fbpx
Wikipedia

The Crusaders (jazz fusion group)

January 01, 1970

The Crusaders (formerly known as The Jazz Crusaders) were an American jazz/jazz fusion group performing from the 1960s to the 2010s. The group was known as the Jazz Crusaders from their formation in 1960 until shortening their name in 1971. The Crusaders played a wide assortment of genres, including straight ahead jazz, urban R&B, R&B-based jazz, and the blues. The band reached a commercial apex in 1979 with their hit single "Street Life", featuring lead vocals by Randy Crawford, and their accompanying album of the same name.[1]

The Crusaders
The Crusaders in 1978
Background information
Also known asThe Jazz Crusaders
OriginHouston, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Years active1960–2010
Labels
Past members

Career edit

 
The Crusaders at Knebworth Park, UK, Capital Radio Jazz Festival, 1982

High school friends Joe Sample (piano), Wilton Felder[2] (tenor saxophone) and Nesbert "Stix" Hooper (drums) formed their first band together, the Swingsters, in Houston, Texas in 1954. They played a mixture of jazz and R&B, and were joined by Wayne Henderson (trombone), Hubert Laws (flute), and Henry Wilson (bass). The group soon turned more to hard bop, and renamed themselves the Modern Jazz Sextet, but also recorded in a more R&B vein as the Nighthawks (or Nite Hawks).[3]

In 1960, Sample, Felder, Hooper and Henderson moved to Los Angeles and formed the Jazz Crusaders as a quintet with a succession of different bass players. Influenced by musicians such as Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey and John Coltrane,[4] the band signed to the Pacific Jazz label in 1961, and released 16 albums on the label over the subsequent eight years. With a front-line horn section of Felder and Henderson, the group's sound was rooted in hard bop, but with a slant towards R&B and soul music.[3]

Their first two albums, with Jimmy Bond on bass, were Freedom Sound (1961), and Lookin' Ahead (1962), followed by the live album At the Lighthouse (1962) and Tough Talk, the first of several albums with bassist Bobby Haynes. In all, the group recorded five live albums in the 1960s, four of which were recorded at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach. They also had their first chart entry, their treatment of Stevie Wonder's "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" reaching No. 95 on the Hot 100 in 1966.[5] The group's 1969 album, Powerhouse, was their first to reach the Billboard 200 album chart, reaching No. 184,[6] and was also their last studio album for Pacific Jazz.

The group then signed with the Chisa label, co-owned by trumpeter Hugh Masekela and producer Stewart Levine. Their 1970 album Old Socks, New Shoes reached No. 90 on the album chart, and was their last as the Jazz Crusaders. The decision was taken to call the group simply the Crusaders, so as not to limit their scope and potential audience. After a second album with Chisa, (Pass the Plate, 1971), and one album for the MoWest label (Hollywood, 1972) they signed with Blue Thumb Records, where they remained until the late 1970s. Their recordings increasingly adopted a jazz-funk style. They incorporated electric guitar and bass into their shows and recordings, as well as using Sample's electric piano and clavinet.[4] Guitarist Larry Carlton joined and featured on their albums in the early part of the decade. Bass duties were often handled by Felder, with Max Bennett contributing in the early/mid-70's and Robert "Pops" Popwell joining later in the decade.[3]

According to jazz critic Scott Yanow at AllMusic, however, "after a few excellent albums during the early part of the decade... the group began to decline in quality."[3] Sample later commented that the group was under commercial pressure from record companies to record jazzed-up versions of contemporary popular songs.[4] Henderson left to become a record producer in 1975, and the other musicians regularly and increasingly worked as session musicians with artists such as the Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, and Randy Newman. With a growing crossover appeal, the group's most commercially successful recordings included the single "Put It Where You Want It" (No. 52 pop, 1972), and the albums The 2nd Crusade (No. 45 album, 1973), Southern Comfort (No. 31 album, 1974), Chain Reaction (No. 26 album, 1975), Those Southern Knights (No. 38 album, 1976), and Images (No. 34 album, 1978).[6]

The peak of the group's commercial success came with 1979's Street Life, with Randy Crawford as featured singer. The album peaked at No. 18 on the pop album charts and the title track made the top 10 on the R&B chart, No. 36 on Billboard′s Hot 100 chart, and No. 5 in the UK.[7] Later albums by the group featured singers Bill Withers and Joe Cocker. The live 1982 album Royal Jam featured guitarist B. B. King, bassist James Jamerson, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Hooper left in 1983, and though Felder and Sample kept the group operating through the 1980s, the group's commercial success diminished.

Felder and Henderson reunited in the mid-1990s as the Crusaders.[3] Henderson later led a band called the Jazz Crusaders, in which Felder and Carlton also played, and Felder and Sample reunited as the Crusaders in 2003.[4]

Wayne Henderson died in Culver City, California on April 5, 2014;[8] Joe Sample died in Houston, Texas on September 12, 2014;[9] and Wilton Felder died in Whittier, California on September 27, 2015.[10]

Discography edit

Main article: The Crusaders discography

As the Jazz Crusaders edit

Source:[11]

As the Crusaders edit

  • Pass the Plate (Chisa, 1971)
  • Hollywood (MoWest, 1972)
  • Crusaders 1 (Blue Thumb, 1972)
  • At Their Best (Motown, 1973)
  • The 2nd Crusade (Blue Thumb, 1973)
  • Unsung Heroes (Blue Thumb, 1973)
  • Scratch (Blue Thumb, 1974)
  • Southern Comfort (Blue Thumb, 1974)
  • Chain Reaction (Blue Thumb, 1975)
  • Those Southern Knights (Blue Thumb, 1976)
  • Best of The Crusaders (Blue Thumb, 1976)
  • Free as the Wind (Blue Thumb, 1977)
  • Images (Blue Thumb, 1978)
  • Street Life (MCA, 1979)
  • Rhapsody and Blues (MCA, 1980)
  • Ongaku Kai - Live in Japan (Crusaders, 1981; GRP, 1993)
  • Standing Tall (MCA, 1981)
  • Royal Jam (MCA, 1982) with B.B. King
  • Ghetto Blaster (MCA, 1984)
  • The Good and Bad Times (MCA, 1986)
  • Life in the Modern World (MCA, 1988)
  • Healing the Wounds (GRP, 1991)
  • Rural Renewal (Verve, 2003)
  • Live in Japan 2003 (P.R.A., 2004)

As the Jazz Crusaders edit

n.b. (Wayne Henderson & Wilton Felder)

  • Happy Again (Sin-Drome, 1994)
  • Louisiana Hot Sauce (Sin-Drome, 1996)
  • Break'n Da Rulz! (Indigo Blue, 1998)
  • Power of Our Music: The Endangered Species (Indigo Blue, 2000)
  • Soul Axess (True Life, 2003)
  • Alive in South Africa (True Life, 2006)

References edit

  1. ^ Micucci, Matt (January 9, 2019). "A Short History of ... "Street Life"". JAZZIZ Magazine. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  2. ^ Wilton Felder Allmusic Retrieved 21 February 2024
  3. ^ a b c d e Yanow, Scott. "The Crusaders - Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d Walker, Chris J. (May 1, 2003). "The Jazz Crusaders & Joe Sample: The Next Crusade". JazzTimes. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955-2002 (1st ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 164. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
  6. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (1985). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums 1955-1985 (1st ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 90. ISBN 0-89820-054-7.
  7. ^ Betts, Graham (2004). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2004 (1st ed.). London: Collins. p. 182. ISBN 0-00-717931-6.
  8. ^ "Jazz legend Wayne Henderson dies at age 74". Soul Tracks. April 6, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  9. ^ Dansby, Andrew (September 13, 2014). . Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  10. ^ Smith, William Michael (September 27, 2015). . Houston Press. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015.
  11. ^ "The Crusaders | Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 1, 2019.

See also edit

External links edit

The Crusaders discography at Discogs

January 01, 1970
crusaders, jazz, fusion, group, crusaders, formerly, known, jazz, crusaders, were, american, jazz, jazz, fusion, group, performing, from, 1960s, 2010s, group, known, jazz, crusaders, from, their, formation, 1960, until, shortening, their, name, 1971, crusaders. The Crusaders formerly known as The Jazz Crusaders were an American jazz jazz fusion group performing from the 1960s to the 2010s The group was known as the Jazz Crusaders from their formation in 1960 until shortening their name in 1971 The Crusaders played a wide assortment of genres including straight ahead jazz urban R amp B R amp B based jazz and the blues The band reached a commercial apex in 1979 with their hit single Street Life featuring lead vocals by Randy Crawford and their accompanying album of the same name 1 The CrusadersThe Crusaders in 1978Background informationAlso known asThe Jazz CrusadersOriginHouston Texas U S GenresJazzjazz fusionsoul jazzjazz funkYears active1960 2010LabelsPacific JazzABC Blue ThumbMCAGRPPast membersWilton Felder Joe Sample Stix Hooper Wayne Henderson Larry Carlton Robert Popwell Max Bennett Barry Finnerty Hubert Laws Henry Wilson Billy Rogers Contents 1 Career 2 Discography 2 1 As the Jazz Crusaders 2 2 As the Crusaders 2 3 As the Jazz Crusaders 3 References 4 See also 5 External linksCareer edit nbsp The Crusaders at Knebworth Park UK Capital Radio Jazz Festival 1982 High school friends Joe Sample piano Wilton Felder 2 tenor saxophone and Nesbert Stix Hooper drums formed their first band together the Swingsters in Houston Texas in 1954 They played a mixture of jazz and R amp B and were joined by Wayne Henderson trombone Hubert Laws flute and Henry Wilson bass The group soon turned more to hard bop and renamed themselves the Modern Jazz Sextet but also recorded in a more R amp B vein as the Nighthawks or Nite Hawks 3 In 1960 Sample Felder Hooper and Henderson moved to Los Angeles and formed the Jazz Crusaders as a quintet with a succession of different bass players Influenced by musicians such as Cannonball Adderley Art Blakey and John Coltrane 4 the band signed to the Pacific Jazz label in 1961 and released 16 albums on the label over the subsequent eight years With a front line horn section of Felder and Henderson the group s sound was rooted in hard bop but with a slant towards R amp B and soul music 3 Their first two albums with Jimmy Bond on bass were Freedom Sound 1961 and Lookin Ahead 1962 followed by the live album At the Lighthouse 1962 and Tough Talk the first of several albums with bassist Bobby Haynes In all the group recorded five live albums in the 1960s four of which were recorded at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach They also had their first chart entry their treatment of Stevie Wonder s Uptight Everything s Alright reaching No 95 on the Hot 100 in 1966 5 The group s 1969 album Powerhouse was their first to reach the Billboard 200 album chart reaching No 184 6 and was also their last studio album for Pacific Jazz The group then signed with the Chisa label co owned by trumpeter Hugh Masekela and producer Stewart Levine Their 1970 album Old Socks New Shoes reached No 90 on the album chart and was their last as the Jazz Crusaders The decision was taken to call the group simply the Crusaders so as not to limit their scope and potential audience After a second album with Chisa Pass the Plate 1971 and one album for the MoWest label Hollywood 1972 they signed with Blue Thumb Records where they remained until the late 1970s Their recordings increasingly adopted a jazz funk style They incorporated electric guitar and bass into their shows and recordings as well as using Sample s electric piano and clavinet 4 Guitarist Larry Carlton joined and featured on their albums in the early part of the decade Bass duties were often handled by Felder with Max Bennett contributing in the early mid 70 s and Robert Pops Popwell joining later in the decade 3 According to jazz critic Scott Yanow at AllMusic however after a few excellent albums during the early part of the decade the group began to decline in quality 3 Sample later commented that the group was under commercial pressure from record companies to record jazzed up versions of contemporary popular songs 4 Henderson left to become a record producer in 1975 and the other musicians regularly and increasingly worked as session musicians with artists such as the Jackson 5 Marvin Gaye Joni Mitchell Steely Dan and Randy Newman With a growing crossover appeal the group s most commercially successful recordings included the single Put It Where You Want It No 52 pop 1972 and the albums The 2nd Crusade No 45 album 1973 Southern Comfort No 31 album 1974 Chain Reaction No 26 album 1975 Those Southern Knights No 38 album 1976 and Images No 34 album 1978 6 The peak of the group s commercial success came with 1979 s Street Life with Randy Crawford as featured singer The album peaked at No 18 on the pop album charts and the title track made the top 10 on the R amp B chart No 36 on Billboard s Hot 100 chart and No 5 in the UK 7 Later albums by the group featured singers Bill Withers and Joe Cocker The live 1982 album Royal Jam featured guitarist B B King bassist James Jamerson and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Hooper left in 1983 and though Felder and Sample kept the group operating through the 1980s the group s commercial success diminished Felder and Henderson reunited in the mid 1990s as the Crusaders 3 Henderson later led a band called the Jazz Crusaders in which Felder and Carlton also played and Felder and Sample reunited as the Crusaders in 2003 4 Wayne Henderson died in Culver City California on April 5 2014 8 Joe Sample died in Houston Texas on September 12 2014 9 and Wilton Felder died in Whittier California on September 27 2015 10 Discography editMain article The Crusaders discography As the Jazz Crusaders edit Freedom Sound Pacific Jazz 1961 Lookin Ahead Pacific Jazz 1962 The Jazz Crusaders at the Lighthouse Pacific Jazz 1962 Tough Talk Pacific Jazz 1963 Heat Wave Pacific Jazz 1963 Jazz Waltz Pacific Jazz 1963 with Les McCann Stretchin Out Pacific Jazz 1964 The Thing Pacific Jazz 1965 Chile Con Soul Pacific Jazz 1965 Live at the Lighthouse 66 Pacific Jazz 1966 Talk That Talk Pacific Jazz 1966 The Festival Album Pacific Jazz 1966 Uh Huh Pacific Jazz 1967 Lighthouse 68 Pacific Jazz 1968 Powerhouse Pacific Jazz 1969 Lighthouse 69 Pacific Jazz 1969 Best of the Jazz Crusaders Pacific Jazz 1970 Give Peace a Chance Liberty 1970 Old Socks New Shoes New Socks Old Shoes Chisa 1970 Source 11 As the Crusaders edit Pass the Plate Chisa 1971 Hollywood MoWest 1972 Crusaders 1 Blue Thumb 1972 At Their Best Motown 1973 The 2nd Crusade Blue Thumb 1973 Unsung Heroes Blue Thumb 1973 Scratch Blue Thumb 1974 Southern Comfort Blue Thumb 1974 Chain Reaction Blue Thumb 1975 Those Southern Knights Blue Thumb 1976 Best of The Crusaders Blue Thumb 1976 Free as the Wind Blue Thumb 1977 Images Blue Thumb 1978 Street Life MCA 1979 Rhapsody and Blues MCA 1980 Ongaku Kai Live in Japan Crusaders 1981 GRP 1993 Standing Tall MCA 1981 Royal Jam MCA 1982 with B B King Ghetto Blaster MCA 1984 The Good and Bad Times MCA 1986 Life in the Modern World MCA 1988 Healing the Wounds GRP 1991 Rural Renewal Verve 2003 Live in Japan 2003 P R A 2004 As the Jazz Crusaders edit n b Wayne Henderson amp Wilton Felder Happy Again Sin Drome 1994 Louisiana Hot Sauce Sin Drome 1996 Break n Da Rulz Indigo Blue 1998 Power of Our Music The Endangered Species Indigo Blue 2000 Soul Axess True Life 2003 Alive in South Africa True Life 2006 References edit Micucci Matt January 9 2019 A Short History of Street Life JAZZIZ Magazine Retrieved September 8 2020 Wilton Felder Allmusic Retrieved 21 February 2024 a b c d e Yanow Scott The Crusaders Biography AllMusic Retrieved September 19 2014 a b c d Walker Chris J May 1 2003 The Jazz Crusaders amp Joe Sample The Next Crusade JazzTimes Retrieved June 22 2020 Whitburn Joel 2003 Top Pop Singles 1955 2002 1st ed Menomonee Falls Wisconsin Record Research Inc p 164 ISBN 0 89820 155 1 a b Whitburn Joel 1985 Joel Whitburn s Top Pop Albums 1955 1985 1st ed Menomonee Falls Wisconsin Record Research Inc p 90 ISBN 0 89820 054 7 Betts Graham 2004 Complete UK Hit Singles 1952 2004 1st ed London Collins p 182 ISBN 0 00 717931 6 Jazz legend Wayne Henderson dies at age 74 Soul Tracks April 6 2014 Retrieved September 19 2014 Dansby Andrew September 13 2014 Houston jazz great Joe Sample dies Rant amp Rave Archived from the original on September 13 2014 Retrieved September 19 2014 Smith William Michael September 27 2015 Legendary Crusaders Sax Man Wilton Felder Passes Away Houston Press Archived from the original on September 28 2015 The Crusaders Album Discography AllMusic Retrieved March 1 2019 See also editBill Withers Randy CrawfordExternal links editThe Crusaders discography at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Crusaders jazz fusion group amp oldid 1211928557, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.