The Jazz Crusaders ”Tough Talk”

The Jazz Crusaders

”Tough Talk”
( Double LP Blue Note Records )
Recorded in 1961, ‘63, ‘64 & ‘65 at Pacific Jazz Studios
Catalog # BN-LA 170-G2

Personnel & Tracklisting:

Wayne Henderson (tb)
Wilton Felder (ts)
Joe Sample (p)
Roy Gaines (g -1)
Jimmy Bond (b)
Stix Hooper (d)
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios,
West Hollywood, CA, May 24, 1961
1. E7912 Freedom Sound
2. That’s It
3. M.J.S. Funk

Wayne Henderson (tb)
Wilton Felder (ts, as)
Joe Sample (p, hpsc)
Bobby Haynes (b)
Stix Hooper (d)
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios,
West Hollywood, CA, February 13, 1963
4. Tough Talk
5. No Name Samba
6. Lazy Canary

Felder plays (ts)
Sample plays (p)
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios,
West Hollywood, CA, February 19, 1963
7. Turkish Black
8. Lonely Horn

Same personnel
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios,
West Hollywood, CA, September 24, 1963
9. Free Sample

Sample plays (p, el-p)
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios,
West Hollywood, CA, September 25, 1963
10. Close Shave
11. Some Samba
12.Stix March

Same personnel
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios,
West Hollywood, CA, September 26, 1963
13. Purple Onion

Wayne Henderson (tb, euph)
Wilton Felder (ts, as)
Joe Sample (p)
Joe Pass (g -2)
Monk Montgomery (b)
Stix Hooper (d)
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios,
West Hollywood, CA, July 19, 1964
14. Long John
15. I’ll Remember Tomorrow

Wayne Henderson (tb)
Hubert Laws (fl)
Wilton Felder (ts)
Joe Sample (p)
Clare Fischer (org)
Al McKibbon (b)
Stix Hooper (d)
Carlos Vidal (cga)
Hungaria Garcia (tim, cowbell)
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios,
West Hollywood, CA, July 2, 1965
16. Aqua Dulce (Sweetwater)

Review:
Killer compilation of short hard funky soul jazz tracks from the 1960s, featuring some of the best recordings that the Crusaders ever cut for the Pacific Jazz label! The tracks are excellent, with a tight LA groove that the band virtually invented — and sharp, concise solos that ring out nicely through most of the tracks. Titles include “Some Samba”, “Close Shave”, “Aqua Dulce”, “Turkish Black”, “Lazy Canary”, “Stix March”, “Free Sample”, and “MJS Funk”.

By Pier