{"title":"The Crusaders","description":"\u003cp\u003eHigh 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\u0026amp;B. They renamed themselves the Modern Jazz Sextet and also recorded R\u0026amp;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\u0026amp;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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 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 \u003cem\u003eCrusaders 1 \u003c\/em\u003e(1972) including \"Put It Where You Want It\", which reached number 52 on the pop chart. Key albums followed: \u003cem\u003eThe 2nd Crusade\u003c\/em\u003e (1973, Grammy nomination), \u003cem\u003eSouthern Comfort \u003c\/em\u003e(1974), \u003cem\u003eChain Reaction\u003c\/em\u003e (1975), \u003cem\u003eThose Southern Knights\u003c\/em\u003e (1976), and \u003cem\u003eImages\u003c\/em\u003e (1978). Their peak came with \u003cem\u003eStreet Life\u003c\/em\u003e (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\u0026amp;B, and number 5 in the UK. Later albums featured Bill Withers and Joe Cocker. \u003cem\u003eRoyal Jam\u003c\/em\u003e (1982) was recorded live with B.B. King, James Jamerson, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Hooper left in 1983, and the group disbanded after \u003cem\u003eLife in the Modern World\u003c\/em\u003e (1987). Felder, Sample, and Hooper reunited for \u003cem\u003eRural Renewal\u003c\/em\u003e (2003). Henderson died 5 April 2014 aged 74, Sample died 12 September 2014 aged 75, and Felder died 27 September 2015 aged 75.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-crusaders-street-life-1979-japanese-mca-vinyl-lp","title":"The Crusaders - Street Life (1979 Japanese MCA Vinyl LP)","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"1061\" data-end=\"1214\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVinyl\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: EX\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSleeve\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: EX\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNone\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOur grading system explained \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/dpbg4u-d1.myshopify.com\/pages\/secondhand-grading-guide\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehere\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhoto is of the actual item.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Crusaders - \u003cem\u003eStreet Life\u003c\/em\u003e | Vinyl LP - 1979 Japanese MCA Stereo Pressing (VIM 6195, Victor Musical Industries)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Crusaders' commercial and creative peak\u003c\/strong\u003e, anchored by the eleven-minute title track featuring vocalist Randy Crawford\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\"Street Life\" reached No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 \u003c\/strong\u003eand No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart, with the album hitting the Top 20 on three Billboard charts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSelf-produced by the trio \u003c\/strong\u003eof Stix Hooper, Joe Sample and Wilton Felder, recorded at Hollywood Sound Recorders and mastered at A\u0026amp;M Studios\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e1979 Japanese pressing on MCA Records\u003c\/strong\u003e (VIM 6195), manufactured by Victor Musical Industries, Inc., Tokyo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecorded at Hollywood Sound Recorders in Hollywood and mastered at A\u0026amp;M Studios, \u003cem\u003eStreet Life\u003c\/em\u003e was self-produced by the Crusaders' core trio of drummer Stix Hooper, pianist Joe Sample and Wilton Felder, who plays electric bass, tenor and alto saxophone across the album. The title track, featuring vocalist Randy Crawford, runs to eleven minutes on the LP and became the group's most commercially successful recording, reaching No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart. Sample's horn and string arrangements provide the harmonic framework throughout, his Fender Rhodes work interlocking with Felder's bass and Hooper's drumming across six tracks that move between funk workouts like \"Rodeo Drive (High Steppin')\" and more atmospheric pieces such as \"Carnival of the Night\" and \"Night Faces.\" The album represents the Crusaders at the intersection of jazz improvisation and late-1970s soul and funk, the rhythm section providing the kind of clean, spacious groove that had made the band fixtures in Los Angeles studios for two decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe title track's staying power has been confirmed repeatedly: a re-recorded version featuring Crawford appeared in the Burt Reynolds film \u003cem\u003eSharky's Machine\u003c\/em\u003e in 1981, and the original was used on the 1997 Quentin Tarantino soundtrack \u003cem\u003eJackie Brown\u003c\/em\u003e. The remaining tracks demonstrate that the album functions well beyond a single, Felder's saxophone work on \"The Hustler\" and \"My Lady\" showcasing the improvisational instincts the band never abandoned even as their commercial reach expanded. Released in Japan in 1979 on MCA Records (VIM 6195) and manufactured by Victor Musical Industries, Inc., Tokyo.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MCA Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43283559448635,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/IMG_6391.jpg?v=1773528732"}],"url":"https:\/\/lushliferecords.com.au\/collections\/the-crusaders.oembed","provider":"Lush Life Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}