Those Southern Knights is a masterclass in jazz-funk fusion and a seminal studio album by the legendary American instrumental ensemble The Crusaders, released in 1976 by MCA Records under the catalog number MCAD-1649. Widely regarded as one of the finest records in their extensive discography, this release catches the veteran outfit at the absolute peak of their commercial and creative powers, dripping with the deep-fried, syncopated rhythms and infectious instrumental hooks that defined their trademark Southern-fried style. The tight-knit core group—comprising Wayne Henderson's punchy trombone, Wilton Felder's muscular tenor saxophone, Joe Sample's sparkling acoustic and electric keyboards, and Stix Hooper's unshakable pocket on drums—is augmented to legendary proportions by master guitarists Larry Carlton and Arthur Adams, alongside the brilliant bass work of Robert "Pops" Popwell. Across the compact 39-minute program, the band balances complex post-bop harmonic extensions with raw, unfiltered dancefloor funk. The tracklist kicks off with the sophisticated, winding fusion masterpiece Spiral, before sliding into the album's signature anthemic soul-jazz workout, Keep That Same Old Feeling. Other major highlights include the sprawling, late-night groove of And Then There Was The Blues, the gentle acoustic textures of Serenity, and the driving, brass-heavy grit of Feeling Funky. Meticulously captured with standard-setting analog warmth, pristine instrument placement, and incredibly punchy rhythm tracks, this recording remains an essential, mandatory holy grail for serious funk-jazz collectors, fusion aficionados, and crate diggers around the globe.

Sample This is a vibrant, career-spanning celebration from the legendary American keyboardist and composer Joe Sample. Released in 1997 on the Warner Bros label, this exceptional studio project finds Sample revisiting, reimagining, and revitalizing some of his most iconic compositions from both his illustrious solo career and his historic tenure with The Crusaders. Recorded at the famous Ocean Way Studio B in Los Angeles, the album boasts an absolute powerhouse lineup of special guests and jazz-fusion royalty, including Steve Gadd on drums, Marcus Miller on bass, George Duke on synthesizer, and Everette Harp on alto saxophone. The performances are incredibly tight and filled with an infectious energy, masterfully blending smooth jazz, deep soul, and funky grooves. Standout vocal contributions from Dianne Reeves and Dennis Rowland bring a rich emotional depth to timeless tracks like Soul Shadows and Street Life, while instrumental cuts like Carmel and Put It Where You Want It shine with brilliant improvisational fire. The album's exceptional production and stellar musicianship earned it a well-deserved Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance.

Invitation is a remarkably elegant and deeply cinematic masterpiece from the acclaimed American jazz pianist and composer Joe Sample. Released in 1993 on the Warner Bros label, this exquisite album finds the legendary Crusaders co-founder stepping away from his signature jazz-funk grooves to record a gorgeous collection of timeless jazz standards and traditional ballads. Recorded at the historic Power Station in New York, Sample delivers an incredibly nuanced and lyrical performance on the acoustic piano, backed by a powerhouse acoustic rhythm section featuring Cecil McBee on bass, Victor Lewis on drums, and Lenny Castro on percussion. The album is elevated to grand heights by sweeping orchestral string arrangements performed by members of the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. From the haunting beauty of Black Is The Color to the sophisticated post-bop bounce of Nica's Dream, Sample blends classical grandeur with deep jazz sensibilities, offering a lush, transportive, and emotionally resonant listening experience.

Jones extravaganza, or perhaps "We Are The World." Seventy-seven musicians, most of whom are names well-known on the L.A. studio scene over the last twenty-five years, come together in various combinations to pay tribute to Jeff Porcaro. Porcaro, who died in 1992 from inhaling fumes from lawn chemicals, is perhaps best known as the drummer in Toto, but he has performed on countless albums running the gamut from rock to R&B to jazz.

No Regrets is a spectacularly expressive, historically monumental, and masterfully synchronized crossover jazz and soul-jazz studio masterpiece co-engineered by two legendary musical vanguard pioneers, the peerless vocal songstress Randy Crawford and master acoustic piano icon Joe Sample, digitally preserved and released on compact disc in 2008 under the specialized contemporary imprint PRA Records. Spanning over 43 minutes of breathtakingly intense, conceptually profound vocal-instrumental interactions across 12 pristine tracking alignments, this high-fidelity document serves as an absolute peak monument in late-2000s vocal crossover archaeology. Reunion partners since their historic late-1970s collaborations with the Crusaders, Crawford and Sample execute a fierce, forward-thinking sonic blueprint that daringly strips away commercial artifice, bathing an intelligent collection of timeless blues, deep soul, and vintage pop anthems in an organic, high-end acoustic laboratory setting.

The Golden Years is a monumental, definitive 3-CD retrospective box set showcasing the stellar evolution of the legendary jazz-funk powerhouse outfit The Crusaders, released in 1992 by GRP Records. Spanning over two decades of high-caliber musicianship, this collection chronologically charts their incredible journey from their early 1960s hard bop beginnings as "The Jazz Crusaders" through to their late-seventies and eighties peak as pioneering masters of crossover jazz fusion and urban street funk. Anchored by the core genius of keyboardist Joe Sample, saxophonist Wilton Felder, and drummer Stix Hooper, the set is a masterclass in deep grooves and sophisticated horn arrangements. Listeners are treated to their essential foundational tracks, their golden era collaborations with guitar giant Larry Carlton, and massive commercial triumphs like the sprawling title track Street Life with Randy Crawford. Beautifully remastered and curated, this box set stands as the ultimate testament to the group’s enduring legacy as architects of modern instrumental soul-jazz.

Southern Comfort is an absolute monument of 1970s jazz-funk, a masterful double-album statement by the legendary outfit The Crusaders, released in 1974 on Blue Thumb/MCA Records. Deeply steeped in their signature Down Home style, the record serves as a definitive showcase for the group's unique blend of sophisticated West Coast jazz fusion and greasy, foot-stomping Texas soul. The classic powerhouse lineup—composed of keyboard maestro Joe Sample, saxophonist Wilton Felder, trombonist Wayne Henderson, and drummer Stix Hooper—is augmented to absolute perfection by the searing, blues-drenched electric guitar work of session giant Larry Carlton. The tracklist is an impeccable, high-caliber run of tight instrumental hooks, rolling seamlessly from the infectious street beat of Stomp And Buck Dance and the swampy grit of Greasy Spoon to the epic, horn-driven beauty of Lilies Of The Nile. Radiating with warm, organic grooves, driving Rhodes piano lines, and immaculate horn interactions, this classic stands out as an essential milestone of the golden era of instrumental funk.

Ghetto Blaster is an incredibly slick, high-energy, and rhythmically infectious studio album by the iconic jazz-funk outfit The Crusaders, released in 1984 on MCA Records and preserved here on an early Japanese Victor CD pressing. Moving aggressively into the mid-1880s urban landscape, core masterminds Joe Sample and Wilton Felder brilliantly fuse their signature Texas-soul-jazz roots with street-savvy synth grooves, snapping electro-funk bass lines, and heavy dancefloor production styles. To execute this vibrant sonic evolution, the duo assembled a legendary roster of session titans—featuring thunderous rhythm sections guided by bass giant Abraham Laboriel and drummer Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, vibrant percussion from Paulinho Da Costa, and an elite guitar army consisting of Cornell Dupree, David T. Walker, and Dean Parks. From the gritty, driving horns of Dead End and the celebratory pulse of Gotta Lotta Shakalada to the expansive, Afro-centric soul of Zalal'e Mini (Take It Easy), this high-caliber collection radiates with masterful instrumentation, undeniable club-friendly hooks, and pristine dynamic warmth.

“Spellbound” is a 1989 jazz fusion album by acclaimed pianist Joe Sample, known for his work with The Crusaders. The album blends smooth jazz elements with funk and fusion grooves, featuring Sample’s expressive keyboard work and sophisticated arrangements. Across its tracks, the album delivers a mix of upbeat rhythms and mellow, melodic passages, showcasing a polished and accessible jazz fusion sound. With its combination of soulful grooves and refined musicianship, “Spellbound” stands as a strong example of late-80s contemporary jazz fusion.

After his debut on the tiny Brut Records (a short-lived record label of the famous cologne company), Michael Franks established both his unique sound and a recording process he has continued throughout his career. Primarily a jazz artist, Franks crossed over to pop and rock fans through heavy FM airplay beginning with The Art of Tea. Sensually suggestive and playful tracks, such as "Popsicle Toes" and "Eggplant" contain sly wordplay and almost Henry Mancini-like, breezy jazz-pop. Employing a similar approach as Steely Dan did with its music, Franks' singing and songwriting formed the basis of a sound rooted in the support of top-notch musicians, many of whom were the hottest studio jazz players on the scene. Here, the killer rhythm section of drummer John Guerin and bassist Wilton Felder is augmented by horn pros Michael Brecker and David Sanborn, with Franks and Larry Carlton handling all the guitar work. This winning combination of players, styles, singing, and songwriting would be reshuffled and refined over the years, but perhaps with no finer results than on this official major label debut.

Although the Crusaders could not have known it at the time, their recording of "Street Life" (which features a memorable vocal by Randy Crawford) was a last hurrah for the 20-year old group. Their recordings of the next few years would decline in interest until the band gradually faded away in the '80s. However this particular set is well worth picking up for the 11-minute title cut and there is good playing by the three original members (Wilton Felder on tenor, soprano and electric bass, keyboardist Joe Sample and drummer Stix Hooper) along with guitarist Barry Finnerty; horn and string sections, plus additional guitarists are utilized on Sample's commercial but listenable arrangements.

One of the tastiest concoctions of the mid-'70s jazz-fusion era, Chain Reaction finds the Crusaders at the top of their form. The compositions are both accessible and memorable, and the playing is uniformly excellent. Guitarist Larry Carlton delivers some of his finest licks and funkified rhythm work. Wayne Henderson shows there is a place in fusion for the trombone. Wilton Felder does double duty, delivering smoking saxophone lines and funky bass riffs. Joe Sample's Fender Rhodes piano provides a solid chordal foundation and great solos. And the stickman, Stix Hooper, keeps the groove solid. The band employs a variety of rhythms and tempos, and gives the members plenty of room to strut their individual and collective stuff. In fact, "collective" may be the key word here, for this is the sound of a band, not just a group of guys thrown together for a recording session. Chain Reaction was one of the albums that helped lure young, rock and soul-oriented listeners over to check out the jazz side, and should not be missed by those interested in the more accessible, funky side of fusion.

In 1971, the Jazz Crusaders reinvented themselves for the first time. First they dropped the word "jazz" from their moniker, and secondly they wholeheartedly embraced electric bass and guitars in their mix. Their new "debut" is a wonder of jazz-funk as a natural evolution out of hard bop and soul-jazz. While the wonderful horn interplay between saxophonist Wilton Felder and trombonist Wayne Henderson is still everywhere evident, the badass, beat-driven rhythm section has Joe Sample playing funky Rhodes piano against Chuck Rainey's basslines and an orgy of guitars – led by Larry Carlton's brilliant lead work. These are all anchored by Stix Hooper's never out-of-the-pocket, popping kit work. Certainly other acts had used the same instrumentation, but the sheer sophistication in the Crusaders compositions and charts combined with their dedication to grooved-out accessibility – and Stewart Levine's magnificent production – made them a singular entity even in the up-and-coming jazz-rock fusion scene.

The daughter of the popular late R&B singer Donny, husky voiced Lalah Hathaway is the perfect foil for Joe Sample's compelling notion that The Song Lives On. Finding a happy medium between the graceful straight-ahead jazz trio vibe of his Invitation album and the plucky pop energy of Spellbound, Sample provides Hathaway on seven of the 11 tunes with a showcase for her sultry approach.His and Bill Shnee's production approach is generally sparse, not much more than piano and bass, enhanced on occasion by Fender Rhodes and the occasional smoky input of Kirk Whalum. Sample doesn't seem to mind playing second fiddle most of the time, his trademark mix of dark chords and dancing, optimistic improvisations forming harmony lines behind her; often, though, his itchiness to step higher into the mix comes clear and he breaks into extended upbeat improvisations. On a cover of his Crusaders hit "Street Life," Hathaway turns the title into a mantra and Sample echoes her sentiments with sharp, percussive reiterations of the song's main melody. Then Hathaway stops and Michael Thompson steps in with some edgy electric guitar lines.