Crusaders

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

like i had front row seats for crusaders in front of joe sample, tonight i have front row pictures at an exhibition symphony tix, infront of contuctor

[Cali]

FWIW, there was a Detroit band - the Bohanon-Fields Quintet - that may have influenced the Crusaders.

BFQ was active in the early/mid sixties and pianist Kenny Cox gave the Crusaders three originals, ("Trance Dance" & "The Latin Bit" were issued).

Bohanon and Fields made overtures to Limelight Records about the possibility of a recording contract. Limelight liked the idea but wanted a sound closer to the Jazz Crusaders, then selling many discs for Pacific Jazz Records.

Ironically, the Crusaders recorded three of Cox's compositions turned up at Bohanon-Fields rehearsals and incorporated some of what they heard into their own sound.

I haven't dug into this too much, don't know if the Crusaders were active in Detroit at that time. Would any of our members care to comment on Kenny's assertion?

All I know is the album INTRODUCING KENNY COX AND THE CONTEMPORARY JAZZ QUINTET, recorded in 1968 and '69, includes the Cox composition TRANCE DANCE, and it sounds better than the Crusaders version.

This Kenny Cox group seems to be reaching for a sound similar to the "second great" Miles Davis Quintet and features Joe Henderson's brother, Leon, on tenor. I like the album a lot and the tune SOJOURN is one of my all-time favorites.

[romualdo]

FWIW, there was a Detroit band - the Bohanon-Fields Quintet - that may have influenced the Crusaders.

BFQ was active in the early/mid sixties and pianist Kenny Cox gave the Crusaders three originals, ("Trance Dance" & "The Latin Bit" were issued).

Bohanon and Fields made overtures to Limelight Records about the possibility of a recording contract. Limelight liked the idea but wanted a sound closer to the Jazz Crusaders, then selling many discs for Pacific Jazz Records.

Ironically, the Crusaders recorded three of Cox's compositions turned up at Bohanon-Fields rehearsals and incorporated some of what they heard into their own sound.

I haven't dug into this too much, don't know if the Crusaders were active in Detroit at that time. Would any of our members care to comment on Kenny's assertion?

All I know is the album INTRODUCING KENNY COX AND THE CONTEMPORARY JAZZ QUINTET, recorded in 1968 and '69, includes the Cox composition TRANCE DANCE, and it sounds better than the Crusaders version.

This Kenny Cox group seems to be reaching for a sound similar to the "second great" Miles Davis Quintet and features Joe Henderson's brother, Leon, on tenor. I like the album a lot and the tune SOJOURN is one of my all-time favorites.

Thanks for the info on Leon Henderson - never knew he was Joe Henderson's brother

[Peter Friedman]

FWIW, there was a Detroit band - the Bohanon-Fields Quintet - that may have influenced the Crusaders.

BFQ was active in the early/mid sixties and pianist Kenny Cox gave the Crusaders three originals, (“Trance Dance” & “The Latin Bit” were issued).

Bohanon and Fields made overtures to Limelight Records about the possibility of a recording contract. Limelight liked the idea but wanted a sound closer to the Jazz Crusaders, then selling many discs for Pacific Jazz Records.

Ironically, the Crusaders recorded three of Cox’s compositions turned up at Bohanon-Fields rehearsals and incorporated some of what they heard into their own sound.

I haven't dug into this too much, don't know if the Crusaders were active in Detroit at that time. Would any of our members care to comment on Kenny's assertion?

I was living in Detroit in the early and mid-60's. Heard the Bohanon-Fields Quintet live a number of times. I believe they were playing at The Bamboo Lounge.

Though it was many years ago, I don't recall them sounding all that much like the Jazz Crusaders.They struck me as more of a straight ahead Hard Bop type of

group.

[JamesJazz]

Thanks for the comments...I knew Kenny for many moons, usually he had very thoughtful opinions and summaries, but maybe his story don't hold water. Bert thought the same things about the Crusaders, but who knows? Cox said BFQ was influenced 'up one side and down the other' by Miles/Trane.

Ref. Leon Henderson, he ran into problems and fell off the map I think in the eighties. Cox tried to track him down several times over the years, no luck. I have the Bert Myrick CD (actually BFQ) and it sounds mighty fine. Kenny had several tapes of the group. He and Will Austin told me that Ronnie Fields got so frustrated by the failed record contract thing that he buried his axe in the backyard, never to play again. Ended up selling cars in LA, died a few years ago. Never heard of a musician doing that - burying their axe, I mean.

[Cali]

Thanks for the comments...I knew Kenny for many moons, usually he had very thoughtful opinions and summaries, but maybe his story don't hold water. Bert thought the same things about the Crusaders, but who knows? Cox said BFQ was influenced 'up one side and down the other' by Miles/Trane.

Ref. Leon Henderson, he ran into problems and fell off the map I think in the eighties. Cox tried to track him down several times over the years, no luck. I have the Bert Myrick CD (actually BFQ) and it sounds mighty fine. Kenny had several tapes of the group. He and Will Austin told me that Ronnie Fields got so frustrated by the failed record contract thing that he buried his axe in the backyard, never to play again. Ended up selling cars in LA, died a few years ago. Never heard of a musician doing that - burying their axe, I mean.

JamesJazz, seeing that you had/have a relationship with Kenny Cox, do you know what became of trumpeter, Charles Moore. I admire his work on INTRODUCING and I expected to hear more from him.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

that must of been pretty hard to be a tenor player when joe hendersons your brother, and that is crazy he buried his horn, wtf

[JamesJazz]

The 'buried his horn' comment was about Ronnie Fields, not Leon, sorry for any confusion. From what Kenny and others said it seems like Leon had a pretty tough time during his last years, exactly what was not specified.

Charles Moore got a phD in ethnomusicology and lives on the West Coast, think around LA. He was in town for the Det Jazz Fest maybe ten years ago and seemed to be doing well. Don't know why he decamped from Det...

[Cali]

Charles Moore got a phD in ethnomusicology and lives on the West Coast, think around LA. He was in town for the Det Jazz Fest maybe ten years ago and seemed to be doing well. Don't know why he decamped from Det...

I'm from Detroit, living in L.A. It's no mystery why Detroit folks relocate here.

Glad to hear Moore appears to be doing well. His playing was special. I wish he was still playing so that I could hear him in L.A.

THANKS.

[king ubu]

Picked up used vinyl of these four today:

Unsung Heroes

Southern Comfort

Chain Reaction

Street Life 300 S.

Knew "Southern Comfort" when in high school - not listened since... all others are new to me. "Chain Reaction" sure has a cool cover!

[mikelz777]

Picked up used vinyl of these four today:

Unsung Heroes

Southern Comfort

Chain Reaction

Street Life 300 S.

Knew "Southern Comfort" when in high school - not listened since... all others are new to me. "Chain Reaction" sure has a cool cover!

Southern Comfort is a sentimental favorite (especially Stomp and Buck Dance) as it was the album which introduced me to the Crusaders. Chain Reaction was probably the second one I heard and as I recall, has some nice stuff on it though I haven't heard it in a long time. If you enjoy this era of the Crusaders you really owe it to yourself to find a copy of "Scratch" if you don't already have it. Unsung Heroes is another I haven't heard in a long time so I don't remember much about it. I never cared for Street Life. It contains only 3 of the 4 original members and was much too slick and commercial for my tastes plus I hated the addition of vocals.

[king ubu]

I know about "Street Life"... but I thought Sangrey was saying "up to and including 'Street Life'" - maybe I got that wrong... anyway, the used bookstore nearby where I got most of my vinyl for the past two years had the four, and for pretty good prices, too (and in fine shape). Alas, they don't have "Scratch" (nor do they have "Free as the Wind", which looks even more tempting). Btw, while I did get the Originals CD-reissues of "I", "2nd Crusade", "Pass the Plate" and "Old Socks", I've never been tempted yet by "Images". Played some of it in a store and it didn't connect (will have to check with "Street Life", only just wrapping up "Southern Comfort" as I'm typing, "Chain Reaction" will follow first).

[mikelz777]

You can safely skip "Images". (And basically all of their post '75 work IMO.) My scale tips toward their earlier work so my cut off point is "Those Southern Knights". Their next album, "Free As The Wind" didn't make the cut for me because it's just too slick and produced for my taste and it only has 3/4ths of the original group so it's no longer the Crusaders as far as I'm concerned. I really dig "1" and "2nd Crusade" and liked "Old Socks..." quite a bit too. "Pass The Plate" is kind of a different animal but still very enjoyable. Keep "Scratch" on your radar and all their live albums (the Lighthouses, Festival) are easily recommended.

Edited February 15, 2012 by mikelz777

[JSngry]

I know about "Street Life"... but I thought Sangrey was saying "up to and including 'Street Life'" - maybe I got that wrong...

No, I like Street Life! And Randy Crawford!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QylzShXgzRY&feature=fvst

[king ubu]

I can now say I dig "Street Life", too - after a first listen, that is!

@mike: I've got their early stuff (Mosaic, Jazz Waltz, Latin stuff, live albums... still waiting for Lighthouse 69 though, but I guess I'm not alone there).

[Cali]

I'm still waiting for a re-issue of LOOKIN' AHEAD.

According to the review from AllMusic it's one of their best:

"The Jazz Crusaders' second recording is most notable for the introduction of Wayne Henderson's "The Young Rabbits," the best-known of the seven group originals which are performed on this LP along with "Song of India" and Leonard Bernstein's "Tonight." The tenor-trombone frontline created by Wilton Felder and Henderson, along with the funky yet swinging playing of pianist Joe Sample, drummer Stix Hooper and bassist Jimmy Bond on this hard-to-find set made the group instantly recognizable and surprisingly popular from the start."

It's a big mystery to me why this has never been on CD. It's always been my favorite Jazz Crusaders recording.

[mikelz777]

I'm still waiting for a re-issue of LOOKIN' AHEAD.

According to the review from AllMusic it's one of their best:

"The Jazz Crusaders' second recording is most notable for the introduction of Wayne Henderson's "The Young Rabbits," the best-known of the seven group originals which are performed on this LP along with "Song of India" and Leonard Bernstein's "Tonight." The tenor-trombone frontline created by Wilton Felder and Henderson, along with the funky yet swinging playing of pianist Joe Sample, drummer Stix Hooper and bassist Jimmy Bond on this hard-to-find set made the group instantly recognizable and surprisingly popular from the start."

It's a big mystery to me why this has never been on CD. It's always been my favorite Jazz Crusaders recording.

It's included in their Mosaic box set. I don't know if that will affect it being reissued as a single CD or not but probably reduces its chances.

[MomsMobley]

i take it thru "Royal Jam" and still keep "Scratch" on the radar hoping I can blow that goddamn "Eleanor Rigby" cover out of their discography once and for all. If I could eliminate all versions from the world I would but I'll settle for this. The ** variations ** are swell but the fucking theme was, is and always shall be loathsome.

And yeah yeah, I understand why but I still don't like it. Zaire on the other hand--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZiNRgOHoO0

You can safely skip "Images". (And basically all of their post '75 work IMO.) My scale tips toward their earlier work so my cut off point is "Those Southern Knights". Their next album, "Free As The Wind" didn't make the cut for me because it's just too slick and produced for my taste and it only has 3/4ths of the original group so it's no longer the Crusaders as far as I'm concerned. I really dig "1" and "2nd Crusade" and liked "Old Socks..." quite a bit too. "Pass The Plate" is kind of a different animal but still very enjoyable. Keep "Scratch" on your radar and all their live albums (the Lighthouses, Festival) are easily recommended.