Street Life

I mean, it’s obviously a 5. For as much as I wish the rest of the tracks here had a vocal presence after the excellent “Street Life” (which I’m amazed I’ve never heard before), I think this album’s groove works fine enough without them. Go ahead and look at all the musicians that played on this album on Wikipedia, and do a deep dive into alllll of the albums they’ve had a hand in. It's unbelievably prolific. This feels like listening to the “We Are The World” of session jazz musicians. I really don’t have anything else to say; the music speaks for itself. Even if you want to treat this as nothing more than call music or the stuff you hear when you’re watching a forecast on the Weather Channel, it’s the fucking best call music I’ve ever heard & the smoothest jazz to watch a weather radar to. 40 minutes of absolutely groovy bliss, and one of the best jazz fusion albums this list has given us; one hell of a feat given that we’re 613 days into this. A spectacular album.

hey that the song from the venture bros fav track: rodeo drive

Great! Even if a few songs were over 11 minutes

Genieten!

Really enjoyed this one. Surprisingly I had never heard of this album, but knew as soon as I saw the title Street Life, I had heard a sample of this song in the past. And the chorus hit, and I was like… there it is. Good times all around!

Legendary musicians and...Randy Crawford. This is just a terrific album.

Good

Wow! I was not aware of them until now. My loss!

i'm not a huge jazz guy but i definitely enjoyed the funk and pop elements in these tracks. smooth and clean, but with some real pizzazz behind all those solos. keep it comin!! favorites: street life, my lady, rodeo drive (high steppin'), carnival of the night

A great album to chill out with. Sure, it's not that exciting (although Street Life is something else), but sometimes a little staid and smooth music (or even muzak, if that's what it is). I love it, and it's getting five stars.

Great stuff.

The Crusaders themselves? They're legit legends. The instrumental is so tight, it's insane. The sax is doing its thing, the rhythm section is locked in, and the whole thing just flows. It's giving sophisticated chill, but with a serious groove. It's the kind of song you put on when you're feeling yourself, or when you need to level up your chill playlist. Basically, "Street Life" is a whole vibe. It's timeless, it's iconic, and it's still a banger. If you haven't heard it, you're missing out.

I see the comments are complaing that this sounds like elevator or Weather Channel music. Well the Weather Channel slaps, and this does too. Street Life is awesome and it's nice listening to a jazz album that isn't all free form like the Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and Davis I've gotten in the last month. I think my favorite part on this is the middle guitar-piano solos in Carnival of the Night. Though, if Street Life was a little less than 11 mins, that's what I would move to my playlist because it's great.

Great beats!

Great music

Ég vissi ekkert hverju ég bjóst við. Setti bara í gang og ætlaði að þrauka eitthvað rappalbúm þegar ég þekkti fyrsta lagið þegar það fór almennilega af stað og svo hélt platan bara uppi glimrandi stemmningu sem ég vissi ekki að ég væri að bíða eftir. Algjör gleðidjassbomba

nice jazz-pop sound

Man this is some real cool dude shit.

Love it, would listen again every day and now a new band in my rotation

Beautiful funky jazz album. Nothing misses, everything is where it should be. The melodies are light and varied. Loved it. Every song stood out.

Jazz, ein bisschen funkig

A great album, loved it!

Loved this

Didnt knew i liked jazz

Ouvir esse álbum andando na rua te faz sentir como o Tobey Maguire no Spider-Man 3 de 2007. 11 minutos não são suficientes para Street Life, eu não queria que acabasse de jeito nenhum.

Love it

Fantastic

WOW. Excellent stuff.

This was great. Had zero idea about what I was going to hear. Saw the album cover with the three dudes and was moderately surprised to hear Randy Crawford pick up and run with a song I've clearly heard at least a thousand times before. Why did I not have an association? Who knows. Anyway - Street Life is a whopping 13 minutes long, which is pretty indulgent. It could definitely be trimmed a bit. Despite the indulgence, this is actually a pretty good record. The music is mild and mostly inoffensive, but occasionally dips into just really good disco/soul crossover. Enjoyed listening to it, I will do again.

Incredible music, makes you smile and move

great

Loved listening to this. Keep showing me albums like this and I'll groove to them for weeks.

Very smooth and jazzy. Normally I might complain about all the sax but Street Life is such a good song, I felt ready to enjoy the rest.

I fell in love with the song “Street Life” from the soundtrack of the film Jackie Brown. This album started off on a good note. The rest did not disappoint. Love me some smooth, sexy, 70s jazz.

These are the albums I'm here for!

Das Fusion Album, eine Kreuzung aus Jazz, R&B, Soul und Funk. Mit dem von der wunderbaren Dionne Warwick gesungenen Aufmacher, womit sie ihren späteren Weltruhm begründete, war dem Keyboarder Joe Sample, dem Kopf der Crusaders, ein bemerkenswertes Album gelungen, gehört zu Recht zu den "1001 Albums you must hear before you..."

Toller Sound mit Anklängen an Bigband-Sax!

Loved this album! Jazzy and fun. Very pleasant to listen to.

Wonderful.

20ish albums deep in the project, this was the best one so far. Every single track was an absolute banger.

one of my favourite albums of all time

Converted

very cool album. funky

Totally missed that this was a jazz band in the wiki section somehow and was very pleasantly surprised. Loved that shit

Beautiful jazz album, brings me into a jazz bar late at night

Fun groovy jazz album. Something I noticed was the audio space, how direction/space was used with instruments

Really enjoyed listening to it. The fusion of jazz and disco goes really well together. I wanted the vocalist of the title track to come back, but I was still jamming to every song.

"The Crusaders" were a renowned jazz-funk and soul jazz group formed in 1960, and they released numerous albums throughout their career. One of their standout albums is "Street Life," which was released in 1979. This album is often considered a classic in the fusion jazz genre and is notable for its smooth and groovy sound. Let's review and provide some commentary on "Street Life" by The Crusaders. Title Track, "Street Life": The album's title track is arguably the most famous and distinctive. Featuring the soulful vocals of Randy Crawford, this song encapsulates the essence of urban life with its infectious melody and rhythm. The blending of Crawford's vocals with the band's tight instrumentation creates an irresistible groove that's instantly recognizable. "My Lady": This track, instrumental in nature, showcases the exceptional musicianship of The Crusaders. The saxophone and keyboard solos are particularly noteworthy. "My Lady" is smooth and jazzy, a perfect example of the group's ability to create a mellow yet captivating atmosphere. "Rodeo Drive (High Steppin’)": This uptempo track infuses a sense of energy into the album. It's a testament to The Crusaders' versatility, as they seamlessly transition from the smoother tracks to more upbeat and funky compositions. The guitar work here stands out, and the rhythm section keeps the groove alive. "Carnival of the Night": This song has an exotic and mysterious vibe, with its use of percussion and brass instruments. It adds a unique flavor to the album, demonstrating the group's willingness to experiment with different musical elements. "The Hustler": Another instrumental gem on the album, "The Hustler" is a showcase of the group's superb musicianship. The saxophone and keyboard interplay is particularly impressive, and the composition has a slightly more progressive and dynamic feel compared to some of the other tracks. "Night Faces": Closing out the album on a serene note, "Night Faces" is a beautiful and contemplative piece. It's an excellent example of The Crusaders' ability to evoke emotion through their music. The saxophone melody here is both haunting and soothing. In summary, "Street Life" by The Crusaders is a classic jazz-funk album that encapsulates the essence of urban life in its music. The standout title track, featuring Randy Crawford's vocals, remains a timeless hit. The album as a whole is a testament to the group's exceptional musicianship and their ability to blend different musical elements to create a cohesive and engaging listening experience. Whether you're a fan of jazz, funk, or soul, "Street Life" is an album that deserves a place in your collection. It continues to be a celebrated work in the world of fusion jazz and a testament to The Crusaders' enduring legacy in music.

I loved the album. I knew the homonym song which really liked it, but the rest of the album is just as good and funky.

Favorite album in the series so far!

Ya like jazz?

Somehow the Crusaders perfectly captured the feeling on record of wandering rain-soaked city streets, cigarette dangling from your lips, wondering what the hell it’s all for. The ultimate vibes album.

Oh baby I grew up on this album so that's gonna bias me, my parents generously gave me their vinyl after I moved out. Its just excellent. The title track was the first song that got me to appreciate long songs in general (I was truly just out of toddlerdom, and it gets to the good stuff immediately and then just keeps going) but the whole record is what defined my general sensibility when it comes to both funk and jazz. It's one of the reasons I took up trumpet. A former coworker of mine who mostly just listens to Radiohead says he cant stand jazz funk and I truly don't understand him as a person. That's the kind of derangement that happens if all you've ever heard are Joe Sample's imitators and not the real thing. Besides the OG Trio I also need to shoutout David T Walker on guitar, who has gotten some overdue recognition from my generation thanks to Vulfpeck. Randy's vocal is insane. I love that they started with Street Life instead of ending with it. Give the people what they came for and them wow them on your own merit. Kind of insane also they started playing with each other in the 50s as literal teens and they didn't achieve commercial success until this album, 30 years and as many record later. A jazz record at 18 on the pop charts? This is definitely the one to pick for this endeavor. If I have to be critical I would say Night Faces is a bit sleepier but it's also the last track and what an easy feeling send off. I'm so pleasantly surprised to see it here. Next time you're driving at night throw this on and tell me you don't feel like a million bucks.

Really good jazzy soul funk, mostly instrumental. Pretty easy listening

Que discazo, que vibes, que correlacion grafica, visual y sonora. Realmente todo es tal cual se lo imagina y el mundo planteado es coherente con los títulos, se puede llegar a pintar el paisaje visual juntando los diferentes elementos. Simplemente casi excelente, digo casi porque la repeticion en la segunda cancion queda estancada en jn punto y no cuenta nada, pero este discazo es un 9/10.

Good dance music. Rhythmic. Easy on the ears.

So smooth! Amazing. Would put on again.

So good, nice and jazzy

Yaaas.

Love the short album format of the old days

Funky

Yeah MAMMA. This had the makings of a five star-er 30 seconds into the opening track. Immediate toe tapper. It's all happening; ride cymbal over piano solo, key changes, big sax, punchy horns. I expected way more vocals after the first track but that sax absolutely sings in its own right. 8 Counts for Rita is a certified screamer - would love to be standing in the front row aggressively pointing for more shred.

Very smooth and great to listen to while studying. I think in other settings it would also be equally as good. Nice Jazz, would've potentially enjoyed more singing though

fire, need it in my collection

Funking awesome

This album is so beautiful and smooth. I love the lounge vibes. Jazz is a very comforting genre for me.

fantástico, funky, chill, sonidos muy agradables, excelente para tener de fondo, la calidad es buenísima. lo que sí, es muy corto y no propone cosas nuevas, solo buena música, ja, qué más necesitar? en una palabra: cómoda

funk!

They're having such a great time and I just want to be there with them.

Good 70s funk

Great jazz!

Caught myself dancing and enjoying life more than usual during this listen. Top fucking notch

Way jazzier and more elevator-music-like than I was expecting! Really liked this, reminds me of the newer "chill" playlists and stations I listen to.

Easy, very laid back

This is unreal. Perfect background work music. It's jazz but with funk added in and lots of cool hooks too. Never gets boring. Zero knowledge of them before but this one might be going into rotation.

LOVED it!

Taba wena la wea

Íkonísk plata. Næs fönkjazz með byrjunarnúmeri fyrir allan peninginn!

Great album!

Loved this!

Una gran canción de apertura y todo suena bien, como para fiesta elegante o día tranquilo ☺️. 9/10

Some Saturday night fever kind of jazz, loved it

Loved it

Erstes Lied 11:18, wow. Direkt mal arrogant erwarten, dass Leute so lange dran bleiben würden direkt von Beginn. Aber was soll ich sagen; ich bins und das Lied ist n absoluter geiler Klassiker, bekomme Bock in ner Zappelhalle zu stehen und mit ner feschen Disco-Schnalle mal den Weißen Teufel in den Nasenkanal zu schallern und die ganze Nacht Vodka-Sodas zu peitschen, wenn ich wisst was ich meine ;) Generell verspüre ich bei dem Orgel- und Saxophonsolo geile Fick-Vibes mit Intimbehaarung, Pailletten-Kleidern aber ohne Gummi. In den 80er gabs ja noch kein AIDS, oder?! Ich würd einfach gern mal wieder draußen saufen. :( Street Life Minute 9. – Ich überlege zu skippen. My Lady kommt direkt um die Ecke mit einem – zurecht – tausendfach gesampleten Saxophon-lick man kennt's. Nur gut. Bekomme noch mehr Bock auf legeres Koksen in einer Disco. (Ich sollte mir ein Pastellfarbenes Hemd kaufen.) Rodeo Drive bisschen Uptempo, und schöne Bassline drunter. FONKEYYYY. Gitarrensolo hab ich nicht erwartet, mich trotzdem drüber gefreut. Carnival Of The Night, direkt perkussiver(schreibt man das so?), der Bass wird ge-slapped, so wie der Ass von der Bitch. (Wo bekommt man schnell Kokain her?) The Hustler. (Ich brauche mehr Schmuck und Drogenquellen, außerdem Nutten). Guter Track, bisschen mehr Funk als Discovibes, aber was solls. Night faces, kleines Betthupferl. Ich kann das verdammte Orgel-gebimmel nicht mehr ertragen. Meine kriminelle Energie ist nach dem Album sehr hoch, fühle mich wie ein Zuhälter in Frisco, der aber irgendwie nur so der nette Dude ist und nicht so n Frauenschläger. So 'n netter halt. Deswegen schlafen sowohl \"seine\" Mädels als auch \"normale\" Mädels gerne und oft mit ihm. Dass hinterher immer Geld und Kokain aus seiner Wohnung fehlt, übergeht er und sagt sich: \"Die Mädels brauchen das dringender als Ich\". Er will sich nicht eingestehen, dass er ausgenutzt wird, denn mit Ablehnung kommt er nicht klar (deswegen ja auch Zuhälter). Er weint und raucht eine Cohiba, während Emma Watson(im Hogwarts Schuloutfit) ihm einen bläst. Den Schlüssel zu seinem goldenen Käfig hat er schon vor Jahren im Kokswahn verloren. Ich fand das Album gut 5*. Bis zum Nächsten review! Euer EL Mayo

Wat een heerlijke muziek. Fijne melodien en prettige vocals. Goede opname kwaliteit. Will listen again!

sjukt bra

está más que aprobado para tener de fondo, y en cualquier contexto te digo

Cool find

Elevated hold music is my jam

Lots of good instrumentals

A 70’s jazz groove that hits the right keys in good time.

Smooth

Very nice fusion of jazz and R&B

Smooooooth. Title track is just wonderful. Bought the album years ago as a result of this being a single. Rest of the album was a bit of a shock initially, but it remains a great listen. 4

That was quite good wasn't it. That was the..... Which one was it. It was good. Yeah we listened to it on the way to Norwich.

Perfect album to work!

An amazing jazz album and an even better funk album. Blending those genres together is not unheard of, however The Crusaders executed it perfectly. The album has sensational basslines and a jumpy feeling that would be perfect for mornings or mellow evenings. Best track: Street Life

Funky

Nice vibes

Ohh that's this song moment (Street Life). Jazzy and fun. 3.7/5

richtig nice, vorallem die sängerin, aber auch mal wieder ein paar langweilige jazz aspekte

Very nice jazz album. I’ll be adding this to my rotation as well.

“Street Life” by The Crusaders starts with a truly great title track—but unfortunately loses some of its momentum afterward. With well-crafted mainstream jazz (and that’s exactly what this is), there’s always the risk that it will become too smooth. Unfortunately, here the line into elevator music is crossed several times; only “Carnival Of The Night” manages to consistently avoid this. It’s entirely possible that the overall impression was different in 1979, but today you get the feeling that you’ve heard it all before. That’s not to say, by the way, that “Street Life” isn’t a good album—it’s just very generic in large parts.

Awesome album! Super chill!

Jazz isntrumental masterpiece and also song Stree Life

I liked the first song the best

really really nice and chill album, never knew i loved jazz

Oh yeah, this slaps like a disco elevator. Prefigures the 80s before we hit the 80s in terms of synths, guitars, vocal production- marrying up lush background production and strings with the rise of electronic music. This is smooth and cool and infectiously groothsome

Fun little listen and excellent performances. Favourite Track(s): Street Life Least Favourite Track(s): Carnival Of The Night

neat

You had me at „Street Life“ (the one everyone knows), you kept me with „My Lady“ (gooood), you bored me with „Rodeo Drive“ (meh), you made tip my toes to the bass with „Carnival of the night“ (funky), you kept me waiting with „the hustler“ (ok) and you waved me good bye with „night faces“ (the intro, so mysterious)…. A solid 4!

I really enjoy the jazz each track has to offer, especially with the first track, Street Life, as my favorite. It's a perfect combination of short listening and smooth tunes, at least for me.

Smooth jazz is anathema to the spirit of jazz. The best jazz records make you sit up and take notice. This doesn't quite reach those heights. The rhythm section is pulling some serious weight here. This would have been a much different record with a lot less reverb on the sax, giving it more muscle in the recording.

Supremely funky

Good smooth jazz

Way above expectation. Really funky album that was perfect to listen to in the background. Will revisit.

Sweet

I love airport jazz! The title track stands out from the rest of the album due to some stunning vocals, but the rest of the album is straight jazz. I am thoroughly relaxed.

street life !!!!!!!! ugh this album is a joy actually i loveeeee a long song :))))) grooving, fun vibeeee rating high ig

this was a vibe, already circled back to a few of the songs

I would never say no to some jazzy music. (8/1001) This is another band i had no idea who they were or how was their sound, and i was impressed... the first song already enamoured me with the first few seconds with that sax, and it just kept getting better and better the rest of the album is unfortunately all instrumental but it doesn't make it any less amazing, it's a really fresh listen and I wish it was even more longer... but i guess their discography is there to listen too

Title track is of course iconic. One amazing Blue Thumb record. What a line up of stellar musicians

Really enjoyed this one. Really nice vibes, takes you to a cinematic noir feeling. I'll listen again for sure.

Really like this.

Very relaxing Jazz Music. mostly instrumental tracks. Highly recommend for people who are into live music, jazz, and instrumental soul. vibes.

Apart from Street Lights I wasn’t familiar with them. A very pleasant piece of jazz.

There's a bunch of albums on this list, and I feel despite the modest modern day obscurity of Crusaders, I don't know what else other than to call it palatable jazz music. Not quite smooth jazz stereotypically, but a bit laid back with stronger R&B influences over something Kenny G sounding. Ironically I thought the title track was the weakest of the album, seems to drag on without really adding something new after 5-6 minutes. I don't think I would quite put this in the must listen before you die of an album, but it's certainly not trash or anything.

Very groovy but my favorite song was a different crusaders song that played after this one finished so

It’s been a long time since I last listened to the Crusaders. When I heard “Street Life”, it immediately reminded me of “Jacky Brown”, even though I was already familiar with the track. I think the sound is great, even if it’s not really part of my daily playlist. But who knows? 4/5

Hey.... my birth year! oooooh sexy sax at the beginning! I didn't expect a female singer, since I didn't see one on the album cover unless it's the chick getting out of the car. But she white lol. oh wow, Street life just opened up, with the drums. Oh I think I've heard this song. Wow, suddenly transported right to the 70s. What would that life be like. lol I like this sound. Soul disco. digging this album thus far. Very jazzy. Seems only that first track had any vocals. 4 stars.

Es definitivamente un álbum que escucharía en una noche de ciudad.

cool instrumental soul

issa vibe

fantastic

Ooh the key changes in “Street Life” are so good! And the way the strings slide at the end of the chorus… I can’t get enough of that. I love this song. I’m familiar with a shorter version that’s on the “Jackie Brown” soundtrack (one of my favorite movie soundtracks — it introduced me to so much good music) but this was my first time hearing the full 11-minute version. And honestly, the song doesn’t overstay its welcome. I actually found myself hoping the chorus work come back one more time at the end. That’s the main song here. The rest of the album almost feels like a b-side to the main single. But I loved the rest of the album too. Disco funk that levels out into smooth jazz-rock fusion. Lots of great jazz soloing and slick grooves. The Crusaders were clearly a very accomplished jazz and funk band who also produced a killer single with “Street Life.”

No. 129 This was so good. But I'll probably never listen again.

I love Jackie Brown, so it was great to hear the familiar refrains of 'Street Life'. But the rest of the album slaps too. Understated, but smooth.

Fun jazzy R&B album that is very easy to listen to. Nothing mind blowing or outstanding, just consistently solid through the runtime. Top tracks: Streets Life, My Lady, The Hustler

Dicen que es música de ascensor, pero mola, background jazzy para los que no le gusta el jazz, esto si les gustará

Some really nice instrumentals - very smooth sax. I feel like 'Street Life' sets the tone for the rest of the album - cruising along.

finally more jazzzzzzzzzz

Very smooth, not something i'd seek out but something I wouldn't mind being in the background for hours on end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this!

I had never heard of The Crusaders prior to today. I read the Wikipedia blurb so I knew I would be listening to jazz, and this is typically ok with me. The album began with the title track, and I was sucked in right away. I wasn't expecting vocals and that was a very pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the jazz/soul/disco sound. I immediately thought that this album had a very George Benson feel to it, and that feel remained with the rest of the record. Aside from Street Life, the other songs were very pleasant pop jazz. There was nothing to dislike about it, but I can't say I loved the rest of the album as much as I loved that song. The playing, however, was very tasteful throughout.

This is great! I knew Streetlight but no their track from the album. But it turn out that this is some epic stuff here.

Vibin’!!

Favorite Track: My Lady

muy sexy la neta no me lo esperaba jajaj gran trabajo del jazz, grandes voces, me puse de excelente humor

Very well done. Enjoyed listening to this.

Long ass songs pretty chilly though Love the bottom left corner dude Last 4 are really good head bobbers

Maybe I just love jazz music or something but I loved this album.

Smooth, easy listening jazz/funk fusion. Don't really get the on hold/elevator music criticism - it's better than that!

nice bit of jazz, good album overall

Jazz in the background is an underrated focus tactic

super funky and fun. Really a good listen. I would def listen again.

At first glance, I wasn't sure who The Crusaders were. But noticing the album title, and looking a little deeper, I realized that "Street Life," the title track, was re-recorded by guest vocalist Randy Crawford a few years later. I saw her name on the Cincinnati Music Walk of Fame two years ago, and I consider the track a genuine bop, be it in its sped-up remake or the slowed-down, sprawling jazzy arrangement of the original. With that said, how does the rest of Street Life, the album, sound? Well, it's intriguing because this was a jazz fusion group whose improvisations leaned towards smooth R&B and disco, at a time when the latter genre was declining in popularity. It's certainly pleasant to listen to, with some catchy melodies centered around Wilton Felder's eclectic saxophone playing. In fact, Wilton pulled double duty by laying down the bass lines for half the tracks, Joe Sample had some nice little keyboard solos in between, and the session musicians did a decent enough job providing some guitar flourishes and other light instrumental passages. That said, between the slower tempos and the minimal presence of the percussion, I can comfortably put this album in the same camp as Steely Dan. It's an easy listen in the moment, but I do prefer more challenging jazz-fusion music. I still dug Street Life as a nice record to have on in the background, but not much more than that. It was cool that they launched Randy's career, though.

One of the better jazz albums I’ve heard on here, the vocals on the first track are incredible and there is enough variety through the rest of the album for it to feel fresh without needing words. Standout Songs: Street Life Carnival Of The Night

Great jazz album

Never heard of The Crusaders. Wikipedia says they are jazz fusion. Hmmmm, that could be good, but it can also be incredibly horrible. First track is the title track, Street Life. Let’s see how this goes. I love that organ….wait a minute…..where has this group been my whole life?!?! Oh, hot damn, a solo for the keys and it’s FIRE! This song makes me want to move to Detroit and become a pimp. And now a sax solo? This may be the greatest 11-minute song ever. I’m sitting at my desk working, thinking about El Blizzardo Diablo heading our way, but this music is so good, I’m getting excited to be covered in a foot of snow. To be snowed in with The Crusaders in my buds, pumping out the jams? I’ve never been more excited to be smothered. 20 years ago, I’d have called this trash and old people’s music. Now it’s just glorious. Ah, the one true advantage of getting old…You’re not such a dumbass. So, I’m pretty much all the way through the album now, first listen. It’s a winner. I wish I still had either of my podcasts going because my podcast partners and I would be storyboarding a great 70s cop movie on the next episode. I would describe the music as jazz fusion, but 30 years ago, I’d probably call it easy listening. Because it is so easy to listen to and to groove to. It’s mostly instrumental except for the incredible title track and track 2, My Lady. Usually, I’m not a big instrumental album guy. I like hearing a voice as another instrument in the mix, but these guys have so many great musicians, it’s not really needed. The album is very short, like 39 minutes and it left me wanting more. In fact, after I finished the first listen, I started it over. It’s straight baby-making music. If everyone started listening to this a couple of times a day, the birth rate would jump 20%. Now, this album is incredible, and I love it. But, is it a must hear? I’m torn. , My heart says everyone should hear this because maybe you’ve never heard this kind of music done right, and you don’t know what you're missing. On the other hand, I can see how someone might think it’s good, but nothing special. Truthfully, I’m kind of torn between both sides myself. I love it, but at the same time, to me, it's not groundbreaking, it just scratched me where I itched today. All I can say is I will return for future listens, which hasn’t happened much with albums on this list. But if you do like this album after my recommendation, name your next child after me.

One i know. Pretty good.

Great easy morning listening

Mostly instrumental, kinda funky, appreciate the chill

Une très jolie découverte, que je prendrai plaisir à réécouter!

kind of expected it to be 40 minutes of Street Life, for lack of a better term. really flipped my expectations of a jazz album though, a great collection of individualized but complementary boppers. favorite song is Rodeo Drive (High Steppin'), or *maybe* My Lady

Fun jazz with lots of personality 7.1/10

While this is not usually my jam, I really enjoyed it. I suspect there is truly great musicianship going on so I look forward to read what the musicians in our group have to say. Interestingly, I think my cat & dog dug this. I caught them both sitting together at the window looking outside for quite some time while this played. Music speaks to all of us. I'm bumping this up a star for Tophee and Beckham.

Groovy as fuck

Solid Jazz album. Fav songs rodeo drive and carnival of the night

There is depth to this. The jazz / soul combination is great on this

Interesting how divisive this record is for people on the list, I’m really enjoying it. Yeah it actually got better and better as they went a bit experimental with it, solid 4/5

I'd never heard of the Crusaders but enjoyed this tight album quite a lot.

Pretty chill grooves with the saxamaphone

The iconic Street life, the rest of it is some nice soul vibes

I love the title track after hearing it on The Venture Bros., but I had never heard the eponymous album before. "Street Life" is the only song with vocals, and goddamn, what a vocal performance! The instrumentation, likewise, is stellar! The Crusaders' brand of jazz fusion is pristine. It is very much Weather Channel-core, but I'm into it.

This was delightful jazz/soul album. "Street Life" is a song I've heard before and is a highlight, but the instrumentalism across the album is wonderful.

Very nice. Title track is an all time classic. Boring after a while.

Obviously one standout track but I enjoyed everything else.

Fairly enjoyable and an actual surprisingly good album I had never heard of before. This is the kind of stuff i signed up to hear, not Aersomith twice

Very nice, good for relaxing background music

I enjoyed!

3.5

Previously unknown to me but very nice. Will listen again!

You know an album is gonna be good when it starts with a saxophone solo!

Brilliant album and a classic

long but vibey songs

Really enjoyed this, smooth jazz vibes and pleasant tinkling on the rhodes

Street Life with more key changes? Cool! Also I like My Lady, and not just the bit Tom Misch sampled. Overall though, this is just some recordings and not a "wow" album moment.

I don't know much about jazz after the 1960s or before the 2010s but I really enjoyed this album. The titular track contains a very strong vocal performance and incredible execution. The Hustler is another strong highlight with incredible drum work and a piano full of personality. The entire album is background music but it is good enough that you could vibe to these as well. Very pleasantly surprised.

A chill-as-all-hell album, like genuinely this is some of the most inoffensive, mind-resting, wind-down jazz music I've ever heard. At no point was I really amazed at what was going on, but I'm kind of thankful that was the case. The album keeps itself huddled in this very small, warm, and feel-good space - never trying to leave it. The opening title track is one of those songs that I can just play for hours, and I wouldn't even notice, just super catchy and smooth in how it continues to loop in on itself. I guess maybe this whole album feels that way, like sitting in a hotel lobby at night, sipping a cup of coffee, and people-watching as you see different travelers walking in and out of the building. Feel-good music, if I've heard it, and just the type of thing I needed tonight. Brain music.

i need them to stop putting so long songs and not a lot of songs. i am not a fan

I bet Steely Dan think this record is swell. Smooth jams, clean production.

De los pocos De este género que me generó algo Nota: 3.7

Awesome jazzy vibe, this was a fun listen

this was awesome and also hilarious that the playlist for this album on youtube was compiled by a japanese guy whose username was "Donald Fagen"

If your walk turns into a strut as you're walking down the street, you know you're listening some cool tracks.

Great background music

Nice and smooth

неплохо. но не фанат такой музыки

Favorite Track: Street Life

funky and cool!! exactly what the album cover promises

listening to street life walking my dog at 6 am

Street Life was a solid jazz album - made for great background listening at work. Best: Street Life Worst: The Hustler 3.5 Stars

I feel like I found a little golden nugget with this album. It’s groovy, funky, and soulful jazz. Overall it’s a very laid back, but there’s definitely enough energy there to just close your eyes and sway your head to the groove. This album really connected with me because it reminds me of a lot of house producers I used to listen to. It honestly sounds like a precursor to NYC style of house music. The kind that was more soulful and jazzy, usually with Latin influenced percussion and rhythmic layers. In fact, the second track on this album, “My Lady,” was heavily sampled by a house producer from the 90s named Cricco Castelli for his track “Life Is Changing.” That track has always been one of my all time favorite old school house tracks.

I like Steely Dan, so sometimes I can appreciate a little soulless jazz. You could say it's too smooth or bland, but it tickles my ears in the right way.

Great album!

I'd never listened to the Crusaders before, but I'll be listening to them again. 4/5

I've generally dunked on music that could be described as "background music", but mostly because the exemplars of the sound are ambient music. Now if I could have some funky, jazzy background music like The Crusaders' Street Life playing as I go about my day, my life would be immeasurably better. This is just facts.

Street Life was a blessing of a first album, I did not expect to start with jazz of all things. I am a bit dissapointed that the rest of the album was instrumental without the vocals, but it made for excellent background music regardless.

When it starts off with a song as good as Street Life it's not going to be bad. It's the obvious highlight by some distance, but the rest of the album is an enjoyable coast downhill from that high

4.5

The lead single is amazing. Overall very good. 4/5

I actually really like this album. I'm going to give it 4 stars. It's nice and chill

I have always loved Randy Crawford's vocals on Street Life. The rest of the album was enjoyable too but instrumental horn music gets old to me about halfway through the recording. Taken one by one they are accomplished arrangements and the musicianship is wonderful.

Funky!

Incredibly slick and groovy. This deserves no less than a 3, if only for sheer smoothness and ease of listening. Every instrument is played tastefully, the textures are warm, and there's a delicate balance between repeated hooks (heads) and improvisation. For anyone who has an issue with the Kind Of Blue or Bitches Brew style of jazz, Street Life is definitely the kind of album you'll be more accepting of. I'm surprised, I guess, by the fact that this is less *universally* acclaimed than Miles Davis's material (even if I personally prefer Davis's stuff). To the reviewers who compared this (unfavourably) to telephone hold music, I have to ask you: how do you think telephone hold music is chosen? Certainly not because it's bad. I'll let you have a think about that. Hand in your answer after class. The problem is that this list of the thousand most important albums of all time just isn't in need of a jazz album from 1979. That's why the title track stands out the most to me (and, clearly, to everyone else): it fuses jazz with disco. And makes both genres sound significantly better in the process. It could almost belong on Steely Dan's Aja, if the instrumentation was a little more varied. The other five tracks shy away from the disco style and go all-in on major-7 keyboard chords, acoustic basslines, and crooning saxophone solos that make you want to lounge around instead of boogie. It's a bit of a letdown after that powerhouse of an opener, though Carnival Of The Night gets bonus points for its nifty bassline. The remaining songs are all good – no filler at all. Maybe the songwriting and melody are a bit lacking in places, but you can't deny this sounds great regardless. 4/5 Key tracks: Street Life, Carnival Of The Night

Yes, it can seem obvious and broad (elevator music is too harsh given the skills of the players, which they feel no need to show off). In fact, the broadness makes it all the more subtle – or challenges the listener to hear the subtlety and nuance. But this is more or less exactly what one wants from smooth jazz (that unloved genre) – easygoing vibes, restrained and tasteful playing (guitar work is especially strong), mid-tempo swinging, and a sunny-bright tone that makes one want to calm down and perhaps even smile. If that's not an argument for adding more c-jazz to this list, then one wouldn't know what would be.

Absolute bangers on here. Love Street life but had no idea who did it!

Loved this album, was listening to it while working. I think the music will fit better on a saturday night with some red wine🍷

R& B jazz mix lounge

Just some good ass R&B, simple as. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

Solid

Great and does not overstay it's welcome.

This is some awesome jazz

This was pretty damn good

Great album

Chill soulful jazz.

LOVE. Wonderful R&B.

Fav: Rodeo Drive (High Steppin’) Least Fav: The Hustler I want more of this, NOW

À elle seule, la première chanson justifie la présence de cet album dans la liste.

I really loved this album. I have heard "Street Life" before- not the 11 minute version, and and have heard that song sampled by rap artists. The rest of the album is even better. Great bass playing, horns, organ, synth, this album a little of everything.

I'll come back to this one!

First song was a bit long and repetitive, but the rest was a joy. Pleasantly surprised! Fave song was Rodeo Drive (High Steppin’). Major CASIOPEA vibes.

funningly Enjoyment Okay... Fav song: Street Life

Never heard of these guys before. I like it. I'll never complain about too much sax!! 4

pretty excellent

What happened to the female vocalist i want her over Carnival of the Night :(

lovely little listen

love the combo of R&B and jazz

This is sick. I listened to it while walking around downtown Toronto and I swear I was struttin'. I'm a big fan of jazz funk fusion & disco, so this works really well for me. Not terribly memorable, but groovy AF enough for me to find a vinyl copy to throw on every now and then when the vibes are correct. 4/5

Street life title song is amazing

Great background music - it caught my ears a few times throughout.

8/10

This is a beautiful album! I would say the first half is a bit better than the second half. Street Life is a gorgeous song even if it is quite a bit repetative and about twice as long as it needed to be.

I liked this, mostly because it sounds just like the jazz I listen to when I have to get stuff done at work. 4/5

Another time capsule album

Loved it!

Yo this album bangs. Really love the title track, and it sets the mood for the rest of the album that comes with it. It holds on to the atmosphere it creates.

Bom pra fazer algo enquanto ouve, estudar, ler, jogar ...4!

leeepo

I need to write smaller reviews. These things are taking up too much time in terms of thinking and writing. I like this album. It's quite enjoyable to my ears. The Crusaders have this nice jazz fusion style that I like a lot. I'm starting to learn that jazz fusion is something that I really love. This is probably one of the weaker jazz fusion albums I've heard, but I still like it. Of course, the opening title track is the album's highlight, but the songs that follow aren't bad. The instrumentation gets a little repetitive, but I enjoy how it sounds so I don't care. The top word on this album's page on the website is "smooth" which seems about right. This album is smooth and good. Light 4/5.

Muy buen álbum. Un tanto repetitivo para mi gusto, aspecto que se hace notar sobre todo en el primer track, puesto que dura 11 minutos y se vuelve un poco tedioso. En el resto de los temas saben generar variaciones o momentos de solo que enriquecen la repetición. El álbum tiene una combinación ideal entre jazz y funk, el groove en cada tema es excelente. La grabación es muy clara y definida.

Chill vibes, god stemning

Smooth, I like it

Not bad at all, I enjoyed this one all the way through. It's not the best jazz album on this list, but I would never complain about listening to it.

Pretty good blend of sounds

Smooth and soothing.

Good stuff, not necessarily their best (IMHO), but still a great album.

This was more fun than I expected. Inoffensive, funky jazz, great background music.

Never heard of this band until today. Too bad! The title track is GREAT sounds like Michael Jackson doing the vocals and so catchy- I'll be hearing it in my head for the rest of the week! Fine by me! The rest of the album isn't nearly as good, but the title song alone makes this album 100% worth getting anyways! It's not bad I just don't much care for jazz fusion except for maybe half a dozen albums.

Jazz, R&B, and soul music greats Joe Sample and Larry Carlton were more or less at the end of a long run of popularity in 1979 when "Street Life" was released. Personally, I think I hear their fingerprints on Steely Dan and Boz Scaggs. This album would be welcome on a lazy Sunday playlist.

Oikein rattoisa ja mukava jazz albumi

Smooth jazz disco R&B. The title track was a nasty bait and switch with some excellent vocals and I was looking forward to the singing, but the rest of the record was instrumental. It all worked out fine, and this album gets the "made me dance" bonus, so 4 stars

I have never really thought too highly with most jazz albums on this list due to a lot of them just being overly boring and forgettable but there have been a fair few standouts with Street Life easily being one of them. There wasn't anything too out of the ordinary with this album with it mostly just sticking to the basics of jazz but it handles those basics super well. The music is mainly the best part of the album with it being so funky yet so relaxing at the same time. The vocals (when they were used) were also very well done too. Also, this album is one of the few jazz albums on this project that never felt bloated. This is easily one of the better jazz albums i have heard. Best Song: Street Life Worst Song: Carnival Of The Night

Some great jamming on this album. clean production and definitely quality

Okay this was cool. Smooth jazz without being elevator music

This album replicates the type of "Cosmopolitan sound" that I imagine when I think of cocktail bars, a great experience.

cute funky vibes. i really liked "carnival of the night"

4.4/this was really good! the grooves had me really enjoying the album. would be a 9/10 if i could do that

Started off with a great long funk song which was definitely my favourite of the album and went off into full jazz awesomeness, definitely not the best jazz I’ve heard (a little too simplified maybe) but still really good throughout, not a bad song on here. Favourites: street life, my lady, carnival of the night. But really all of the songs I could consider my favourites. Overall 7/10.

Ooooo yes, am loving this horn! Smoothy, funky jazz. Very nice.

What an opening track! A bit sad that there was not more singing on the record because this is the kind of voice you want to listen to and hear more from! But damn that record was so groovy! I can imagine listening to this while driving through the night. That saxophone was amazing. This album is a whole mood as they say these days!

Nicholson Baker somewhere describes listening to a late-70s jam fade out at the end of an album track and thinking that the producer wanted you to have the sense that they were just going to keep playing all night. This is like that.

The jazz run continues , I enjoyed this a ton The title track is beautiful and my lady follows great. Def heading to the jazz folk work day playlist

love the arrangements, could do without the singing

найс, вайбово.

Það er ekki þessu bandi að kenna að þessi tónlistarstíll hafi orðið að soundtracki fyrir símsvara og skjáauglýsingar. Titillagið er frábært og restin mjög góð grúv. Væri til í taka þátt í djammsession í þessum stíl.

Street Life, the song is a metaphor for the rest of the album: smart, funky, polished, and goes on a bit too long.

this was very chill and pleasant. i enjoyed it!

Not sure if I have ever heard of these guys. Definitely will listen. Very jazzy, with some soul. It's good. Not my style but I definitely respect the style of music they bring. This is some solid music.

This was fuckin cool, super chill jazz sounding. Would listen again.

88% Best: Street Life; My Lady; Carnival Of The Night; The Hustler; Must-Hear? Sure

Cool ass jazz. Looking forward to more listens, this must stay in rotation

Otroligt sköna vibes

I definitely found the groove in this album delightful. The vocal tracks were the weakest part, and if this had been a fully instrumental album I've enjoyed it more. I could see myself listening to this in the right spirit.

Good stuff. Talented bunch

Excellent jazz/funk, very similar feel to Steely Dan. -Street Live

I always found the title track quite long and this one is even longer... It's a good song though. The rest of the album is also good.

Harmless and fun jazz what’s not to like

It's fun.

> The Beatles

Solid smooth jazz with funk and great vocals.

да

Super nice jazz, great balance of all different instruments. I only wish they would've been a little more adventurous

The opener is fantastic, the rest falls under decent funky jazz music. Nothing that's blowing my mind, but it's pleasant.

🎷🎶 schade, dass es so kurz war

This jazz slaps. Street life was my favorite

Smooth fun jazz

I don't care that this sounds a bit like hold music, it's smooth AF. If I'm being honest, I preferred it to the Stan Getz album I just got. Maybe some would consider that blasphemy, but I would love to listen to this while driving around a city late at night! 8/10

this is what every single album here needs to be... hella funky and just SUCH A VIBE. i even knew one of the songs cause it's a sample bwahah

A relief to have a nice jazz album, thought everything was just great. Good vibes, good sound and good instruments. That street life song is just such a great start to the anlvum and deserves its praise.