Customer Rating: 
Summary: One of My First Albums and STILL One Of My Favorites
Comment: I remember getting this album on LP during my sophomore year in high school, 1971. I was literally blown away by the infectious, jazzed-up, arrangements of popular tunes at the time as well as their own originals. I LOVED that big, southwest sound (now it's more PC to call it a Texas sound) that Wilton Felder was putting out on tenor and the R&B rhythms that Stix Hooper was laying down. I didn't really think of this as fusion at the time - the jazz purists at my high school kind of eschewed my tastes for this stuff and Maynard Ferguson, but I didn't care - I liked it! This material was as much fusion as the outside CD's of the time - they just took R&B rhythms and voicings to the popular tunes and their own. At the time, there weren't a lot of people doing this with popular music, so I think it was innovative.
I never really was a fan of jazz trombone, or, really of two-horn jazz bands, but Felder and Wayne Henderson on trombine really carried it off. Joe Sample was the pianist. There were two guitarists credited, Arthur Adams and Freddie Robinson. There was no bass player credited. Felder played electric bass on some of their CD's and he might have done so here.
At this time, they were still called the Jazz Crusaders. They had started in the early 60s with a strong jazz combo tradition. They were moving more toward the soul-jazz/funk style, but did not have the slicker productions that they employed on their later albums, including Southern Comfort, one of my favorites.
I'm now listening to the CD version. When I saw that it was available, I JUMPED at it.
Most of the cuts tend to be driving, medium tempos, but there are several slower tunes, making a nice mix. My own favorites are Golden Slumbers and Felder's original, Way Back Home, and Thank You first recorded by Sly and the Family Stone. However, there are no bad cuts on this album at all. This CD is well represented in the band's retrospective CDs
The only con is that this is LP length - around 40 minutes. There were no bonus tracks added to the CD version.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Their best album
Comment: Back in the day, they were the Jazz Crusaders. Then, I suppose, to broaden their appeal, they became the Crusaders. Call them what you wish, but this was among the best music they ever made.Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, Wayne Henderson and Stix Hooper made some bold, brassy music. The Crusaders were dominated by a strong horn section, which not only led way out in front, but also provided gentle smooth harmonies.
Old Socks/New Shoes has a fine mix: their renditions of classic works like "Golden Slumbers", "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Thank You". They also put down their own signature tracks, like the classic "Way Back Home".
Wonderful jazz, regardless of the name.
