During the 1960s, the Jazz Crusaders were one of the definitive
soul-jazz/hard bop groups, a quintet that had a distinctive
trombone-tenor sax front line and an openness to a variety of influences
including Memphis soul, R&B, pop, and a bit of John Coltrane. The
four permanent members of the group -- trombonist Wayne Henderson, tenor
saxophonist Wilton Felder, pianist Joe Sample, and drummer Stix Hooper
-- knew each other since childhood and first played together as part of
the marching band of Phyllis Wheatley High School in Houston in the
mid-'50s. They were originally called the Swingsters and, when flutist
Hubert Laws and bassist Henry Wilson joined, the Modern Jazz Sextet.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1958, they struggled for a couple of
years as the Night Hawks, even recording a very obscure record for the
Del Fi label. After Laws left to go to Julliard and Jimmy Bond became
the group's bassist, the newly renamed Jazz Crusaders were signed to
Pacific Jazz, their label during 1961-1970. The group, which continued
with a variety of different bassists, dropped the "Jazz" from its name
in 1971 and Henderson left the band soon afterward, but that is a
different chapter. Mosaic's six-CD set has all of the Jazz Crusaders'
studio recordings except a collaboration with Les McCann (Jazz Waltz)
and two albums with added instruments (Talk That Talk and Chile con
Soul) plus their five live recordings. This perfectly conceived set
reissues in full the albums titled Freedom Sound, Lookin' Ahead, Tough
Talk, Heat Wave, Stretchin' Out, The Thing, Uh Huh, Powerhouse, and Give
Peace a Chance plus 11 previously unreleased selections. The Jazz
Crusaders had their own sound and fans of the group can consider this
essential since it contains all of their studio recordings, some of
which had been out of print for quite a while.
DISC I:
1. The Geek (A) 5:39 (Wilton Felder)
2. M.J.S. Funk (A) 5:56 (Wayne Henderson)
3. That's It (A) 4:43 (Wilton Felder)
4. Freedom Sound (A) 8:22 (Joe Sample)
5. Theme From "Exodus" (A) 3:49 (Ernest Gold)
6. Coon (A) 4:20 (Wayne Henderson)
7. M.J.S. Funk (alternate version) (A) 8:13 (Wayne Henderson)
8. Coon (alternate version) (A) 5:45 (Wayne Henderson)
9. Song Of India (B) 4:04 (Rimsky - Korsakov, arr. by Joe Sample)
10. Big Hunk Of Funk (B) 5:00 (Wilton Felder)
11. Tonight (B) 2:52 (L. Bernstein - S. Sondheim)
12. 507 Neyland (B) 3:59 (Wayne Henderson)
13. Till All Ends (B) 3:32 (Joe Sample)
14. Tortoise And The Hare (B) 4:24 (Joe Sample)
15. In A Dream (B) 3:22 (Wayne Henderson)
16. The Young Rabbits (B) 3:38 (Wayne Henderson)
DISC II:
1. Sinnin' Sam (B) 4:41 (Stix Hooper)
2. Weather Beat (C) 2:34 (Joe Sample)
3. Scandalizing (D) 4:30 (Joe Sample)
4. White Cobra (D) 4:52 (Joe Sample)
5. Cathy's Delight (D) 3:00 (Wayne Henderson)
6. Congolese Sermon (D) 3:48 (Wayne Henderson)
7. One Leg Dance (D) 5:17 (Nesbert Hooper)
8. Deacon Brown (E) 3:41 (Wilton Felder)
9. Turkish Black (E) 5:33 (Wilton Felder)
10. Brahms' Lullaby (E) 4:42 (Johannes Brahms)
11. Boopie (E) 4:22 (Wilton Felder)
12. Tough Talk (E) 2:20 (Sample - Henderson - Hooper)
13. No Name Samba (E) 2:25 (Wilton Felder)
14. Lazy Canary (E) 4:17 (Wayne Henderson)
15. Lonely Horn (E) 3:53 (Wilton Felder)
16. Brother Bernard (E) 4:24 (Joe Sample)
17. Moon River (F) 4:42 (H. Mancini - J. Mercer)
DISC III:
1. On Broadway (F) 2:31 (Weil - Mann - Lieber - Stoller)
2. Green Back Dollar (F) 2:22 (H. Axton - K. Ramsey)
3. Close Shave (F) 2:39 (Joe Sample)
4. Free Sample (F) 3:34 (Joe Sample)
5. Mr. Sandman (F) 2:58 (Pat Ballard)
6. Heat Wave (F) 2:55 (Irving Berlin)
7. Sassy (F) 4:28 (Les McCann)
8. Theme From "The L - Shaped Room'' (aka T - Shaped Twist) (F) 4:07 (John Barry)
9. Some Samba (F) 2:34 (Wayne Henderson)
10. Stix March (F) 2:45 (Nesbert Hooper)
11. Purple Onion (F) 2:56 (Wilton Felder)
12. Long John (G) 5:00 (Wilton Felder)
13. Robbins' Nest (G) 5:44 (C. Thompson - I. Jacquet)
14. You Are Only Sometimes Rain (F) 3:29 (Wayne Henderson)
15. Out Back (G) 6:04 (Wes Montgomery)
16. Bachafillen (G) 5:54 (Garnett Brown)
17. I'll Remember Tomorrow (G) 4:52 (Joe Sample)
18. Polka Dots And Moonbeams (G) 5:41 (J. Burke - J. Van Heusen)
19. Sweetwater (G) 3:11 (Joe Sample)
DISC IV:
1. The Thing (I) 4:44 (Joe Sample)
2. Sunset In The Mountains (H) 5:11 (Wayne Henderson)
3. While The City Sleeps (H) 3:36 (C. Strouse - L. Adams)
4. White Cobra (I) 4:47 (Joe Sample)
5. New Time Shuffle (I) 4:45 (Joe Sample)
6. Para Mi Espoza (H) 6:40 (Nesbert Hooper)
7. Soul Kosher (H) 5:40 (Wilton Felder)
8. Tribute To Charles (H) 5:52 (Wilton Felder)
9. A Trane Thing (H) 3:23 (Joe Sample)
10. New Time Shuffle (alternate version) (H) 4:26 (Joe Sample)
11. The Thing (alternate version) (H) 5:30 (Joe Sample)
12. Uptight (Everything's Alright) (J) 2:26 (Moy - Judkins - Cosby)
13. The Shadow Do (J) 2:36 (Wayne Henderson)
14. Scratch (J) 2:40 (Wayne Henderson)
15. Isa's Chant (J) 2:34 (Byron Pope)
DISC V:
1. Blue Monday (K) 8:44 (Joe Sample)
2. Night Theme (K) 7:27 (Nesbert Hooper)
3. Uh Huh (K) 6:16 (Wayne Henderson)
4. Am Waves (K) 9:21 (Joe Sample)
5. Ice Water (K) 6:41 (Wayne Henderson)
6. Watts Happening (K) 5:12 (Joe Sample)
7. Promises, Promises (L) 5:17 (B. Bacharach - H. David)
8. Love And Peace (L) 3:21 (Arthur Adams)
9. Hey Jude (L) 3:24 (J. Lennon - P. McCartney)
10. Sting Ray (L) 3:38 (Wayne Henderson)
11. Fancy Dance (L) 4:27 (Joe Sample)
DISC VI:
1. Love Is Blue (L) 4:38 (Lamaire - Popp - Blackburn)
2. Cookie Man (L) 5:39 (Wayne Henderson)
3. Upstairs (L) 3:13 (B. Bacharach - H. David)
4. Fire Water (L) 6:23 (Charles Buster Williams)
5. Give Peace A Chance (M) 2:26 (J. Lennon - P. McCartney)
6. I Think It Was A Dream (M) 5:48 (Wayne Henderson)
7. Black Bird (M) 2:37 (J. Lennon - P. McCartney)
8. The Thrill Is Gone (M) 3:01 (D. Petite - A. Benson)
9. Anita's New Dance (M) 5:13 (Nesbert Hooper)
10. Space Settlement (M) 11:09 (Wilton Felder)
11. All The Lonely Years (M) 4:56 (Joe Sample)
12. Another Blues (M) 6:46 (Joe Sample)
DISC I:
1. The Geek (A) 5:39 (Wilton Felder)
2. M.J.S. Funk (A) 5:56 (Wayne Henderson)
3. That's It (A) 4:43 (Wilton Felder)
4. Freedom Sound (A) 8:22 (Joe Sample)
5. Theme From "Exodus" (A) 3:49 (Ernest Gold)
6. Coon (A) 4:20 (Wayne Henderson)
7. M.J.S. Funk (alternate version) (A) 8:13 (Wayne Henderson)
8. Coon (alternate version) (A) 5:45 (Wayne Henderson)
9. Song Of India (B) 4:04 (Rimsky - Korsakov, arr. by Joe Sample)
10. Big Hunk Of Funk (B) 5:00 (Wilton Felder)
11. Tonight (B) 2:52 (L. Bernstein - S. Sondheim)
12. 507 Neyland (B) 3:59 (Wayne Henderson)
13. Till All Ends (B) 3:32 (Joe Sample)
14. Tortoise And The Hare (B) 4:24 (Joe Sample)
15. In A Dream (B) 3:22 (Wayne Henderson)
16. The Young Rabbits (B) 3:38 (Wayne Henderson)
DISC II:
1. Sinnin' Sam (B) 4:41 (Stix Hooper)
2. Weather Beat (C) 2:34 (Joe Sample)
3. Scandalizing (D) 4:30 (Joe Sample)
4. White Cobra (D) 4:52 (Joe Sample)
5. Cathy's Delight (D) 3:00 (Wayne Henderson)
6. Congolese Sermon (D) 3:48 (Wayne Henderson)
7. One Leg Dance (D) 5:17 (Nesbert Hooper)
8. Deacon Brown (E) 3:41 (Wilton Felder)
9. Turkish Black (E) 5:33 (Wilton Felder)
10. Brahms' Lullaby (E) 4:42 (Johannes Brahms)
11. Boopie (E) 4:22 (Wilton Felder)
12. Tough Talk (E) 2:20 (Sample - Henderson - Hooper)
13. No Name Samba (E) 2:25 (Wilton Felder)
14. Lazy Canary (E) 4:17 (Wayne Henderson)
15. Lonely Horn (E) 3:53 (Wilton Felder)
16. Brother Bernard (E) 4:24 (Joe Sample)
17. Moon River (F) 4:42 (H. Mancini - J. Mercer)
DISC III:
1. On Broadway (F) 2:31 (Weil - Mann - Lieber - Stoller)
2. Green Back Dollar (F) 2:22 (H. Axton - K. Ramsey)
3. Close Shave (F) 2:39 (Joe Sample)
4. Free Sample (F) 3:34 (Joe Sample)
5. Mr. Sandman (F) 2:58 (Pat Ballard)
6. Heat Wave (F) 2:55 (Irving Berlin)
7. Sassy (F) 4:28 (Les McCann)
8. Theme From "The L - Shaped Room'' (aka T - Shaped Twist) (F) 4:07 (John Barry)
9. Some Samba (F) 2:34 (Wayne Henderson)
10. Stix March (F) 2:45 (Nesbert Hooper)
11. Purple Onion (F) 2:56 (Wilton Felder)
12. Long John (G) 5:00 (Wilton Felder)
13. Robbins' Nest (G) 5:44 (C. Thompson - I. Jacquet)
14. You Are Only Sometimes Rain (F) 3:29 (Wayne Henderson)
15. Out Back (G) 6:04 (Wes Montgomery)
16. Bachafillen (G) 5:54 (Garnett Brown)
17. I'll Remember Tomorrow (G) 4:52 (Joe Sample)
18. Polka Dots And Moonbeams (G) 5:41 (J. Burke - J. Van Heusen)
19. Sweetwater (G) 3:11 (Joe Sample)
DISC IV:
1. The Thing (I) 4:44 (Joe Sample)
2. Sunset In The Mountains (H) 5:11 (Wayne Henderson)
3. While The City Sleeps (H) 3:36 (C. Strouse - L. Adams)
4. White Cobra (I) 4:47 (Joe Sample)
5. New Time Shuffle (I) 4:45 (Joe Sample)
6. Para Mi Espoza (H) 6:40 (Nesbert Hooper)
7. Soul Kosher (H) 5:40 (Wilton Felder)
8. Tribute To Charles (H) 5:52 (Wilton Felder)
9. A Trane Thing (H) 3:23 (Joe Sample)
10. New Time Shuffle (alternate version) (H) 4:26 (Joe Sample)
11. The Thing (alternate version) (H) 5:30 (Joe Sample)
12. Uptight (Everything's Alright) (J) 2:26 (Moy - Judkins - Cosby)
13. The Shadow Do (J) 2:36 (Wayne Henderson)
14. Scratch (J) 2:40 (Wayne Henderson)
15. Isa's Chant (J) 2:34 (Byron Pope)
DISC V:
1. Blue Monday (K) 8:44 (Joe Sample)
2. Night Theme (K) 7:27 (Nesbert Hooper)
3. Uh Huh (K) 6:16 (Wayne Henderson)
4. Am Waves (K) 9:21 (Joe Sample)
5. Ice Water (K) 6:41 (Wayne Henderson)
6. Watts Happening (K) 5:12 (Joe Sample)
7. Promises, Promises (L) 5:17 (B. Bacharach - H. David)
8. Love And Peace (L) 3:21 (Arthur Adams)
9. Hey Jude (L) 3:24 (J. Lennon - P. McCartney)
10. Sting Ray (L) 3:38 (Wayne Henderson)
11. Fancy Dance (L) 4:27 (Joe Sample)
DISC VI:
1. Love Is Blue (L) 4:38 (Lamaire - Popp - Blackburn)
2. Cookie Man (L) 5:39 (Wayne Henderson)
3. Upstairs (L) 3:13 (B. Bacharach - H. David)
4. Fire Water (L) 6:23 (Charles Buster Williams)
5. Give Peace A Chance (M) 2:26 (J. Lennon - P. McCartney)
6. I Think It Was A Dream (M) 5:48 (Wayne Henderson)
7. Black Bird (M) 2:37 (J. Lennon - P. McCartney)
8. The Thrill Is Gone (M) 3:01 (D. Petite - A. Benson)
9. Anita's New Dance (M) 5:13 (Nesbert Hooper)
10. Space Settlement (M) 11:09 (Wilton Felder)
11. All The Lonely Years (M) 4:56 (Joe Sample)
12. Another Blues (M) 6:46 (Joe Sample)