🎷 AotW: Jazz The Crusaders - CHAIN REACTION

[Captain Bacardi]

The Crusaders
CHAIN REACTION
Blue Thumb Records BTSD-6022

Released 1975

Peaked at #1 on the Jazz Album chart, #9 on the R&B Album chart and #26 on the Billboard 200 Album chart (1975)

A Crusaders Production
Assistant Producer: Stewart Levine

Songs:

1. Creole (Wilton Felder) - 3:25
2. Chain Reaction (Joe Sample) - 5:35
3. I Felt The Love (Stix Hooper) - 2:28
4. Mellow Out (Larry Carlton) - 2:44
5. Rainbow Visions (Wayne Henderson) - 6:15
6. Hallucinate (Joe Sample) - 5:08
7. Give It Up (Joe Sample) - 2:56
8. Hots It (Joe Sample) - 3:50
9. Sugar Cane (Wayne Henderson) - 2:31
10. Soul Caravan (J. Sample/S. Hooper/W. Henderson/W. Felder/L. Carlton) - 5:30
​

Musicians:
Joe Sample - Keyboards, Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, Synthesizer
Wilton Felder- Saxes and Bass
Wayne Henderson - Trombone and Brass
Larry Carlton - Guitars
Stix Hooper - Drums and Percussion

Recorded at Wally Heider Recording, Hollywood CA
Rik Pekkonen - Engineer
Mastered at The Mastering Lab, Hollywood CA
Illustration: Ed Scarisbrick
Photography: Ron Slenzak

Available at Amazon.com (with song samples): http://www.amazon.com/Chain-Reactio...9887&sr=1-1&keywords=crusaders+chain+reaction



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

I don't know if I've heard this one yet (I might have it on my growing pile of things I've gotten but haven't listened to yet), but have a few others by Sample and The Crusaders that I like. I have been spinning Free As The Wind a bit lately, in fact. Too much music, too little time. I will say, though, that of all the Crusaders albums I've heard, I can't pick out a single one that I don't like.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

For my money this is the best thing the Crusaders released after they dropped the 'Jazz' from their name. This is a funky, soulful, jazzy jam for the most part with very tasty solos. Everything clicks on this album from start to finish. Wayne Henderson's trombone and Larry Carlton's guitar work are the stars. Tight arrangements as well. This is the album I'd start someone off with who'd never heard of the Crusaders before.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I have been spinning Free As The Wind a bit lately, in fact.

For me that was the last great album they did. It's also the first album without Wayne Henderson and I thought they got weak after that. They redid "I Felt The Love", which was a bit better version that the one on Chain Reaction. Once they did Street Life they pretty much crashed and burned.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

A few hints of more out reaching in the more commercial-pop direction, otherwise this still holds onto the group's jazzier beginnings...

And, yes, from Street Life onward, (along with the increase in more outside session work), the band really got lost...!


-- Dave