Book Jazz Crusaders

The Jazz Crusaders, later known simply as the Crusaders, were the American group that carried hard bop into soul, funk and fusion across five decades. High school friends Joe Sample on piano, Wilton Felder on tenor saxophone and Nesbert "Stix" Hooper on drums started the band in Houston, later joined by trombonist Wayne Henderson. Launched in 1960 as the Jazz Crusaders, they recorded a steady run of albums for Pacific Jazz, including Freedom Sound (1961), Lookin' Ahead (1962), Tough Talk (1963) and Chile Con Soul (1965). In 1971 they shortened their name to the Crusaders and embraced a funkier, R&B-inflected sound on Crusaders 1 (1972), Southern Comfort (1974), Chain Reaction (1975) and Those Southern Knights (1976). Their biggest success came with Street Life (1979), whose title track, sung by Randy Crawford, became an international hit. Rhapsody and Blues (1980) and Standing Tall (1981) followed. Their music blended jazz, blues, R&B and jazz-rock, and the group earned nine Grammy nominations over its career, performing until 2010. Their records remain essential listening for fans of groove-based jazz.