THE CRUSADERS WERE HOT AND FUNKY DURING THIS PERIOD
And this 'Live' project proves it! The Crusaders (Formally known as The Jazz Crusaders) found an even bigger audience with this 'New' sound that worked with the old and young. EVERY TRACK on this collection is a winner!

favorite Crusaders disc...
ladies and gentlemen, The Crusaders...applause..and boom..the best live jazz album I own takes off. After all these years it is still my favorite Crusaders disc. Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, Wayne Henderson and Stix Hooper were never quite as good apart as they are together and here they create a masterpiece. For quite a few years after my turntable broke and before I got another turntable, my album collection was carted around everywhere I moved and when I was finally able to play a LP again, the first alubm I played was this one. The 'live' feeling is incredible, the music so good. Soooo good!

Scratch Daddy!?!
This is one of the most powerful live jazz efforts I can think of. Not too long after this album, Wayne Henderson left the group and they have never been the same. I love Street Life, Free as the Wind, Southern Comfort, etc., and Crusaders 1 and the second Crusade and both REAL FAT, but for my money this is the Crusaders at their best. The intro to Way Back Home shows the love and respect these guys have for each other, and while everything must change...it all started in Houston, Texas...'right Joe? ya' know...my mama, his mama, yeah same neighborhood...piano Joe Sample' 'an incredible drummer, we call him "Stick man" Stix Hooper' 'we call him "the Texas Twister" Wilton Felder, tenor saxophone' 'and then there's one more...me Wayne Henderson trombone, the Crusaders please...the Crusaders'

Funky
This recording captures The Crusaders in 1974 live at the Roxy.
I picked up a vinyl copy of this about 20 years ago and not being familiar with the jazzier side of the groups background, I was absolutely knocked out by what I heard. At this time they were at a crossover point between their earlier jazz stuff, and their later more commercial incarnation.

The title track starts with Joe Samples electric Piano, with the band joining rapidly, to kick into one of the best grooves you'll ever hear. Stix Hooper nails the whole thing together with a funk drum pattern that you'll probably never hear bettered. It's hard to beat the first track but their version of Hard Times comes close. A longer solo introduction by Sample on electric Piano leads into a soulful reading by Wilton Felder's Tenor sax. This is a bluesy track but even here theres still that funky edge that the band did so brilliantly. These two tracks are 5 stars for me!

However for me the remaining 3 tracks don't work as well, hence I've given the album 4 stars overall (it would 4.5 if I could). They are still good tracks though, just not up to the standard of Scratch and Hard Times. You won't be dissapointed!

Essential
A must for a Crusaders fan. One of the best jazz, almost blues- like blends available. You can feel the intimacy of this live recording. Unfortunately, it may have been edited because it is a relatively short recording at about 40 minutes.