Collection: The Crusaders

High school friends Joe Sample (piano), Wilton Felder (tenor saxophone), and Nesbert "Stix" Hooper (drums) formed their first band together, the Swingsters, at Wheatley High School in Houston, Texas in 1954. While studying at Texas Southern University, they were joined by Wayne Henderson (trombone), Hubert Laws (flute), and Henry Wilson (bass), playing a mixture of jazz and R&B. They renamed themselves the Modern Jazz Sextet and also recorded R&B as the Nighthawks. In 1960, Sample, Felder, Hooper, and Henderson moved to Los Angeles and formed the Jazz Crusaders as a quintet with various bassists. Influenced by Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey, and John Coltrane, they signed to Pacific Jazz in 1961 and released 16 albums over eight years. Their sound was rooted in hard bop with an unusual trombone and saxophone frontline, distinguished by Sample's funky acoustic piano and a strong R&B and soul influence. They recorded five live albums in the 1960s, four at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach. In 1966, their version of "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" reached number 95 on the Hot 100.

In 1971, they dropped "Jazz" from their name and became simply the Crusaders, adopting an electric jazz-funk sound with Sample on electric piano and clavinet, guitarist Larry Carlton, and electric bass. They signed to Blue Thumb Records and released Crusaders 1 (1972) including "Put It Where You Want It", which reached number 52 on the pop chart. Key albums followed: The 2nd Crusade (1973, Grammy nomination), Southern Comfort (1974), Chain Reaction (1975), Those Southern Knights (1976), and Images (1978). Their peak came with Street Life (1979), featuring vocalist Randy Crawford. The album reached number 18 on the pop chart and the title track hit number 36 on the Hot 100, top 10 R&B, and number 5 in the UK. Later albums featured Bill Withers and Joe Cocker. Royal Jam (1982) was recorded live with B.B. King, James Jamerson, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Hooper left in 1983, and the group disbanded after Life in the Modern World (1987). Felder, Sample, and Hooper reunited for Rural Renewal (2003). Henderson died 5 April 2014 aged 74, Sample died 12 September 2014 aged 75, and Felder died 27 September 2015 aged 75.