Because
the Jazz Crusaders in the early '70s dropped the "Jazz" from their name and later in the decade veered much closer to R&B and pop music than they had earlier, it is easy to forget just how strong a jazz group they were in the 1960s. This CD reissues one of their rarer sessions, augmenting the original seven-song LP program (highlighted by "Blues Up Tight," "Doin' That Thing," and "Milestones") with previously unissued versions of "'Round Midnight" and
John Coltrane's "Some Other Blues." The Jazz Crusaders (comprised of tenor saxophonist
Wilton Felder, trombonist Wayne Henderson, pianist
Joe Sample, drummer
Stix Hooper, and, during this period, bassist
Leroy Vinnegar) are heard in prime form.
Felder shows the strong influence of
Coltrane, Henderson recalls
J.J. Johnson,
Sample displays the most originality and the quintet on a whole (with its tenor-trombone frontline) sounds quite distinctive. An excellent set of primarily straight-ahead (but soulful) jazz. ~ Scott Yanow