The Crusaders

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The Crusaders
Crusaders logo.jpg
General information
Genre (s) Fusion , soul jazz , jazz radio
founding 1960 (as Jazz Crusaders ), 1995 (as Jazz Crusaders )
resolution 1991
Founding members
Joe Sample †
Wilton Fields †
Wayne Henderson † (until 1977)
Stix Hooper (until 1983)
former members
Larry Carlton (1972-1977)
bass
 Robert Pops Popwell † (1976–1978)
Drums
 Leon Ndugu Chancler † (1983–1985)
The Crusaders in 1978

The Crusaders are an American fusion jazz group that were particularly successful in the 1970s by combining jazz and funk .

history

Foundation, beginnings as Jazz Crusaders

The founding members of the later Crusaders, keyboardist Joe Sample , drummer Stix Hooper , tenor saxophonist Wilton Felder and trombonist Wayne Henderson , came together in their hometown Houston, Texas, under the name "The Modern Jazz-Sextet" while they were still in high school . Another two members were Henry Wilson, bass and Hubert Laws , flute . They gained their first professional experience in 1959 and 1960 when they worked as a show band in dance clubs, mainly in Las Vegas , under the name "The Nighthawks" . However, none of the talented musicians liked this type of commercial work, and they tried to make a name for themselves in the jazz field. From 1960 they played in their free time for little or no money in California as jazz crusaders in small clubs. Henry Wilson and Hubert Laws left the band at this time to pursue their own plans. Hubert Laws went to New York and later became one of the most successful artists on the CTI label . An old friend from Houston, the saxophonist Curtis Amy , himself under contract with Pacific Jazz Records, arranged an appointment for them to audition with the founder of the label Dick Bock . Bock was so excited that he signed the quartet and recorded the first album Freedom Sound with them in 1961 . This and later albums with a mixture of rhythm & blues , soul and hard bop were sold in surprisingly large numbers.

Renaming, great success as Crusaders

Joe Sample with Pops Rockwell (1978)
Stix Hooper (1980)

In order to reach a younger pop and funk audience , they said goodbye to the word "jazz" in 1971 and began to break new ground as The Crusaders . With their mixture of jazz, soul, funk and rhythm & blues and a changed repertoire, they created their own stylistic direction. Countless musicians and bands have been influenced by this Gulf Coast sound. The rhythms of individual songs are now sampled by many musicians and DJs for their own projects.

After the release of the album Those Southern Knights , Wayne Henderson left the group in 1976 in order to pursue his work as a producer unhindered. His departure left a void that permanently changed the character of the group. So now the guitarist Barry Finnerty had to play the brass line together with the saxophone.

The music became quieter overall and was negatively decried as cuddly jazz by the critics. In 1979, when the decision was made to add vocals to a song and to hire a young talent, the great success came. With the song Street Life written by Joe Sample and Will Jennings , the Crusaders and guest singer Randy Crawford reached number 36 on the US Billboard charts. The band reached their peak of popularity here.

Other projects with guest singers followed: Soul Shadows with Bill Withers , I'm so glad I'm standing here today with Joe Cocker (Echo nomination and start of Joe Cocker's new career) and The way it goes with Nancy Wilson . When the drummer Stix Hooper finally left the group in 1983, the end of the Crusaders was announced. Sample and Felder continued to record with a changing line-up. In 1984 with Ndugu Chancler as the new drummer, the band tried to adapt to the 1980s sound; on the other hand, the 1986 album was more jazz-rocky again. After the last release in 1991, The Healing Wounds with guest Marcus Miller on bass, the Crusaders fell silent.

Nuances, reunion and side projects

In 1992 Wayne Henderson got the support of his old companion Wilton Felder to start his new project Wayne Henderson & The Next Crusade. Two groovy-pop albums were created with changing accompanying musicians. Without a real reunion, Felder and Hopper renamed the band back to Jazz Crusaders in 1995, with whom they recorded three studio and one live albums.

In 2003 Joe Sample, Wilton Felder and Stix Hooper teamed up once for the album Rural Renewal, which was dedicated to pop jazz , and the subsequent tour as Crusaders. However, Hooper no longer wanted to travel so much; therefore he was replaced by Kendrick Scott at all overseas concerts . Also on board were Ray Parker Jr. , guitar and Freddie Washington Jr. , bass . Since they wanted to go back to the style of the 1970s musically, Steve Baxter trombone was signed for the brass line .

In 2010 Joe Sample, Wilton Felder and Wayne Henderson came together for a world tour to revive the time of the Jazz Crusaders as a jazz quintet .

Discography

Studio albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US US R&B R&B
The Jazz Crusaders
1968 Powerhouse - US184 (2 weeks)
US 		-
Pacific Jazz # ST-20136
1970 Old Socks, New Shoes - US90 (16 weeks)
US 		R&B12 (31 weeks)
R&B
Chisa # CS-804
The Crusaders
1971 Pass the plate - US168 (4 weeks)
US 		-
Chisa # CS-813
1972 1 - US96 (29 weeks)
US 		R&B29 (21 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTS-6001
1973 Unsung Heroes - US173 (14 weeks)
US 		R&B33 (9 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTS-6007
The 2nd Crusade - US45 (29 weeks)
US 		R&B4 (26 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTS-7000
1974 Southern Comfort - US31
gold
gold

(23 weeks)US 		R&B3 (24 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTSY-9002
1975 Chain reaction - US26 (17 weeks)
US 		R&B9 (13 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTSD-6022
1976 Those Southern Knights - US38 (18 weeks)
US 		R&B9 (18 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTSD-6024
1977 Free as the wind - US41 (15 weeks)
US 		R&B8 (22 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb
1978 Images - US34
gold
gold

(18 weeks)US 		R&B18 (18 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BA-6030
1979 Street life UK10 (16 weeks)
UK 		US18th
gold
gold

(39 weeks)US 		R&B3 (36 weeks)
R&B
MCA
1980 Rhapsody and Blues UK40 (5 weeks)
UK 		US29 (16 weeks)
US 		R&B14 (19 weeks)
R&B
MCA # 1662
1981 Standing tall UK47 (5 weeks)
UK 		US59 (16 weeks)
US 		R&B29 (12 weeks)
R&B
MCA # 5254
1984 Ghetto blaster UK46 (4 weeks)
UK 		US79 (22 weeks)
US 		R&B20 (26 weeks)
R&B
MCA # 5254
1991 Healing the Wounds - US174 (2 weeks)
US 		-
GRP # GRD-9638

The Jazz Crusaders

  • 1961: Freedom Sound (Pacific Jazz # ST-27)
  • 1962: Lookin 'Ahead (Pacific Jazz # ST-43)
  • 1963: Tough Talk (Pacific Jazz # ST-68)
  • 1963: Heat Wave (Pacific Jazz # ST-76)
  • 1963: Jazz Waltz (with Les McCann , Pacific Jazz # ST-81)
  • 1964: Stretchin 'Out (Pacific Jazz # ST-83)
  • 1965: The Thing (Pacific Jazz # ST-87)
  • 1965: Chile Con Soul (Pacific Jazz # ST-20092)
  • 1966: Talk That Talk (Pacific Jazz # ST-20106)
  • 1967: Uh Huh (Pacific Jazz # ST-20124)
  • 1970: Give Peace a Chance ( Liberty # LST-11005)
  • 1995: Happy Again (Sin-Drome # 9950322)
  • 1996: Louisiana Hot Sauce (Sin-Drome # SD-8924)
  • 1998: Breakin 'Da Rulz! (Indigo Blue # 4634170792)
  • 2003: Soul Axess (True Life Jazz)

The Crusaders

  • 1972: Hollywood (MoWest # MW-118L)
  • 1986: The Good and the Bad Times (MCA # 5781)
  • 1988: Life in the Modern World (MCA # 42168)
  • 2003: Rural Renewal (PRA / Verve)

Live albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US US R&B R&B
The Crusaders
1968 Lighthouse '68 - - R&B30 (9 weeks)
R&B
Pacific Jazz # ST-20131
1974 Scratch - US73 (20 weeks)
US 		R&B16 (24 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTS-6010
1982 Royal Jam - US144 (7 weeks)
US 		R&B30 (17 weeks)
R&B

The Jazz Crusaders

  • 1962: The Jazz Crusaders at the Lighthouse (Pacific Jazz # ST-57)
  • 1966: Live at the Lighthouse '66 (Pacific Jazz # ST-20098)
  • 1967: The Festival Album (Pacific Jazz # ST-20115)
  • 1969: Lighthouse '69 (Pacific Jazz # ST-20165)
  • 2000: Power of Our Music - The Endangered Species (Indigo Blue # 1144790972)
  • 2006: Alive in South Africa (True Life Jazz)

The Crusaders

  • 1981: Ongaku Kai - Live in Japan (Crusaders # CRP-16002)
  • 2004: Live in Japan 2003 (released in Japan only, PRA # VACM-1252)

Compilations

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US US R&B R&B
The Crusaders
1973 At their best - - R&B19 (13 weeks)
R&B
Motown # M-796V1
1976 Best of Crusaders - US122 (10 weeks)
US 		R&B41 (4 weeks)
R&B
ABC Blue Thumb # BTSY-6027

The Jazz Crusaders

  • 1969: The Best of the Jazz Crusaders (World Pacific # ST-20175)
  • 1973: Tough Talk (Blue Note # BN-LA170-G2)
  • 1975: The Young Rabbits (Blue Note # BN-LA530-H2)
  • 1980: Live Sides (Blue Note # LT-1046)
  • 1993: The Best of (Pacific Jazz #CDP 077778928324)
  • 2005: The Pacific Jazz Quintet Studio Sessions (Mosaic # MD6-230)

The Crusaders

  • 1987: The Vocal Album (MCA # 42057)
  • 1988: Sample a Decade (Connoisseur # VSOP-LP131)
  • 1990: 16 Original World Hits (MCA # 2292-56787-2 LZ)
  • 1992: The Golden Years (GRP # GRD-3-5007)
  • 1994: Best of Best (MCA # MVCZ-15020)
  • 1994: And Beyond ... (Music Collection # MCCD-163)
  • 1994: Best (Pickwick # PWKS-4231)
  • 1995: The Ultimate Compilation (Nectar # NTRCD035)
  • 1995: The Greatest Crusade (Caliber # CLBCD-5501)
  • 1995: The Ultimate (Castle # CCS-CD-420)
  • 1995: Soul Shadows (Connoisseur # VSOP-CD-212)
  • 1996: The Best of the Crusaders (MCA # MCBD-19528)
  • 1996: Way Back Home (Blue Thumb # BTD-4-700)
  • 1998: Priceless Jazz Collection (GRP # GRD-9892)
  • 2000: The Crusaders' Finest Hour ( Verve # 543762-2)
  • 2000: The Best of the Crusaders (MCA #MCBD 19528)
  • 2003: Groove Crusade (Blue Thumb # 0731458994428)
  • 2007: Gold (Hip-O / Verve # B0008268-02)

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US US R&B R&B
The Jazz Crusaders
1969 Uptight (Everything's Alright)
Talk That Talk 		- US95 (1 week)
US 		-
Pacific Jazz # 88125
B-side: Scratch
1970 Way Back Home
Old Socks, New Shoes 		- US90 (3 weeks)
US 		-
Chisa # C-8010
B-side: Jackson
The Crusaders
1972 Put It Where You Want It
1 		- US52 (9 weeks)
US 		R&B39 (9 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTA-208
B-side: Mosadi
1973 Don't Let It Get You Down
Second Crusade 		- US86 (5 weeks)
US 		R&B31 (7 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTA-225
B-side: Journey from Within
1974 Scratch
scratch 		- US81 (6 weeks)
US 		R&B70 (7 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTA-249
B-side: Way Back Home
Stomp and Buck Dance
Southern Comfort 		- - R&B41 (10 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTA-261
B-Side: A Ballad for Joe (Louis)
1976 Keep That Same Old Feeling
Those Southern Knights 		- - R&B21 (13 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTA-269
B-side: Til 'the Sun Shines
1977 Feel It
Free As The Wind 		- - R&B63 (7 weeks)
R&B
Blue Thumb # BTA-272
B-Side: The Way We Was
1979 Street Life
Street Life 		UK5 (11 weeks)
UK 		US36 (16 weeks)
US 		R&B17 (16 weeks)
R&B
MCA # 41052
B-side: The Hustler
1980 Soul Shadows
Rhapsody & Blues 		- - R&B41 (10 weeks)
R&B
MCA # 41295
B-side: Sweet Gentle Love
1981 I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today
Standing Tall 		UK61 (3 weeks)
UK 		US97 (3 weeks)
US 		-
MCA # 51177
B-side: Standing Tall
1984 Night Ladies
Ghetto Blaster 		UK55 (3 weeks)
UK 		- -
MCA
New Moves
Ghetto Blaster 		- - R&B27 (12 weeks)
R&B
MCA # 52365
B-side: Dead End
Dead End
Ghetto Blaster 		- - R&B57 (6 weeks)
R&B
B-side of New Moves

The Nite Hawks

  • 1959: Chicken Grabber / Big Top (Del-Fi # 4122)

The Night Hawks

  • 1961: Bunny Ride / Sweetie Lester (Pacific Jazz # X-352)

The Jazz Crusaders

  • 1962: Lookin 'Ahead / Sinnin' Sam (Pacific Jazz # X-340)
  • 1962: The Young Rabbits / Song of India (Pacific Jazz # X-342)
  • 1962: Congolese Sermon / Weather Beat (Pacific Jazz # X-357)
  • 1963: No Name Samba / Tough Talk (Pacific Jazz # X-371)
  • 1963: Turkish Black / Boopie (Pacific Jazz # X-388)
  • 1963: Spanish Castles / Bluesette (World Pacific # 406)
  • 1964: Heat Wave / On Broadway (World Pacific # 401)
  • 1964: I Remember Tomorrow / Long John (World Pacific # 412)
  • 1965: Tough Talk / The Thing (World Pacific # 77800)
  • 1965: Aqua Dulce / Soul Bourgeoisie (World Pacific # 77806)
  • 1968: Ooga-Boo-Ga-Loo / Eleanor Rigby (Pacific Jazz # 88144)
  • 1968: Hey Jude / Love and Peace (Pacific Jazz # 88146)
  • 1969: Get Back / Willie and Laura Mae Jones (World Pacific # 88153)

The Crusaders

  • 1971: Pass the Plate / Greasy Spoon (Chisa # C-8013)
  • 1972: Spanish Harlem / Papa Hooper's Barrelhouse Groove (MoWest # MW-5025F)
  • 1972: So Far Away / That's How I Feel (Blue Thumb # BTA-217)
  • 1973: That's How I Feel / Take It or Leave It (Blue Thumb # BTA-232)
  • 1974: Lay It on the Line / Let's Boogie (Blue Thumb # BTA-245)
  • 1975: Creole / I Felt The Love (Blue Thumb # BTA-267)
  • 1976: And Then There Was the Blues / Feeling Funky (Blue Thumb # BTA-270)
  • 1977: Free as the Wind / The Way We Was (Blue Thumb # BTA-273)
  • 1978: Covert Action / Bajou Bottoms (Blue Thumb # BTA-278)
  • 1981: This Old World's Too Funky for Me / Standing Tall (MCA # 51222)
  • 1986: The Way It Goes / Good Times (MCA # 52966)
  • 1988: AC (Alternating Currents) / Mullholland Nights (MCA # 53330)

Box sets

literature

Web links

swell

  1. ↑ a b c d Chart sources: UK US
  2. ↑ Music Sales Awards: US