Those Southern Knights

The Crusaders | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: October 10, 1988
• Release Date: October 10, 1988
• Label: Verve Records
• Copyright: (C) 1976 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 39:27
• Genres:
• ASIN: B000WGNNC4
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,636 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The word "classic" doesn't do it justice, February 21, 2008

By 

Olukayode Balogun (Leeds, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Those Southern Knights (Audio CD)

The word "vintage" is much more appropriate, I feel. This 1976 release is from way, way back in the Crusdaders' careers when trumpeter Wayne Henderson and guitarist Larry Carlton were still part of the group, not to mention Robert "Pops" Popwell who was the band's bassist. Produced by Stewart Levine, this is a collection of soulful, funky grooves over which each member gets to show his stuff. The vocal tune "Keep That Same Old Feeling" was a hit way beyond the boundaries of jazz and I remember hearing it on the radio a lot back in the day. It brings to mind something Roy Ayers might have done. The guys also got to show their vocal talents on "And There Was The Blues".

It's all good stuff but the ballads "Til' The Sun Shines" (written by Carlton) and "Serenity" (written by Felder) are my overall favourites. For Crusaders fans and fans of smooth jazz from the 70s (when smooth jazz was still being done right), this is definitely worth a look.

A much better album though, it has to be said, is the 1977 follow up to this one, Free as the Wind. It's more adventurous, more exciting and more jazzy. It also has string and horn orchestrations, arranged by group keyboardist Joe Sample. Highly recommended.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for Crusader fans., July 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Those Southern Knights (Audio CD)

This, the last Crusader recording which includes trombonist Wayne Henderson, is one of their best sessions. The funky rhythms and laid-back soul is undeniably "Crusader". Destined to be a collectors piece.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ongoing Jazz Funk Crusades Of The Mid 70's, June 2, 2010

By 

Andre S. Grindle "Andre' Grindle" (Brewer Maine) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Those Southern Knights (Audio CD)

Somehow this album is often breezed by because it was sandwiched between Chain Reaction and Free as the Wind which have better name recognition overall. Either way you cut it this album is the exact link between the two and another prime examples at The Crusaders during their prime mid/late 70's period. This album is actually quite a bit different than it's predecessor in a lot of ways. The production on this album is actually a lot fuller in some areas. Where electronics had played a minor roll previously on a lot of the songs on this album they play a very key roll. On two occasions on this album there's even collective vocals,somewhat uncommon on Crusaders albums and you get that on the heavy funk jams of "Keep The Same Old Feeling" which shares something of a Steely Dan flavor and that makes sense since they were huge participants on their [[ASIN:B00003002D The Royal Scam]' album. It all goes with the territory because both of those groups have a deep reverence and respect for a precise kind of soulfulness,something that many see as a contradiction in terms but it often ends up being one and the same and that's what this group constantly showcases. Aside from the presense of those more extended lengh cuts you have examples of the kinds of slick,smooth and well produced jazz-funk the Crusaders would make famous in the next few years on "Spiral","My Mama Told Me So","Till The Sun Shines" and "Feeling Funky". These tunes have a very forward thinking production style,again marked by some well arranged uses of electronics and some tighter,funkier jams than even before. On "Serenity" they not only slow things down a bit but some of Joe Sample's keyboard playing has a spacy,almost psychedelic quality to it that isn't as typical of his style but even for that most of the rest of the song has the flavor of a quality tone poem not too far removed from what Weather Report would do on their song "A Remark You Made" a year later. There was a lot of good musical and career momentum for The Crusaders in this area. They were putting out nothing but excellent albums and everything from 1974 through 1979 that they did is now currently in print. That says a lot for this band who have kept going and grooving pretty consistantly even when the odds of overall success weren't in their favor.