  |
|
|
 |
|
DVD video |
| 4.511 Ft
|
|
| 1. | Spiral
|
| 2. | Viva De Funk
|
| 3. | Creepin'
|
| 4. | Way Back Home
|
| 5. | Carnival Of The Night
|
| 6. | Put It Where You Want It
|
| 7. | Thrill Is Gone
|
| 8. | Soul Shadows
|
| 9. | Street Life
|
| 10. | Imagine
|
| 11. | Rural Renewal
|
| 12. | Ghostbusters
|
Originally The Jazz Crusaders, this American Institution has recorded and released over 40 albums since 1961. Coming out of Houston and relocating to Los Angeles, the original band, after starting out in a hard bebop vein with a two-man frontline horn tandem of trombone and tenor sax, eventually were instrumental in changing the course of modern fusion music in the 1970s, when they incorporated electric bass and electric guitar into the mix.
In 2003, touring in support of their Rural Renewal album, The Crusaders-led by founding members Joe Sample on keyboards and Wilton Felder on tenor saxophone-made one of their numerous stops at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival, where they are always well-received.
The band at this time included funky guitarist Ray Parker, Jr. (a perfect fit for their syncopated soulful direction) and vocalist extraordinaire Randy Crawford.
Highlights of the two-hour+ set include a jumpin' nine-minute version of their classic "Street Life" as well as Ray Parker, Jr.'s signature song, "Ghostbusters."
Only pianist Joe Sample and reedman Wilton Felder remain from the original outfit formed in the early '60s. But this is still a vibrant act that, while perhaps not as hot as in its '80s prime with trombonist Wayne Henderson, remains a sharp, funky fusion machine. The six-piece is captured on tour behind 2002's strong comeback set Rural Renewal (three of the disc's selections are reprised) that also included original drummer Stix Hooper who is sadly M.I.A. here, but they are still in fighting form. Sample plays MC, introducing each song and providing interesting background information. Although it interrupts the flow somewhat, his stories are classy and heartfelt. Trombonist Steve Baxter is a highlight of this touring band, even though all the members are strong and fall naturally into the Crusaders' distinctive pocket. Guitar duties are handled by Ray Parker, Jr. who doesn't look a minute older than in his Raydio days, even if he's no Larry Carlton; he stays predominantly in the background, taking only a few solos until stepping out front for "Put it Where You Want It" and the rollicking "Ghostbusters" finale. Sample is in exceptional form, playing the same old Fender Rhodes piano he did three decades earlier. Drummer Kendrick Scott and bassist Freddy Washington may be along just for this tour, but they slot easily into the Crusaders' trademarked pop/funk/jazz vibe. Singer Randy Crawford appears for four songs and pretty much steals the show. Her energy and bubbly personality on B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone" (the Crusaders assisted on King's 1978 Midnight Believer and 1979 Take It Home albums), is contagious. She stands in for Bill Withers on "Soul Shadows" and tears into the classic "Street Life" as if she hadn't been singing it for the past 15 years. She's having a blast and her jazz/gospel/pop phrasing perfectly complements the band. Even an inexplicable cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" fits seamlessly into the set. The surround audio (DTS and 5.1) is full and clean, the camera work is nearly flawless, the lighting unobtrusive yet dramatic, and the production values are polished without being slick. This is a pretty great souvenir of a group that, while not as crucial or greasy as back in the day, still delivers a terrific show and better yet, seems to love doing it.
---Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
The Crusaders
Active Decades: '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and '00s
Born: 1960 in Houston, TX
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Jazz-Funk, Soul-Jazz, Fusion, Hard Bop, Jazz-Pop, Crossover Jazz
Back in 1954, Houston pianist Joe Sample teamed up with high school friends tenor saxophonist Wilton Felder and drummer Stix Hooper to form the Swingsters. Within a short time, they were joined by trombonist Wayne Henderson, flutist Hubert Laws, and bassist Henry Wilson and the group became the Modern Jazz Sextet. With the move of Sample, Felder, Hooper, and Henderson to Los Angeles in 1960, the band (a quintet with the bass spot constantly changing) took on the name of the Jazz Crusaders. The following year they made their first recordings for Pacific Jazz and throughout the 1960s the group was a popular attraction, mixing together R&B and Memphis soul elements with hard bop; its trombone/tenor frontline became a trademark. By 1971, when all of the musicians were also busy with their own projects, it was decided to call the group simply the Crusaders so it would not be restricted to only playing jazz. After a few excellent albums during the early part of the decade (with guitarist Larry Carlton a strong asset), the group began to decline in quality. In 1975, the band's sound radically changed when Henderson departed to become a full-time producer. 1979's "Street Life" was a hit, but also a last hurrah. With Hooper's decision to leave in 1983, the group no longer sounded like the Crusaders and gradually disbanded. In the mid-'90s, Henderson and Felder had a reunion as the Crusaders but in reality only Joe Sample has had a strong solo career.
---Scott Yanow, All Music Guide |
|
CD bolt, zenei DVD, SACD, BLU-RAY lemez vásárlás és rendelés - Klasszikus zenei CD-k és DVD-különlegességek |  | | Webdesign - Forfour Design |
|
|
[ NTSC ] (???)