más infravalorados que han evolucionado desde el movimiento post-bop. El cuarteto original mezcló sus innegables influencias de R&B y música soul en progresiones de jazz igualmente únicas y cargadas de ritmo que también se remontan a las raíces de la maestría del bop de Miles Davis o Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - de quienes los Jazz Crusaders reconocen audazmente su propio nombre. A mediados de los 60, el combo se había expandido para presentar los formidables talentos de los cofundadores Joe Sample (piano), Wilton Felder (saxo tenor), y Nesbert "Stix" Hooper (batería) junto con los antiguos miembros Wayne Henderson (trombón) y Hubert Laws (flauta). Con la adición del legendario Al McKibbon (bajo) a principios de la década, el sonido de la banda comenzó a cambiar. Chile con Soul (1965) es uno de los mejores ejemplos de los Cruzados del Jazz en uno de los muchos pináculos musicales en sus más de 30 años de existencia. Como se podría anticipar, este músico de larga duración presenta un material con un fuerte sabor latino. Los ocho lados del LP están además autentificados por los percusionistas Carlos Vidal (que tocó con la banda de Charlie Barnet desde finales de los 40), Mongo Santamaría y el veterano de Cal Tjader, Carmelo García. Desde el conmovedor puntal de la apertura de Sample "Agua Dulce" o la contraparte de Laws en el midtempo, "Tacos", Chile con Soul proporciona una fachada funky que complementa el ardiente "Bit Latino" y el frenesí sincopado de "Dulzura". Es de particular importancia la cadencia de este arreglo de "The Breeze and I", que pulsa y se mueve detrás de algunos solos alternativamente picantes y slinky que se intercambian libremente entre Felder, Henderson, y especialmente las etéreas carreras de Laws. Cualquier nivel de entusiasta del jazz encontrará mucho que vale la pena volver a visitar en Chile con Soul.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/chile-con-soul-mw0000037280

The Jazz Crusaders • Live At The Lighthouse

Review by Scott Yanow

Because the Jazz Crusaders in the early '70s dropped the "Jazz" from their name and later in the decade veered much closer to R&B and pop music than they had earlier, it is easy to forget just how strong a jazz group they were in the 1960s. This CD reissues one of their rarer sessions, augmenting the original seven-song LP program (highlighted by "Blues Up Tight," "Doin' That Thing," and "Milestones" with previously unissued versions of "'Round Midnight" and John Coltrane's "Some Other Blues." the Jazz Crusaders (comprised of tenor saxophonist Wilton Felder, trombonist Wayne Henderson, pianist Joe Sample, drummer Stix Hooper, and, during this period, bassist Leroy Vinnegar) are heard in prime form. Felder shows the strong influence of Coltrane, Henderson recalls J.J. Johnson, Sample displays the most originality and the quintet on a whole (with its tenor-trombone frontline) sounds quite distinctive. An excellent set of primarily straight-ahead (but soulful) jazz.

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Reseña de Scott Yanow

Debido a que los Cruzados del Jazz a principios de los 70 dejaron el "Jazz" de su nombre y más tarde en la década se acercaron mucho más al R&B y a la música pop de lo que lo habían hecho antes, es fácil olvidar lo fuertes que eran como grupo de jazz en los 60. Este CD reedita una de sus sesiones más raras, ampliando el programa original del LP de siete canciones (destacado por "Blues Up Tight", "Doin' That Thing" e "Milestones" con versiones previamente no publicadas de "Round Midnight" y "Some Other Blues" de John Coltrane. " los Jazz Crusaders (compuestos por el saxofonista tenor Wilton Felder, el trombonista Wayne Henderson, el pianista Joe Sample, el baterista Stix Hooper, y, durante este período, el bajista Leroy Vinnegar) se escuchan en forma primitiva. Felder muestra la fuerte influencia de Coltrane, Henderson recuerda a J.J. Johnson, Sample muestra la mayor originalidad y el quinteto en su conjunto (con su línea frontal de trombón-trombón tenor) suena bastante distintivo. Un excelente conjunto de jazz principalmente directo (pero conmovedor).

 

 

 

The Jazz Crusaders • Powerhouse

Review

Powerhouse is the studio recording that followed the live Lighthouse '68. It showcases the Jazz Crusaders at their tightly arranged soul-jazz best. This is the first album on which Joe Sample allowed himself the luxury of trying a Fender Rhodes, and as such it offers a new dimension. It also signaled an entirely new era for the band, which took the new electronic device to the heart of its sound and from that point on embraced technology. The reading of "Hey Jude" is a case in point here. The front line of trombonist Wayne Henderson and saxophonist Wilton Felder ushers in the melody in harmonic counterpoint as Stix Hooper dances his way through the changes and Buster Williams strolls his bassline through the middle. When Sample enters it to comp and fill, his lines punctuate the melody as Hooper moves to double time on the kit. The element of groove is interesting; the horns keep it feeling crisp and clean and Sample dirties it up for just the right amount of tension. Williams' bassline introduces an all but unrecognizable "Love Is Blue." Played at three times the tempo and strutted out with funky figures, the horns syncopate the line and Sample moves through both his piano (playing blues lines) and harpsichord (with dissonant figures). The overdriven "Cookie Man," by Henderson, indulges his fascination with both Latin rhythms and gospel grooves. The set closes with the shimmering swing of "Fire Water," by Buster Williams. His wonderfully sophisticated harmonic sensibility never interferes with this sense of space and the amount of room given to soloists in his choruses. In all, this is another watermark for the Jazz Crusaders, who had created one of the most consistent bodies of work in the music.

by Thom Jurek

https://www.allmusic.com/album/powerhouse-mw0000904277

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Review

Powerhouse is the studio recording that followed the live Lighthouse '68. It showcases the Jazz Crusaders at their tightly arranged soul-jazz best. This is the first album on which Joe Sample allowed himself the luxury of trying a Fender Rhodes, and as such it offers a new dimension. It also signaled an entirely new era for the band, which took the new electronic device to the heart of its sound and from that point on embraced technology. The reading of "Hey Jude" is a case in point here. The front line of trombonist Wayne Henderson and saxophonist Wilton Felder ushers in the melody in harmonic counterpoint as Stix Hooper dances his way through the changes and Buster Williams strolls his bassline through the middle. When Sample enters it to comp and fill, his lines punctuate the melody as Hooper moves to double time on the kit. The element of groove is interesting; the horns keep it feeling crisp and clean and Sample dirties it up for just the right amount of tension. Williams' bassline introduces an all but unrecognizable "Love Is Blue." Played at three times the tempo and strutted out with funky figures, the horns syncopate the line and Sample moves through both his piano (playing blues lines) and harpsichord (with dissonant figures). The overdriven "Cookie Man," by Henderson, indulges his fascination with both Latin rhythms and gospel grooves. The set closes with the shimmering swing of "Fire Water," by Buster Williams. His wonderfully sophisticated harmonic sensibility never interferes with this sense of space and the amount of room given to soloists in his choruses. In all, this is another watermark for the Jazz Crusaders, who had created one of the most consistent bodies of work in the music.

by Thom Jurek

https://www.allmusic.com/album/powerhouse-mw0000904277

The Jazz Crusaders • Lookin' Ahead

Reseña de Scott Yanow

La segunda grabación de los Jazz Crusaders destaca por la introducción de "The Young Rabbits" de Wayne Henderson, el más conocido de los siete grupos originales que se interpretan en este LP junto con "Song of India" y "Tonight" de Leonard Bernstein. La primera línea de trombones de tenor creada por Wilton Felder y Henderson, junto con el toque funky y swinging del pianista Joe Sample, el baterista Stix Hooper y el bajista Jimmy Bond en este set difícil de encontrar, hicieron que el grupo fuera reconocible al instante y sorprendentemente popular desde el principio.

The Crusaders, llamados originalmente The Jazz Crusaders. es un grupo norteamericano de soul jazz, jazz fusión y funk, creado en 1961 y que han editado más de 40 álbumes.

El grupo "The Jazz Crusaders" fue formado por el trombonista Wayne Henderson, el saxofonista Wilton Felder, el teclista Joe Sample y el baterista Stix Hooper, a los que se unieron el guitarrista Roy Gaines y el contrabajista Jimmy Bond, en 1961,1 aunque ya con anterioridad habían trabajado juntos, llegando a grabar un par de singles, bajo el nombre de "The Nite Hawks". Todos ellos eran originarios de Houston (Texas), aunque residían en California, siendo muy activos en la escena de jazz de la Costa Oeste. Su primer disco se llamó The Freedom Sound y fue publicado por el sello Pacific Jazz, que sería su compañía hasta 1969. El estilo del grupo, en esta época, oscilaba alrededor del funky jazz.

Época de mayor éxito.

En 1971, al escorarse su música hacía el r&b y el pop, mofidicaron su nombre eliminando la palabra "jazz" y adoptando un estilo más cercano al funk, incorporando a la banda al guitarrista Larry Carlton y al bajista Robert Popwell. La nueva tendencia crossover de la banda, hizo que sus discos comenzaran a aparecer en las listas de ventas de Billboard, consiguiendo su mayor éxito con el álbum "Street life" (1979), que consiguió alcanzar el nº 36 en el Billboard Hot 100, y su single entró en el Top 10 de R&B. Durante su época de mayor éxito, The Crusaders trabajaron como músicos de respaldo a un gran número de artistas, como Marvin Gaye, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen o Joni Mitchell.

En 1975, Henderson dejó la banda para proseguir su carrera como músico y como productor discográfico. Más tarde, 1983, Hooper también abandonó al grupo. Estos cambios modificaron la línea musical de la banda, que acabó por desaparecer a comienzos de la década de 1990. Sin embargo, en 1995, Wayne Henderson, junto a Wilton Felder y Larry Carlton, rehizo la banda para grabar una serie de discos, bajo el nombre nuevamente de "Jazz Crusaders", aunque con poca relación musical con el grupo original. La banda vuelve a deshacerse a comienzos de la década de 2000.

En 2003, serán Joe Sample y Stix Hooper, junto con Felder, quienes revivan al grupo para grabar un disco, en el que intervienen como guitarristas Eric Clapton y Ray Parker, bajo el nombre de "The Crusaders". La banda no publica más discos, pero en 2010 se produce una reunión de Sample, Felder y Henderson (sin Hooper), para realizar una gira. Wiki

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Review by Scott Yanow

The Jazz Crusaders' second recording is most notable for the introduction of Wayne Henderson's "The Young Rabbits," the best-known of the seven group originals which are performed on this LP along with "Song of India" and Leonard Bernstein's "Tonight." The tenor-trombone frontline created by Wilton Felder and Henderson, along with the funky yet swinging playing of pianist Joe Sample, drummer Stix Hooper and bassist Jimmy Bond on this hard-to-find set made the group instantly recognizable and surprisingly popular from the start.

The Crusaders were an American music group popular in the early 1970s known for their amalgamated jazz, pop, and soul sound. Since 1961, forty albums have been credited to the group (some live and compilations), 19 of which were recorded under the name "The Jazz Crusaders" (1961–1970).

In 1960, following the demise of a few short-lived Houston-based groups called The Swingsters and the Nite Hawks, Joe Sample (piano), Stix Hooper (drums), Wilton Felder (saxophone), and Wayne Henderson (trombone), relocated to Los Angeles, CA. After changing their name to "The Jazz Crusaders," the group signed with Pacific Jazz Records, where they would remain throughout the 1960s. Employing a two-manned front-line horn section (trombone and tenor saxophone), the group's sound was rooted in hard bop, with an emphasis on R&B and soul.

The group shortened their name to "The Crusaders" in 1971, and adopted a jazz-funk style.They also incorporated the electric bass and electric guitar into their music. Bass guitarist Robert "Pops" Popwell and guitarist Larry Carlton joined the band, and featured on the group's albums throughout most of the 1970s. With this new style came increased crossover appeal, and the group's recordings started to appear on the Billboard pop charts. The height of the group's commercial success came with 1979's Street Life, with Randy Crawford as featured singer, which peaked at No. 18 on the pop album charts and the title track from the album made the Top 10 on the R&B chart and No. 36 on Billboard′s Hot 100 chart.

In 1975, following the release of their 28th album (their ninth as The Crusaders), Henderson left the group to pursue a full-time career as a producer. His departure created a void, permanently changing the character of the group. Another founding member, Hooper, left the group in 1983, thus signaling the end to the group's most popular period. Three more albums were recorded in the mid-1980s; however by the 1990s, The Crusaders, for the most part, had disbanded, with a comprehensive discography behind them.

The Crusaders performing at Knebworth Park, UK, as part of the Capitol Radio Jazz Festival, 1982

In 1991, The Crusaders (with Sample and Felder the only original members present) released Healing the Wounds. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Top Contemporary Jazz chart and No. 174 on the Billboard 200. The group did not release any more albums during the decade, as Sample focused on a solo career.

Henderson, who had left the group in 1975, revived the "Jazz Crusaders" moniker (despite Sample's objections) for 1995's Happy Again. The lineup for Happy Again included founding member Wilton Felder and former Crusaders guitarist Larry Carlton. The new Jazz Crusaders released a series of recordings in the late 1990s, but the music bore little resemblance to the acoustic, hard bop style of the original group, instead emphasizing synthesizers, sampling, electronics, and drum machines in the style of smooth jazz, rap music, or contemporary R&B.

In 2003, founding members Sample, Felder and Hooper revived The Crusaders and released Rural Renewal. Ray Parker Jr. and Eric Clapton played guitar on the album. That same year, the Henderson-led Jazz Crusaders released Soul Axess.

In April 2010, Joe Sample announced a reunion tour with Wayne Henderson and Wilton Felder (but not Stix Hooper) - the first reunion of these founding members of the Jazz Crusaders since 1974. Henderson died on April 5, 2014. Joe Sample died in Houston on September 12, 2014. Felder died on September 27, 2015.  Wiki

The Jazz Crusaders • Lighthouse '69

 

Review
by Scott Yanow
This LP was the fourth and final Live at the Lighthouse recording by the Jazz Crusaders, following equally successful sets from 1962, 1966 and 1968. Although the repertoire (four pop and R&B tunes including the Beatles' "Get Back" and four originals) would not seem to be too promising, as usual the group transforms the music into their own brand of soulful and funky hard bop. Pianist Joe Sample is heard for one of the first times doubling on electric piano and there are fine solos by tenor saxophonist Wilton Felder and trombonist Wayne Henderson.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/lighthouse-69-mw0000881323

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Reseña
por Scott Yanow
Este LP fue la cuarta y última grabación de Live at the Lighthouse de los Jazz Crusaders, tras los exitosos discos de 1962, 1966 y 1968. Aunque el repertorio (cuatro temas de pop y R&B, incluyendo "Get Back" de los Beatles, y cuatro originales) no parece demasiado prometedor, como siempre el grupo transforma la música en su propia marca de hard bop conmovedor y funky. El pianista Joe Sample se escucha por primera vez doblando en el piano eléctrico y hay buenos solos del saxofonista tenor Wilton Felder y del trombonista Wayne Henderson.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/lighthouse-69-mw0000881323

The Jazz Crusaders • The 2nd Crusade

 In 1961, four fellows from Houston transplanted themselves to Los Angeles and added more distinctly bluesy elements to the soul jazz style with an ear-grabbing album called “The Freedom Sound,” on the Pacific Jazz label. Its four co-leaders were trombonist Wayne Henderson, tenor saxophonist (and occasional bassist) Wilton Felder, pianist Joe Sample, and drummer Nesbert “Stix” Hooper.

They first joined together in Houston in the fifties with the formation of The Swingsters, the group’s embracing of many different musical styles starts where it normally does, at the beginning. “Because we came up on the streets and not in the studios,” says Felder, “our music was live. The Texas streets were rich with the blues of Lightnin’ Hopkins. We grew up on all the deep country sounds. At the same time, we had ears for modern jazz”Miles and Monk”and never saw a contradiction between the old and new.” It’s no surprise, then, that once in senior high, The Swingsters became The Modern Jazz Sextet, a group that continued through their college years at Texas Southern University. Before graduation, though, the call of the road was irresistible, and they were off to L.A.

Two years later, in 1960, the group was signed to Pacific Jazz Records and re-christened The Jazz Crusaders. Their trombone/sax frontline sound was unique, their bop chops impeccable. In a series of superlative albums, The Jazz Crusaders built a national reputation, surviving a decade in which the popularity of jazz was in extreme decline. On one hand, the British Invasion and Motown dominated the youth market; on the other, the jazz avant-garde alienated scores of fans.

The Jazz Crusaders sound caught on big time, and their subsequent Pacific Jazz albums rewarded them with a good deal of exposure. The band performed regularly and got plenty of airplay. But as times changed, so did the Jazz Crusaders. In the late Sixties, they placed popular songs in their repertoire, and firm backbeats began to bolster many a selection. By 1971, they decided that the word “jazz” kept them from attracting a wider listener base, and so they emerged anew with “The Crusaders, Vol. 1,” (Chisa), an album that openly infused jazz with pop, soul, and R&B elements.

If the Jazz Crusaders had achieved some degree of popularity, it was nothing like the crossover success that greeted the Crusaders. Such albums as “Scratch,” “Southern Comfort,” “Chain Reaction,” “Those Southern Knights,” “Free as the Wind,” “Images, Street Life,” and “Royal Jam” (recorded variously for the Chisa, ABC Blue Thumb, and MCA labels) sold well and brought in a deluge of new fans. Street Life’s title track, with Randy Crawford on vocals, provided the Crusaders with a major crossover hit in 1979.

The Crusaders’ popularity started to fade in the early Eighties, prompted by Henderson’s departure. Hooper then left as well, and by the early ‘90’s, Sample and Felder had disbanded the group.

A few years later, Henderson and Felder began performing together, first as the New Crusaders and then, as the Jazz Crusaders. Henderson was able to hold on to the name Jazz Crusaders and is still touring under that name.

They reunited after a 20-year absence, and in 2003, Verve Records released “Rural Renewal.” This record featured the heart of the original Crusaders lineup;Joe Sample on keys, Wilton Felder on saxophone, and Stix Hooper on drums, along with trombonist Steve Baxter, in Wayne Henderson’s former spot. Also on board was Stewart Levine, the producer credited for The Crusaders’ major successes in the 1960s and 1970s.

Henderson and Felder both went on to have solid solo careers both as performers and producers. Hooper likewise remained active though not as visible as the others.Joe Sample of course has gone on to become a first call pianist and has produced a score of fine albums as leader as well.

Even during the days of commercial success, the Crusaders had at their core a note of integrity. Though many will judge them for their latter more popular period, they are recognized by jazz aficionados for their work in the early ‘60’s as the Jazz Crusaders.

The young musicians performed their own mix of the sounds that came out of their culture and their experiences. It was only when they were signed to Pacific Jazz that they adopted the name that would remain unchanged for a decade.

From their first recordings, The Jazz Crusaders proved they sounded like no one else. They took as their foundation what Sample called the three pillars of African American music: jazz, blues and gospel. In fact, part of what makes The Jazz Crusaders' music through the decade of the 1960s so appealing is that their background and musical influences seemed to put them on a course of musical discovery, seeking ways to apply the art of self expression and improvisation to their own compositions and to a wide repertoire from the jazz and pop worlds.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jazzcrusaders

//////////////

 En 1961, cuatro compañeros de Houston se trasladaron a Los Ángeles y añadieron elementos más claramente blueseros al estilo del soul jazz con un álbum muy atractivo llamado "The Freedom Sound", en el sello Pacific Jazz. Sus cuatro colíderes eran el trombonista Wayne Henderson, el saxofonista tenor (y bajista ocasional) Wilton Felder, el pianista Joe Sample y el baterista Nesbert "Stix" Hooper.

Se juntaron por primera vez en Houston en los años cincuenta con la formación de The Swingsters, y el hecho de que el grupo abarcara muchos estilos musicales diferentes comienza donde normalmente lo hace, al principio. "Como surgimos en las calles y no en los estudios", dice Felder, "nuestra música era en vivo. En las calles de Texas abundaba el blues de Lightnin' Hopkins. Crecimos con todos los sonidos profundos del country. Al mismo tiempo, teníamos oídos para el jazz moderno "Miles y Monk"y nunca vimos una contradicción entre lo viejo y lo nuevo." No es de extrañar, por tanto, que una vez en el último año de instituto, The Swingsters se convirtieran en The Modern Jazz Sextet, grupo que continuó durante sus años universitarios en la Texas Southern University. Sin embargo, antes de graduarse, la llamada de la carretera fue irresistible y se fueron a Los Ángeles.

Dos años más tarde, en 1960, el grupo fue contratado por Pacific Jazz Records y rebautizado como The Jazz Crusaders. Su sonido de trombón y saxo en primera línea era único, y sus habilidades de bop, impecables. En una serie de álbumes superlativos, The Jazz Crusaders se forjó una reputación nacional, sobreviviendo a una década en la que la popularidad del jazz estaba en extremo declive. Por un lado, la Invasión Británica y la Motown dominaban el mercado juvenil; por otro, la vanguardia del jazz alejaba a decenas de aficionados.

El sonido de The Jazz Crusaders caló hondo, y sus siguientes álbumes de Pacific Jazz les recompensaron con una buena exposición. El grupo actuaba con regularidad y tenía mucha difusión. Pero a medida que los tiempos cambiaban, también lo hacían los Jazz Crusaders. A finales de los años sesenta, incluyeron canciones populares en su repertorio, y los firmes ritmos de fondo comenzaron a reforzar muchas selecciones. En 1971, decidieron que la palabra "jazz" les impedía atraer a una base de oyentes más amplia, por lo que surgieron de nuevo con "The Crusaders, Vol. 1" (Chisa), un álbum que infundía abiertamente el jazz con elementos de pop, soul y R&B.

Si los Jazz Crusaders alcanzaron cierto grado de popularidad, no fue nada parecido al éxito transversal que recibieron los Crusaders. Álbumes como "Scratch", "Southern Comfort", "Chain Reaction", "Those Southern Knights", "Free as the Wind", "Images, Street Life" y "Royal Jam" (grabados para los sellos Chisa, ABC Blue Thumb y MCA) se vendieron bien y atrajeron a un aluvión de nuevos fans. El tema que da título a Street Life, con Randy Crawford a la voz, proporcionó a los Crusaders un gran éxito de difusión en 1979.

La popularidad de los Crusaders empezó a desvanecerse a principios de los ochenta, provocada por la marcha de Henderson. Hooper también se marchó, y a principios de los 90, Sample y Felder habían disuelto el grupo.

Unos años más tarde, Henderson y Felder empezaron a actuar juntos, primero como los New Crusaders y luego como los Jazz Crusaders. Henderson consiguió mantener el nombre de Jazz Crusaders y sigue haciendo giras con ese nombre.

Se reunieron después de 20 años de ausencia, y en 2003, Verve Records publicó "Rural Renewal". Este disco contó con el corazón de la formación original de los Crusaders; Joe Sample a las teclas, Wilton Felder al saxofón y Stix Hooper a la batería, junto con el trombonista Steve Baxter, en el antiguo lugar de Wayne Henderson. También se incorporó Stewart Levine, el productor al que se atribuyen los grandes éxitos de The Crusaders en los años 60 y 70.

Henderson y Felder siguieron una sólida carrera en solitario, tanto como intérpretes como productores. Joe Sample, por supuesto, se ha convertido en un pianista de primera fila y ha producido una veintena de buenos álbumes como líder.

Incluso durante los días de éxito comercial, los Crusaders tenían en su núcleo una nota de integridad. Aunque muchos los juzgarán por su último periodo más popular, los aficionados al jazz los reconocen por su trabajo a principios de los 60 como los Jazz Crusaders.

Los jóvenes músicos interpretaban su propia mezcla de los sonidos que surgían de su cultura y sus experiencias. Sólo cuando fueron contratados por Pacific Jazz adoptaron el nombre que permanecería inalterado durante una década.

Desde sus primeras grabaciones, The Jazz Crusaders demostraron que sonaban como nadie. Tomaron como base lo que Sample denominó los tres pilares de la música afroamericana: el jazz, el blues y el gospel. De hecho, parte de lo que hace que la música de The Jazz Crusaders a lo largo de la década de los 60 sea tan atractiva es que sus antecedentes e influencias musicales parecían ponerles en un camino de descubrimiento musical, buscando formas de aplicar el arte de la autoexpresión y la improvisación a sus propias composiciones y a un amplio repertorio del mundo del jazz y el pop.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jazzcrusaders

The Jazz Crusaders • The Thing

The Crusaders, llamados originalmente The Jazz Crusaders. es un grupo norteamericano de soul jazz, jazz fusión y funk, creado en 1961 y que han editado más de 40 álbumes.

El grupo "The Jazz Crusaders" fue formado por el trombonista Wayne Henderson, el saxofonista Wilton Felder, el teclista Joe Sample y el baterista Stix Hooper, a los que se unieron el guitarrista Roy Gaines y el contrabajista Jimmy Bond, en 1961,1 aunque ya con anterioridad habían trabajado juntos, llegando a grabar un par de singles, bajo el nombre de "The Nite Hawks". Todos ellos eran originarios de Houston (Texas), aunque residían en California, siendo muy activos en la escena de jazz de la Costa Oeste. Su primer disco se llamó The Freedom Sound y fue publicado por el sello Pacific Jazz, que sería su compañía hasta 1969. El estilo del grupo, en esta época, oscilaba alrededor del funky jazz.
Época de mayor éxito.

En 1971, al escorarse su música hacía el r&b y el pop, mofidicaron su nombre eliminando la palabra "jazz" y adoptando un estilo más cercano al funk, incorporando a la banda al guitarrista Larry Carlton y al bajista Robert Popwell. La nueva tendencia crossover de la banda, hizo que sus discos comenzaran a aparecer en las listas de ventas de Billboard, consiguiendo su mayor éxito con el álbum "Street life" (1979), que consiguió alcanzar el nº 36 en el Billboard Hot 100, y su single entró en el Top 10 de R&B. Durante su época de mayor éxito, The Crusaders trabajaron como músicos de respaldo a un gran número de artistas, como Marvin Gaye, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen o Joni Mitchell.

En 1975, Henderson dejó la banda para proseguir su carrera como músico y como productor discográfico. Más tarde, 1983, Hooper también abandonó al grupo. Estos cambios modificaron la línea musical de la banda, que acabó por desaparecer a comienzos de la década de 1990. Sin embargo, en 1995, Wayne Henderson, junto a Wilton Felder y Larry Carlton, rehizo la banda para grabar una serie de discos, bajo el nombre nuevamente de "Jazz Crusaders", aunque con poca relación musical con el grupo original. La banda vuelve a deshacerse a comienzos de la década de 2000.

En 2003, serán Joe Sample y Stix Hooper, junto con Felder, quienes revivan al grupo para grabar un disco, en el que intervienen como guitarristas Eric Clapton y Ray Parker, bajo el nombre de "The Crusaders". La banda no publica más discos, pero en 2010 se produce una reunión de Sample, Felder y Henderson (sin Hooper), para realizar una gira. Wiki

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The Crusaders were an American music group popular in the early 1970s known for their amalgamated jazz, pop, and soul sound. Since 1961, forty albums have been credited to the group (some live and compilations), 19 of which were recorded under the name "The Jazz Crusaders" (1961–1970).

In 1960, following the demise of a few short-lived Houston-based groups called The Swingsters and the Nite Hawks, Joe Sample (piano), Stix Hooper (drums), Wilton Felder (saxophone), and Wayne Henderson (trombone), relocated to Los Angeles, CA. After changing their name to "The Jazz Crusaders," the group signed with Pacific Jazz Records, where they would remain throughout the 1960s. Employing a two-manned front-line horn section (trombone and tenor saxophone), the group's sound was rooted in hard bop, with an emphasis on R&B and soul.

The group shortened their name to "The Crusaders" in 1971, and adopted a jazz-funk style.They also incorporated the electric bass and electric guitar into their music. Bass guitarist Robert "Pops" Popwell and guitarist Larry Carlton joined the band, and featured on the group's albums throughout most of the 1970s. With this new style came increased crossover appeal, and the group's recordings started to appear on the Billboard pop charts. The height of the group's commercial success came with 1979's Street Life, with Randy Crawford as featured singer, which peaked at No. 18 on the pop album charts and the title track from the album made the Top 10 on the R&B chart and No. 36 on Billboard′s Hot 100 chart.

In 1975, following the release of their 28th album (their ninth as The Crusaders), Henderson left the group to pursue a full-time career as a producer. His departure created a void, permanently changing the character of the group. Another founding member, Hooper, left the group in 1983, thus signaling the end to the group's most popular period. Three more albums were recorded in the mid-1980s; however by the 1990s, The Crusaders, for the most part, had disbanded, with a comprehensive discography behind them.

The Crusaders performing at Knebworth Park, UK, as part of the Capitol Radio Jazz Festival, 1982

In 1991, The Crusaders (with Sample and Felder the only original members present) released Healing the Wounds. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Top Contemporary Jazz chart and No. 174 on the Billboard 200. The group did not release any more albums during the decade, as Sample focused on a solo career.

Henderson, who had left the group in 1975, revived the "Jazz Crusaders" moniker (despite Sample's objections) for 1995's Happy Again. The lineup for Happy Again included founding member Wilton Felder and former Crusaders guitarist Larry Carlton. The new Jazz Crusaders released a series of recordings in the late 1990s, but the music bore little resemblance to the acoustic, hard bop style of the original group, instead emphasizing synthesizers, sampling, electronics, and drum machines in the style of smooth jazz, rap music, or contemporary R&B.

In 2003, founding members Sample, Felder and Hooper revived The Crusaders and released Rural Renewal. Ray Parker Jr. and Eric Clapton played guitar on the album. That same year, the Henderson-led Jazz Crusaders released Soul Axess.

In April 2010, Joe Sample announced a reunion tour with Wayne Henderson and Wilton Felder (but not Stix Hooper) - the first reunion of these founding members of the Jazz Crusaders since 1974. Henderson died on April 5, 2014. Joe Sample died in Houston on September 12, 2014.[3] Felder died on September 27, 2015.  Wiki

The Jazz Crusaders • The Festival Album

 

Review
by Thom Jurek  
The Festival Album was the only live set by the Jazz Crusaders not recorded at the Lighthouse. As such, it is a compilation of performances recorded at the Pacific Jazz and Newport Festivals in 1966. The band had two different bass players during these gigs: Jimmy Bond was at the Newport Festival, while Herbie Lewis joined for the Pacific Jazz Festival. The band was well established everywhere but in New York, bewilderingly, and had recorded a dozen records, all of which were popular. And it's easy to see why. The version of Ken Cox's "Trance Dance" that opens the set showcases all of the band's strengths: solid hard bop chops and arrangements with a deep accent on the blues as it was emerging into soul-jazz. Soloists Joe Sample, Wayne Henderson, and Wilton Felder are all in fine form here. The deep groove on "Summer's Madness" by the trio is actually the signature piece of the Jazz Crusaders' sound at the time. Sample's "Freedom Sound," from the Pacific Jazz gig, illustrates the deep lyricism at the heart of the band's front line. The CD version contains two bonus tracks recorded later that year at Shelly Manne's Hole, with Buster Williams on bass. The sound gels here to make something truly unique, as evidenced by the funkier than funky "Wilton's Boogaloo," with killer solos by the saxophonist and Henderson, and a smoking beat by Stix Hooper. It's loose, in the pocket and freewheeling -- and over 11 minutes in length! The set closes with the driving "Half and Half" by Charles Davis, which is a vamp on "My Favorite Things," with a knotty arrangement, a sprightly tempo, and features some incredible snare and cymbal work by Hooper.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-festival-album-mw0000344340

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Reseña
por Thom Jurek  
The Festival Album fue el único directo de los Jazz Crusaders que no se grabó en el Lighthouse. Como tal, es una recopilación de actuaciones grabadas en los festivales de jazz del Pacífico y de Newport en 1966. La banda tuvo dos bajistas diferentes durante estos conciertos: Jimmy Bond estuvo en el Festival de Newport, mientras que Herbie Lewis se unió para el Festival de Jazz del Pacífico. La banda estaba bien establecida en todas partes menos en Nueva York, desconcertantemente, y había grabado una docena de discos, todos ellos populares. Y es fácil ver por qué. La versión de "Trance Dance" de Ken Cox que abre el set muestra todos los puntos fuertes de la banda: sólidos chops de hard bop y arreglos con un profundo acento en el blues cuando estaba emergiendo en el soul-jazz. Los solistas Joe Sample, Wayne Henderson y Wilton Felder están en buena forma. El profundo groove de "Summer's Madness" del trío es en realidad la pieza distintiva del sonido de los Jazz Crusaders de la época. "Freedom Sound" de Sample, del concierto de Pacific Jazz, ilustra el profundo lirismo en el corazón de la primera línea de la banda. La versión en CD contiene dos temas extra grabados ese mismo año en Shelly Manne's Hole, con Buster Williams al bajo. El sonido se fusiona aquí para hacer algo verdaderamente único, como lo demuestra el más que funky "Wilton's Boogaloo", con solos asesinos del saxofonista y Henderson, y un ritmo humeante de Stix Hooper. Es un tema suelto, en el bolsillo y libre - ¡y de más de 11 minutos de duración! El conjunto se cierra con la impulsora "Half and Half" de Charles Davis, que es una versión de "My Favorite Things", con un arreglo nudoso, un ritmo ágil, y con un increíble trabajo de caja y platillos de Hooper.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-festival-album-mw0000344340

Les McCann & The Jazz Crusaders • Jazz Waltz

 

Colaborador / Contributor:  Ketmokin

VA • Funky Jazzy Party

 

Grant Green, Ramsey Lewis, The Jazz Crusaders, Donald Byrd, Willie Bobo, Roy Ayers, Jimmy Smith, Bobbi Humphrey, Wes Montgomery, Bobby Hutcherson, Quincy Jones, Dorothy Ashby …

 

The Jazz Crusaders • Talk That Talk

 In 1961, four fellows from Houston transplanted themselves to Los Angeles and added more distinctly bluesy elements to the soul jazz style with an ear-grabbing album called “The Freedom Sound,” on the Pacific Jazz label. Its four co-leaders were trombonist Wayne Henderson, tenor saxophonist (and occasional bassist) Wilton Felder, pianist Joe Sample, and drummer Nesbert “Stix” Hooper.

They first joined together in Houston in the fifties with the formation of The Swingsters, the group’s embracing of many different musical styles starts where it normally does, at the beginning. “Because we came up on the streets and not in the studios,” says Felder, “our music was live. The Texas streets were rich with the blues of Lightnin’ Hopkins. We grew up on all the deep country sounds. At the same time, we had ears for modern jazz”Miles and Monk”and never saw a contradiction between the old and new.” It’s no surprise, then, that once in senior high, The Swingsters became The Modern Jazz Sextet, a group that continued through their college years at Texas Southern University. Before graduation, though, the call of the road was irresistible, and they were off to L.A.

Two years later, in 1960, the group was signed to Pacific Jazz Records and re-christened The Jazz Crusaders. Their trombone/sax frontline sound was unique, their bop chops impeccable. In a series of superlative albums, The Jazz Crusaders built a national reputation, surviving a decade in which the popularity of jazz was in extreme decline. On one hand, the British Invasion and Motown dominated the youth market; on the other, the jazz avant-garde alienated scores of fans.

The Jazz Crusaders sound caught on big time, and their subsequent Pacific Jazz albums rewarded them with a good deal of exposure. The band performed regularly and got plenty of airplay. But as times changed, so did the Jazz Crusaders. In the late Sixties, they placed popular songs in their repertoire, and firm backbeats began to bolster many a selection. By 1971, they decided that the word “jazz” kept them from attracting a wider listener base, and so they emerged anew with “The Crusaders, Vol. 1,” (Chisa), an album that openly infused jazz with pop, soul, and R&B elements.

If the Jazz Crusaders had achieved some degree of popularity, it was nothing like the crossover success that greeted the Crusaders. Such albums as “Scratch,” “Southern Comfort,” “Chain Reaction,” “Those Southern Knights,” “Free as the Wind,” “Images, Street Life,” and “Royal Jam” (recorded variously for the Chisa, ABC Blue Thumb, and MCA labels) sold well and brought in a deluge of new fans. Street Life’s title track, with Randy Crawford on vocals, provided the Crusaders with a major crossover hit in 1979.

The Crusaders’ popularity started to fade in the early Eighties, prompted by Henderson’s departure. Hooper then left as well, and by the early ‘90’s, Sample and Felder had disbanded the group.

A few years later, Henderson and Felder began performing together, first as the New Crusaders and then, as the Jazz Crusaders. Henderson was able to hold on to the name Jazz Crusaders and is still touring under that name.

They reunited after a 20-year absence, and in 2003, Verve Records released “Rural Renewal.” This record featured the heart of the original Crusaders lineup;Joe Sample on keys, Wilton Felder on saxophone, and Stix Hooper on drums, along with trombonist Steve Baxter, in Wayne Henderson’s former spot. Also on board was Stewart Levine, the producer credited for The Crusaders’ major successes in the 1960s and 1970s.

Henderson and Felder both went on to have solid solo careers both as performers and producers. Hooper likewise remained active though not as visible as the others.Joe Sample of course has gone on to become a first call pianist and has produced a score of fine albums as leader as well.

Even during the days of commercial success, the Crusaders had at their core a note of integrity. Though many will judge them for their latter more popular period, they are recognized by jazz aficionados for their work in the early ‘60’s as the Jazz Crusaders.

The young musicians performed their own mix of the sounds that came out of their culture and their experiences. It was only when they were signed to Pacific Jazz that they adopted the name that would remain unchanged for a decade.

From their first recordings, The Jazz Crusaders proved they sounded like no one else. They took as their foundation what Sample called the three pillars of African American music: jazz, blues and gospel. In fact, part of what makes The Jazz Crusaders' music through the decade of the 1960s so appealing is that their background and musical influences seemed to put them on a course of musical discovery, seeking ways to apply the art of self expression and improvisation to their own compositions and to a wide repertoire from the jazz and pop worlds.

https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jazzcrusaders

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 En 1961, cuatro compañeros de Houston se trasplantaron a Los Ángeles y añadieron elementos más distintivos de blues al estilo de jazz soul con un álbum que les llamó la atención, "The Freedom Sound", del sello Pacific Jazz. Sus cuatro co-líderes fueron el trombonista Wayne Henderson, el saxofonista tenor (y ocasional bajista) Wilton Felder, el pianista Joe Sample, y el baterista Nesbert "Stix" Hooper.

Se unieron por primera vez en Houston en los años 50 con la formación de The Swingsters, la adopción de muchos estilos musicales diferentes por parte del grupo comienza donde normalmente lo hace, al principio. "Porque llegamos a las calles y no a los estudios", dice Felder, "nuestra música era en vivo. Las calles de Texas eran ricas en el blues de Lightnin' Hopkins. Crecimos con todos los sonidos profundos del country. Al mismo tiempo, teníamos oídos para el jazz moderno "Miles y Monk" y nunca vimos una contradicción entre lo viejo y lo nuevo." No es sorprendente, entonces, que una vez en la secundaria, los Swingsters se convirtieran en el Sexteto de Jazz Moderno, un grupo que continuó durante sus años de universidad en la Universidad del Sur de Texas. Antes de la graduación, sin embargo, la llamada de la carretera era irresistible, y se fueron a Los Ángeles.

Dos años después, en 1960, el grupo firmó con Pacific Jazz Records y rebautizó The Jazz Crusaders. Su sonido de primera línea de trombón y saxo era único, sus chuletas de bop impecables. En una serie de álbumes superlativos, The Jazz Crusaders construyeron una reputación nacional, sobreviviendo a una década en la que la popularidad del jazz estaba en extremo declive. Por un lado, la Invasión Británica y la Motown dominaron el mercado juvenil; por otro, la vanguardia del jazz enajenó a decenas de fanáticos.

El sonido de los Jazz Crusaders se hizo notar, y sus posteriores álbumes de Pacific Jazz los recompensaron con una buena dosis de exposición. La banda tocó regularmente y tuvo mucha difusión. Pero a medida que los tiempos cambiaban, también lo hacían los Jazz Crusaders. A finales de los sesenta, incluyeron canciones populares en su repertorio, y los firmes ritmos de fondo comenzaron a reforzar muchas de sus selecciones. En 1971, decidieron que la palabra "jazz" les impedía atraer a una base de oyentes más amplia, y así emergieron de nuevo con "The Crusaders, Vol. 1," (Chisa), un álbum que infundió abiertamente el jazz con elementos de pop, soul y R&B.

Si los Crusaders de Jazz habían alcanzado algún grado de popularidad, no era nada como el éxito del crossover que saludó a los Crusaders. Álbumes como "Scratch", "Southern Comfort", "Chain Reaction", "Those Southern Knights", "Free as the Wind", "Images, Street Life" y "Royal Jam" (grabados en varias ocasiones para los sellos Chisa, ABC Blue Thumb y MCA) se vendieron bien y atrajeron un diluvio de nuevos fans. El tema que da título a Street Life, con Randy Crawford a la voz, proporcionó a los Crusaders un gran éxito en 1979.

La popularidad de los Crusaders comenzó a desvanecerse a principios de los ochenta, impulsada por la salida de Henderson. Hooper también se fue, y a principios de los 90, Sample y Felder habían disuelto el grupo.

Unos años más tarde, Henderson y Felder comenzaron a actuar juntos, primero como los New Crusaders y luego como los Jazz Crusaders. Henderson pudo mantener el nombre de Jazz Crusaders y todavía está de gira bajo ese nombre.

Se reunieron después de una ausencia de 20 años, y en 2003, Verve Records lanzó "Rural Renewal". Este disco presentaba el corazón de la alineación original de los Crusaders; Joe Sample en las teclas, Wilton Felder en el saxofón, y Stix Hooper en la batería, junto con el trombonista Steve Baxter, en el antiguo lugar de Wayne Henderson. También estaba a bordo Stewart Levine, el productor acreditado por los grandes éxitos de Los Cruzados en los años 60 y 70.

Henderson y Felder tuvieron sólidas carreras como solistas, tanto como intérpretes como productores. Hooper también se mantuvo activo, aunque no tan visible como los demás. Joe Sample, por supuesto, se ha convertido en un pianista de primera llamada y ha producido una veintena de buenos álbumes como líder también.

Incluso durante los días de éxito comercial, los Cruzados tenían en su núcleo una nota de integridad. Aunque muchos los juzgarán por su último período más popular, son reconocidos por los aficionados al jazz por su trabajo a principios de los años 60 como los Cruzados del Jazz.

Los jóvenes músicos interpretaron su propia mezcla de los sonidos que salieron de su cultura y sus experiencias. Sólo cuando firmaron con Pacific Jazz adoptaron el nombre que permanecería inalterado durante una década.

Desde sus primeras grabaciones, The Jazz Crusaders demostraron que sonaban como nadie más. Tomaron como base lo que Sample llamó los tres pilares de la música afroamericana: jazz, blues y gospel. De hecho, parte de lo que hace tan atractiva la música de The Jazz Crusaders a lo largo de la década de 1960 es que sus antecedentes e influencias musicales parecían ponerlos en un curso de descubrimiento musical, buscando formas de aplicar el arte de la autoexpresión y la improvisación a sus propias composiciones y a un amplio repertorio del mundo del jazz y del pop.

https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jazzcrusaders