The Crusaders - Those Southern Knights (1976) [Vinyl]

Deep in their prime period, the Crusaders reaffirm their affinity with the groove and rely entirely upon all six of their funky selves for their material. "My Mama Told Me So" and "Feeling Funky" contain the most infectious outcropping of the groove, while "Spiral" is OK, yet just a bit too frantic for the groove to thrive. "And Then There Was the Blues" is a laid-back, mildly funky jog at quite some length, where everyone gets a chance to solo extensively; essentially this is the old Jazz Crusaders frontline sound with a funky underbelly. "Til the Sun Shines" is an urbane Larry Carlton ballad with synthesized strings, quite different and to the point, but "Serenity" is a bore, a nothing idea stretched out for too long. The Crusaders' groove machine is still very much in gear, but the fuel is occasionally diluted. © Richard S. Ginell