The Crusaders – Those Southern Knights / SHM-CD

“Spiral” opens the record with a six-minute journey through shifting rhythms and memorable themes. The nearly ten-minute “And Then There Was the Blues” showcases the band’s improvisational depth. Carlton’s guitar lines weave through Sample’s keyboard work beautifully. Both tracks demonstrate why The Crusaders dominated the fusion scene.

'Those Southern Knights' helped define what jazz could become in the 1970s. The album proved that complexity and accessibility could coexist successfully. Modern listeners still discover its influence on contemporary jazz. The Crusaders created a blueprint that countless artists continue to follow.

The Crusaders

    Wayne Henderson – trombone, vocals
    Wilton Felder – tenor saxophone, vocals
    Joe Sample – keyboards, vocals
    Stix Hooper – drums, percussion, vocals
    Larry Carlton – guitars, vocals
    Robert "Pops" Popwell – bass, vocals

additional musicians

    Arthur Adams – guitars