Customer Reviews

Chain Reaction

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This album is a "must-get" for anyone who is a true Crusaders fan. Aficionados will likely recognize this as the last album that Larry Carlton made with the Crusaders as a full-time member of the group.

While some jazz purists validate only the more traditional, straight-ahead jazz the Crusaders wrote and performed during the 60's, (under the moniker, "The Jazz Crusaders"), many of us appreciate even more, the innovation and experimentation that more characterized the Crusaders compositions throughout the 70's. The Crusaders were truly one of the first pioneers of fusion, (or "jazz-rock" as we called it back then), if not the very first. They intermixed elements common to jazz, funk, blues, soul, and rock in such a way as had never previously been done before. (And in a way that no one has been able to duplicate, since.)

Wilton Felder and Wayne Henderson defined the classic blend of Trombone and Tenor Sax playing in unison, (or in octaves), which became the trademark of the Crusaders classic sound. The entire Chain Reaction album is enjoyable to listen to, with no filler songs or "B-side" flops. This entire album is solid. Cuts, such as "Hallucinate", feature Henderson and Felder paying in fourths, giving a dissonant color to the number. The lively title cut, "Chain Reaction", features great unison playing over a bouncy, "bop" figure.

Larry Carlton shines throughout the album, playing his classic, blistering tri-tone runs through seemingly unnavigable chord changes; leaving us all wondering why he has permanently "left the building", and moved on to play only luke-warm, "Wave Station-soft jazz". Only his first solo album, "Room 335", echoed the Crusaders brand of fusion that typified those early years.

No review would be complete without mentioning Joe Sample's incredibly relaxing, yet complex improvisation style. (I wish the Fender-Rhodes electric piano would come back in vogue), and Styxx Hopper's solid grooves drive the band along making it hard to not tap your toe.

If you get the impression that I liked the album, you're right. I'm probably one of only a few people who actually own this album on original vinyl, (bought back in the late 70's), cassette, and CD formats. I've been listening to, and playing these songs on the saxophone for over two decades, and it just keeps getting better, and better.

Chain Reaction is my favorite of all the Crusader albums.

Enjoy.

Before the addition of Pops Popswell, Wilton doubles as reed and bass player, and does nothing but impress on both counts. Incredible funk throughout the album.

I have no hesitation in recommending this recording for lovers of the '70 experiments in rock/soul/jazz/fusion. The Crusaders formed their sound together when they were barely in their twenties, and by the time they recorded this wonderful stew of funk etudes, they were as one mind. Though the music may be "simple" (groove and uncomplicated melodies are the order of the day), that does not mean it lacks passion or excellence. This is some of happiest music I've ever heard; I loved it 30 years ago, I love it still.

If I could recommend anyone a great introduction to the best in mid 70's jazz-funk music than this would be one of the first albums I'd mention. Reason is that throughout this album it not only provides an fine example of that genre of music but The Crusaders' ability to cover a very wide field of textures,melodies,harmonic variations and musicianship while still maintaining a sound that was very distinctly there's. This is an aspect of a sound you'd hear on all the Steely Dan albums of the period along with soon-to-be up and comers Stuff. Across these ten songs you have Joe,Wilton,Stix,Larry and everyone else involved just sinking as deep into the grooves as deep as they can and letting the music flow through like pure liquid sound. That slippery,yet at the same time driving sound is present on the open tune 'Creole" with it's flowing Moog synthesizer textures while at the same time "Hallucinate" offers up a similar flavor with Stix adding a special touch on cymbals and one other thing I'll go into more detail about. On this song and most others on this album Joe Sample's use of Fender Rhodes provides a key element to the sound. The Rhodes was a key ingredient in this genre on a general level and most everyone who used it in this context ended up expanding the range of the music by using it. That made it very interesting I'm sure for the many detractors of the instrument who critisized it for years for having a rigid and inflexible tone. Because of funk's rhythmic complications it really allowed the instrument to take flight and this album is a fine example of that overall. The title track,the dancable "Mellow Out" and the in the pocket funk of "Give It Up","Hot's It" and "Sugar Cane" are all grooves,each just allowing these guys to be themselves and showcase their musical personalities in a vital and entertaining way. On "I Felt The Love","Rainbow Visions" and "Soul Caravan" we begin dealing with tunes with a somewhat lusher,lower tempo to the grooves and allows for the funk (a slower music by definition) to get a little more hot n' humid in addition to some of the clever and pretty improvisational approch to the keyboards. Sample was always influenced by early ragtime players like Scott Joplin and in some ways some of that shows up in a more contemporary funk context;not to mention that influence adds to the funk on it's own anyway. From the first tune to the last this album is the equivilant of pouring solid funk into a a kettle,heating it up and then just letting that hot melted sound flow out. There's no way to overstate the liquid quality of this music and that's a big part of the special place it holds.

This was/is one of my favorate Crusader recordings. It captures the sound of the time blended with the classic sound of the Crusaders. Great ensemble work and wonderful soloing, with a couple of phenomenal Wayne Henderson solos.

This recording was my first introduction to jazz. It remains a favorite in my collection, I have reacquired it several times over the years (vinyl to 8 track to cassette to CD).

This disc shows Many different styles of this Band.Soul Caravan was the cut as is the title cut.I Like The Guest Artists featured especially Larry Carlton's Guitar work.I Have always dug The Horns of The Crusaders.Wilton Felder is the Man.same goes with Wayne Henderson and Joe Sample.I prefer some of the Other Discs by them a little more but this is a Good disc.

Sounds like the background music used in the 70's Rockford Files TV crime show...and a little like the CHIPS music too. Similar to music by Tom Scott from back then. The crusaders never really get hard funky or dirty funky, they are more smooth groovin funk. The sound for the times is very clean, too produced for true funkyness. Don't get me wrong I like the old 60's JAZZ crusaders, just not this 70's phase of their career...they sold out to a large extent, and continue to do so, it's where the money is. No improvisatory feel either. This is for smooth jazz lovers. hard funk lovers will be disappointed, as will true jazzers. I wish the crusaders kept their jazz chops from the 60's but they keep burying it like it never happened, even to this day, afraid to lose sales if they get too musically adverturous like their mid/late 60's true jazz albums. Their 70's albums like this are partly to blame for today's smooth jazz... in other words, not really jazz, not really funky, just kind of smooth groovin, more for casual adults and offices. not challenging, not offensive, formulated to an extent. But hey if you like this, that's cool, just dont think it's realyl jazz, or really funk. it's watered down versions, but this water may float your boat. It's smooth and casual, slightly simmers, is pleasant background music, but doesn't COOK like so many other groups from the same time period that mixed jazz, funk, and fusion...but I'm betting you don't like that stuff...you'd say it's too "out there" or just "musician's music" and you'd be right, but that's what true jazz sounds like...it challenges you a bit to like it...making it all the more rewarding once you "get it", if you ever do. if you don't then you can always lsten to this. The point of my review is that since I know they had that spark in the 60's, it saddens me that they waste their talent on more conventional music like this just to make more money. It just sounds like they are holding back as I know they can play more advanced stuff, and write more creatively, they just choose not to ever since the 60's. oh and please dont buy the comments in another review that say that larry carlton's guitar playing here is complex and burning over hard chord changes...he's actually very laid back here and mostly plays typical simple blues rock solos with very LITTLE harmonic content as the songs are mostly based on simple repetive blues scale funk riffs that go nowhere. This is not real fusion either! again real lovers of true jazz, real funk, and real fusion will not like this.