Street Life

I wasn't looking forward to this. That dreaded word "jazz". But I think I've had a bit of an epiphany. This is the kind of jazz that I like. I'm not a fan of that slow, monotonous, really quiet and soft, almost dull jazz. The kind of jazz you would hear in a poncy coffee shop or wine bar. This though was really enjoyable. It's more upbeat, it infuses elements of funk and soul. The playing of the bass is great, the cool mini guitar licks and solos are great, the saxophone is great. The vocals on the opening title track - which was the best on the album - were really catchy and are perfect for the song, they really are sublime vocals. Yes it was slightly "elevator music" or "dentist waiting room" or "hold music", but it was all good stuff and each of the six tracks had their own flavour. I feel like I could put this on at any time of the day, no matter what mood I'm in and I'd smile and enjoy it. A really surprising four stars and I'm very glad it was on this list.

This is more a case of a song you should listen to before you die, but what a song it is. Street Life, the title track, in its 11 minute plus album version is worth four stars on its own. Randy Crawford's vocals are sublime and the playing from the core group, particularly that of Wilton Felder whose bass playing is even better than his saxophones, is superb. The arrangement and production is excellent, separation in the soundscape is clear and the tone warm. It is a fantastic piece of work. The rest of the album, although engineered and played just as well as the opening track, does not match it for quality. The lounge jazz-funk is pleasant enough but is like the background music playing when Starsky and Hutch had to visit a seedy club. There is nothing memorable or distinctive about any of the tunes. Unfortunate, as the three Crusaders and the session players are incredible players - they just needed better material in which to display their talents.

I really do enjoy jazz/jazz funk music. This album is 95% instrumental with 1 vocal song ("Street Life"). I like that song, however, it is over 11 minutes long. Grab the single version of it and groove out to that instead. The album version is a bit too long for enjoying on a daily basis. The rest of the album is solid. You can hear a lot of Crusaders influence on more modern jazz fusion/acid jazz groups like Jamiroquai. Good stuff. 4/5

Jazzy, funky and absolutely dated, but it still had me tapping my foot. I liked this a lot, and the title track is a banger.

Tight arrangements and well produced sounding album of 70’s blended jazz. I never heard this album previously but will definitely add it to my collection of listening music. Probably more of a background relaxation mood album for me but definitely worth listening to again

Great funk album. Funny enough the first song is the one i did not like.

Lovely. Made me feel good inside.

Very smooth

Pretty good. A pleasant surprise. Sounds like something I’d hear as background music in an older grocery store. This one caught me in the right mood.

Jazzy soul vibes. Great music to put on in the background when hosting

SHARKY'S MACHINE While I was excited to be reminded of The Venture Bros, I was over the moon to enjoy this banger of an album. Funky, groovy and overall just delightful. What a great time.

smooth jazz, nice!

Coming into this with no preconceived notions, having never heard of these guys, and only knowing that it was "Jazz", I liked it quite a bit. An interesting find, definitely contemporary, but also definitely jazz.

Pretty groovy. Familiar with title track but only as single version. Alfonso Johnson played on this one

smooth

Some great tunes on here. I will return.

This is terrific. Must listen? Not sure. But I like it.

If this wasn’t the soundtrack to Hill Street Blues, it should have been! Not my usual listening but would definitely listen again if in the mood for something jazzy.

Enjoyable jazz fusion, but the great title track is the key

Μαρεσει παρα πολυ αυτου του ειδους η chill jazz που σε χαλαρωνει και σ δινει ταυτοχρονα χωρο να σκεφτεις. Τελεια μουσικη για ενα βραδινο μαγαζι. Θα ξαναεπισκεφτω σιγουρα τον δισκο Rating: A-

First song is an all-time classic and the album deserves 4 starts just because of it. The rest of the album is subpar soft jazz.

Chill. Funk. Jam. There it is. There is my review. I like it.

A funkadelic trip through time. Lovely grooves and beats.

Extremely smooth Soul record, with the title song being one of the genre's greatest gems. Also, it's the only song with vocals, and vocalist Randy Crawford was on the top of her game. The same can be said for everyone else involved. It's really quite good. 4/5

Street Life may be the only mainstream hit these guys have ever had but don't sleep on them otherwise. Late 70's jazz fusion has their fingerprints all over it and I'm glad they're included on this list.

This is very cool and ultra smooth. Street Life is for sure the standout. The rest kind of blends into one track but is still great.

Smoove, very smoove! I'm a bit bemused at all the reviews calling this elevator music (derogatory) - those people only like music suited to one specific mood? Fave tracks - "Street Life" is the big one, of course - "My Lady" carries on the goodness....

perilously , endlessly Smooth jazz funk the likes of which might be a bit too indistinct to people who are inclined to just dismiss out of hand. for me tho this is basically the perfect thing to slot into the way i tend to use the albums in this project as my morning routine. probably nothing here will blow ur mind (except maybe the opening title track, with commandingly beautiful vocals from randy crawford), but its all finessed and lovable and artful...packed with genuine experience and a ton of sweet little keyboard parts. might have to come back to this one just to vibe out!

I am thrilled they popped up in the rotation today because I really enjoyed listening to this album. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-street-life-by-the-crusaders?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

love me some proggy funk bass..

I was thinking 3 stars until I realized how much I was dancing and grooving to this.

Het eerste nummer met Randy Crawford is veruit het leukst, en daarna funkt het een beetje door. Niks mis mee, maar het dreigt af en toe net iets te veel liftmuziek te worden. Maar liever dit in de lift dan Sepultura of Pere Ubu.

I won't lie, an electric piano basically just always draws me right in. That smooth, round, cool sound and its lulling, subtle phaser just gets me. The Rhodes piano was just great, honestly. I'm very biased right off the bat to give it a great rating because of that. I'm not really sure why it's labeled as jazz, though. That would be like calling city pop jazz. I'm not exactly sure what you call this, though. It's very much like western city pop, though. It's certainly jazz *influenced*, but that doesn't make it jazz. Probably part of the reason some people don't like it. Mismatch between expectations and reality. The title track, Street Life, is just too damn fun. It's the sound of walking home at night, alone, on the street, after a fun night out. I, personally, don't really care about lyrics and others seem to say the lyrics are mismatched, but it's just all about the melody and feel for me. The other songs are good, too. Not nearly as memorable for me as Street Life, though. But I did like one or two on Spotify

Jazz, funk. Está bien.

American jazz. Instrumental. Bonico.

Chill music; music describes a moment in time feeling wise without words

Feels like the birth of Cool Jazz FM. There’s some sweet grooves on this one. My Lady and Carnival of the Night are genuinely excellent. Great instrumentals. Perfect for long drives, roller skating or sweet, sweet love making.

Groooooooovy!

Funky

Oh, I do wish I could rate out of 10. I liked this. Everyone saying on hold music has clearly not been on hold a lot. I probably won’t listen again but I enjoyed this while it lasted. Want to give it 3.5

The most jazzy jazz jazz could jazz. If you want to feel like you are in the lobby of a fancy hotel, this is the album for you. Jokes aside it’s solid if not a bit repetitive. 7/10

I was driving around listening to this, and I felt so cool!

They may have changed their name but they are still swingsters!

lähestulko9n kokonaan instrumentaalinen projekti onnistuu täysin tåhtååmåånså tunnelmallisuuden täyttämiseen.. tavoite: fiilinki, suoritettu. toisin kun suomalaiset urheilijat... nyt tuli ns. worst case scenaario... no miksi se tulee jokaiselle samaan aikaan... taisi olla ihan normi suoritus kuitenkin... esitetään parempaa mitä oikeasti ollaan heh.. kuin lukioliikunta konsanaan.. ota kii ota kii... no otetaanpas... street life

Was not expecting super-up Weather Channel funky jazz, but I was really digging it. It was just so groovy.

Once the intro to Street Life gets out of its way, it is an absolute bop. I've definitely heard the chorus of My Lady interpolated or sampled somewhere else (just did a search and it was Mac Miller on Inside Outside -- glad I'm not crazy). The Hustler is fantastic. Loving the groove, punctuation, and of course that silky guitar tone. All around solid little funky jazz album. Scores high for me -- solid 4 / 5

This album rocked. So clean and smooth. Another good Sunday morning album. One of those albums that is just so damn close to a 5 star, but it is just missing that small, unquantifiable "it" factor. Definitely coming back to this one though.

That was some pretty incredible jazz. Started off so so strong with Street Life, that singer was great. I was bumping to it for sure at my office. Rodeo Drive was the best of the instrumental songs on the album. Kind of faded into some repetitive standard sounding jazz in the last 3 songs. Still great to listen to. This couldn't quite earn a 5 because of the drop off at the end but this is definitely a high 4

Larry Carlton played guitar with The Crusaders, Steely Dan, on the Joni Mitchell album we just heard.

Smooth

Very surprised how much I liked this. Maybe not the most challenging album, but super smooth, and great as background music.

Nice relaxing smooth jazz to make the afternoon easier.

Groovy to its very core. The soulful saxophone, vocal prowess of Randy Crawford’s vocals are a great pairing with the soulful, jazzy groove of the musicians. All the instrumental tracks are a fine display of musicianship.

Saxophone central! Groovy, mellow and easy 8/10

Loved the songs and it didn't overstay its welcome

Really smooth and funky. In the end, it was a little bit too much of the same.

Makes you wanna dance

my scientologist brother the drummer would have described this as “tasty”

This is a phenomenal record! Man, it is so cool and groovy. I wasn't sure what to expect, I thought maybe I was getting some late 70's ska/reggae like The Specials. But instead I get treated to a smorgasbord of jazzy R&B sonic joy instead. I was about ready to pack my bags and start my street life, until they said you can't survive it if you're old lmaoooo. I guess I'll just continue to enjoy the street life vicariously through my stereo. These cats sure can groove and Randy's voice is so silky smooth, I love her.

Moood

Bastante funky y divertido, temón Street Life

A fun listen. Favorite was probably "Carnival of the Night"

Hermoso

Nyt oli kyllä hyvää funkkia tai soulia mitä lie. Tuli vähän Gran Turismo viboja :D Parhaat: Street Life, Carnival Of The Life

Reminded me of listening to the smooth jazz radio station in Chicago in the '90s, which I played any time I was driving on Lake Shore Drive. Some very easy listening '70s music here. "Street Life" remains a very cool track.

Definitely opens with a banger. Then it settles in with a nice smooth jazz sound for the rest of the ride. Pretty nice.

I think it’s fair to say that pretty much everybody knows Street Life. Even if you think you don’t know it, you’ve probably heard it somewhere at some point. I don’t think I recognise any other titles here. I used to hate Street Life as it reminded me of working at Pizza Hut where it seemed to play every 10 minutes. Songs I already knew: Street Life Favourites: My Lady, Night Faces Street Life is actually the only song here with any vocals, with the rest being instrumental. The mix of disco and funk makes for a very enjoyable listen. I’ve always loved a good rump-shaker and this album contains plenty of those moments. The guitar and the sax playing is fantastic throughout. Some parts feel improvised, but never feel weak. I like this album quite a lot.

Spiffing

its good for what it is, nothing remarkable. low 7/10

Smooth and fun I liked this a lot! Street life is such a banger. Genuinely thought this song was Michael Jackson for some reason, pleased to find out it isn't

3.5 stars rounded up.

BL: Never heard of The Crusaders so this will be a complete blind listen for me AL: excellent album with lots of funk, jazz, and RnB elements. Amazing to listen to and really holds its own as a record, entirely propelled by the blazing opener. Will definitely be making its way into my general rotation. FT: "Street Life", "My Lady", "The Hustler", "Night Faces" 4/5

Great musicianship. Opening track is very accomplished

Catchy and jazzy, love it.

Dry mellow jazz album

3.5

Jazz is typically very hit or miss for me and this album was an instant hit for me. So swanky it just made me want to dance off the bat. I will say that I think Street Life ran a little long for how repetitive the hook is. Nonetheless I still really enjoyed it. I love the mix and execution of all of the different instruments.

Really enjoyed this as I navigated the West Midlands conurbation in the February drizzle. Street life!

The Crusaders seem to be labelled as a jazz band, but this album also feel equally as much as disco or funk. I don't think this stand out particularly much as being different or innovative perhaps, but it was just very good from start to finish, and that is enough in this case! The first two songs were definitely the strongest. It fell off a bit later on, but still managed to stay strong. I am debating between a strong 3 and a weak 4, but I think I will settle with the latter because even though perhaps it isn't regarded or renown as highly as some of my other 4 star albums, I still felt like I could definitely put this on many more times in the future and enjoy the whole album - something that can't be said for lots of albums to be honest.

maneirinho pô, tem uma vibe meio Djavan sei lá

Smooove jazz baybayyyy

jams!

Some great tracks

American jazz. Instrumental. Bonico.

💖 carnival of the night 🗣️ 8️⃣

immer wieder gerne

This that smooth that you lay ya girl down to.

Beautiful jazz and funk instrumentals paired with infrequent but quality vocals. There is a lot of music like this from this era, but I don’t care. The execution is worthy of high praise.

Great tunes from a legendary group

Groovy. Good background music for working. Street Life is a good single.

Loved the album art and wonder what media was influenced by/included these guys.

First song was great. The rest were good. Solid jazz fusion.

I dig.

Nice blast from the past. Enjoyable.

i've called other albums on this list smooth before, but those albums have nothing on the crusaders' street life. i had no idea that jazz and funk together could create such a delightfully slick album, especially by an artist i hadn't heard of before. i was impressed by the instrumental songs; they definitely held their own. but randy crawford's vocals are special, and they meshed so well with the instrumentals. what a good combination. i'm looking forward to listening to this album again, especially when it went by too quick!

Штош, пробуем вкатиться заново. Чёрные братья делают движовый качняк, приятный слэповый бас, приятная дуда. Вокал был только в одном треке. который street life и он понравился мне меньше всего. Но треки -- ну балдёж! Хочется ходить стилягой по городу, дарить улыбки и делать пальцы пистолетом. Это диско. Ощущаю, что четвёрочка!

Album is propped up by the title track, but overall enjoyable

Damn this shit is groovy. Sexy basslines. Wish there were more lyrics but i don't have an issue with the instrumentals

Groovy but did not stand out to me over others in the era.

Woulda absolutely listen again. Would be a killer vinyl. Am ranking this as a 4 but will realign other 4s

Quite a jam

Vrolijk plaatje. Beetje disco vibes met een ondertoon van jazz

If this isn't a smooth introduction to an album, I don't know what is. I instantly knew based on the first 10 seconds leading into Street Life that this was going to be some good stuff! I'd never heard of The Crusaders before but it left me wanting more. I'm still fairly new into this project but this is for sure my favourite album I've listened to so far.

Instrumentally-wise, great.

I’m not a fan of jazz, but I actually really enjoyed this album, for a 40 minute long album with 6 songs, it went by really quick

Never heard of them before would like to listen to more

8/10 wonderful jazz album lots to love hear

One of the only instrumental albums I’ve ever really enjoyed. I would love if these tunes played while I was walking down the street.

Carnival of the Night

Brilliant Saturday afternoon album! The full version on street life with full instrumental is worth the whole album getting a 4

Catchy and classy.

Good funk

decently fun

This was funky and recognize their opening song, "Street Life". 7/10

instrumental other than STREEET LIYEEEEF

Digging the easy flow and funkiness. This is, as far as one can tell, the only smooth jazz work (and one of the few fusion works) in the 1,001 catalog, not surprising given the sub-genre's wholly disrespected and mostly overlooked status within the broader genre's totally ignored and typically forgotten context. Begs the question of where's Grover Washington and George Benson and Pat Metheny and Spyro Gyra. The cool, unhurried and easy-grooving (and non-exhibitionistic) nature of the record is the strength. The guitar solos are particularly strong for being so understated. The overall effect range from relaxation to contemplativeness. "The Hustler" is legit cool and funky, benefitting from the don't-try-too-hard and keep-it-easy aesthetic of the best smooth jazz. "Night Faces" also a standout but the whole thing works, and the title cut is almost boringly good at this point, given its familiarity and fully reliable chops.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Street life

yay for sax! great vocals and instrumentals

Halfway through, this is great. Really nice jazz, awesome guitar solos, chill and groovy. Yeah, this was nice. Would definitely listen to it again.

Solid soul, jazz and funk. 4 stars.

bonne ambiance !

a little one note but that note is sooo good it sounds exactly like the album cover

Very good album

Finally a bit of jazz

There's a line where this could just be muzak, but it worked for me is accessible jazz. And the title track is a classic.

Never heard of this album, I wonder what it'll be like? Oh, it's the funkiest shit ever? Sounds good to me.

This is a time capsule album. It is illustrative of jazz in the late 70s. The group is in fine form and Randy Crawford's guest vocal on Street Life is tremendous. This is a solid release with an awesome title track (which has appeared in numerous movies thereby adding to the album's legacy). The title track is almost enough to make the album essential. But almost would not make it on my list.

Before choosing to undertake this album, I was struck by the divisiveness of the reviews. As someone who finds delight in chill music, who loves to soak up the ambience and does not at all consider vocals a requirement for something to be considered music, I was intrigued. And you know what? It was a perfectly fine piece emblematic of the feeling you get from driving at night through a rain soaked city.

It's jazzy, it's funky, and the title track is pure art. Very cool indeed!

The opening track is one of the finest tunes ever written. I can not help but smile through the entire thing. Absolutely wonderful! In general I can’t help but feel good as The Crusaders gently take me by the hand and lead me through their street of catchy and charming jazz-funk. Is part of the album borderline elevator music? Sure. But it’s an elevator I wouldn’t mind taking a couple of extra floors every time.

Fantastic funk album. Lot of fantastic riffs on this album, and surprised I’ve never heard them before.

A genre I don't typically seek out on my own, but when I hear it I usually have a good time.

This album made me truly understand how fine the line is between funk and disco. Really liked this one. Pleasant and relaxing.

Great jazz album, would be awesome for winding down.

Decent jazz/elevator/disco vibe. Nothing too offensive and easy to chill to. 3.8/5

I would definitely listen to this again. It's got enough of a funk sound that I don't get lost and/or bored with the smooth jazz part of it

Good instrumental jazz. I would have been more receptive if I hadn't listened to Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell" right before this.

Very nice album.

I HATE the first song and I love the rest of the album. Ok maybe that's too strong. I can stand the first two or three minutes of it, but seriously, why start an album with an 11 MINUTE jam track?? Irritating. Anyway, the instrumental tracks have a great groove to them that sits somewhere between funk and smooth jazz. Windows down heat of summer cruise music. Take out or shorten the first track and I am fully on board. Especially enjoyed "Rodeo Drive" with that bouncy bassline and catchy ass melody the saxophone sings.

Ranges from muzak to foonkeeey. Grows on me. Know the crusaders from before mainly because of the great track “A ballad for Joe (Louis)” which has been sampled excessively. Especially like My lady, night faces and carnival of the night.

C'est souvent les gens par qui vous êtes le plus surpris qui vous surprennent le plus

ambiance groovy à la gare st jean

Skön och soft platta. Gillar den.

Enjoyed it, fun album

smooooove funky sax and pinanno urban jazz

Wonderful. Just beautifully performed jazz. Favorite track: Street Life

Yes, it’s like being on hold in an elevator, but it’s a pretty mellow, cool elevator. I think maybe the title track leads us to think the album is going to go one way, but it settles down into something else. I was in the mood for that something else so it worked for me.

Bitchin smooth jazz that sometimes veers a bit too far into Weather Channel Jazz

Starts off promisingly funky. Loses steam pretty quickly. A shame, because it's barely 40 minutes long. Title track's great.

Jazz, soul.

Loved

Cool album of super smooth 70’s fusion. The Hustler was my favorite track. Title track was really long but not in a bad way. I like how in the 70’s hits were all extended for dance clubs I like all the variations and solos. It would be cool to hear more of that in modern pop. Would love if an 11 minute jazz song was super popular and commercially successful today.

This was great background music. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

Hits the spot while listening at work. Real nice.

I really enjoyed this. Very laid back, it’s a pleasant album

Very chill, short and sweet. Smooth, definitely listening again

Thumping great time

Most of the album is easy listening jazz, which is perfect if you want to have some non-intrusive music going in the background. None of the songs seemed distinctive from one another except for the title track, which I'd almost term a disco jazz. I'd listen to this album again.

Enjoyable soul filled jazz. Like if the weather channel got a little funky. Must be good if an 11 minutes intro track doesn't feel like it's dragging.

very good album, enjoyed it. Not familiar with them.

Street Life is an absolute banger. The rest makes me feel like i'm changing tires in Gran Turismo

Great

My kind of smooth, grooving jazz soul with the scorching extended title track with the wonderful Randy Crawford. Admittedly easy listening, but with technically accomplished Steely Dan style keyboard and guitar soloing. Great rhythm. Excellent smooth jazz/soul.

Jučer mi je dan bio dosta loš ali ovo je malo popravilo tako da zaslužuje veću ocjenu

Smooooooooooth. 4/5

Very smooth, great jazz.

Love the jazz and r&b vibe to this one.

I wasn't taken in immediately by this one but as it got into the back half of the record I started really feeling it. The guitar work is incredible and the horns just wash over you, so smooth. Another one with absolutely timeless production as well, wouldn't bat an eye if this was from the 90's. I'm a big fan of Japanese City Pop and this was exactly the kind of thing they were influenced by so in a way I'm kind of approaching this from an odd direction. But I absolutely loved it.

Amazing album, jazzy and funky with catchy tracks 4.5

WOW Particolare

Hadn’t heard them before. Obviously very skilled musicians.

Finally listened to this during my morning shift. Fun stuff! I'm not sure if this is soul, funk, or disco, but it's a lot of fun. The vocal track at the start of the album has great singing, and I like the rhythms/percussion/keys. I'd want to listen to this again in more depth, but this is good instrumental music that I don't have established familiarity with — fun tuff!

Well that is not what I expected. I feel like I'm at a swanky dinner club listening to an excellent jazzy lounge act. I like it.

My Lady on kyllä ihan 5/5 jazzfuusiota. Muutenkin hieno ja välttää liian siirapin.

Valaistujen katujen menevää jazzia. 4/5.

Bra grejer ändå. Skönt att ha i bakgrunden!

Love the cohesiveness of this group and the playing to Joe Sample. Very soulful album with a strong jazz nod. I will listen to Randy Crawford song anything.

-S Tier- ***n/a*** -A Tier- Street Life My Lady -B Tier- Carnival of the Night The Hustler Night Faces -C Tier- Rodeo Drive AVG SCORE: 3.2 / 5 - - - Jazz fusion that makes me feel like I’m walking the city streets in the late 70s — which is odd since I was born in the early 80s. The musical equivalent of a Robert Altman film. Impossible not to love.

J'aime le côté funky. J'ai groové tout le long et beaucoup aimé. Par contre, une fois l'écoute terminée, ne m'a pas semblé marquant.

What is man on the left looking at

A childhood album for me. Title track an absolute classic

Yes! Love. Street Life is a classic

Happy to have been introduced to this album 🙌🏻

This album was a great jazz, funk, R&B mix. The Crusaders are tight and some of that guitar playing was amongst the best I’ve heard in that genre and the rhythm section was incredible. The music itself had a great groove and incorporated enough jazz motifs and key changes to keep it interesting enough for both jazz fans and funk/soul fans

Jazzy, groovy and funky. I love this.

Very jazzy and funky. Pleasant to listen to.

I get the allegations of elevator music, but loved this all the same...funky sunshine music, very chill

Massa o sonzao , jazz

Smoother than butter, silkier than cream and tighter than your sister sarah.

So good

Street Life track was waaaaaaaaaay too long and felt long-winded. The other songs were good and easy to listen to. This album had a rough start but overall a good listen.

Have you ever encountered a track that, while great, makes you wonder when it will end? Makes you wonder how long the track actually is as it is going on? Then you see and it's beyond ten minutes and you don't mind it at all as the song is rather great from start to finish. That was me with Street Life. The other songs are good too, those aren't to be missed as well. Favorites: Street Life, Rodeo Drive (High Steppin'), Carnival of the Night.

I will describe every jazz album I like as chill jazzy vibes, and that's what this was. Street life especially slapped tho.

This was super groovy and I enjoyed it a lot

Muito bom.

jazzy i hope

A sound so fresh, so clean, the band is tight, the sound is crisp, Street Life is stunning. A real gem of jazz fusion.

Coincidentally I was listening to this album not that long ago after listening to some garbage that got suggested to me by this list. I said to myself "it's a shame I get that crap but something this good will never show up". That's the universe once again telling me to shut my damn mouth. Thanks universe.

Very fun album. The kind you'd like to own on vinyl and play while you're cooking a weekend breakfast.

Enjoyed hearing this. Pretty sure there are better Cusaders albums but this is solid.

Great type of music. I like it a lot.

Somewhat surprisingly quite liked this. The jazz and funk combo was very groovy and found myself nodding along to it more than usually with an genre like that

First song was my favorite. 3.5 I'd say

Street Lights is a poppin' 70s groove. There is plenty to groove on in this album but nothing really feels spicy or exotic in the jazz styling. It feels closer to jam band music than jazz.

Smoove.

I was really jamming to this album. Probably going to check out more of their music

Really great vibe to this album. I actually wish there would have been more vocals on the album but otherwise this is great jazz/soul for the soul.

Jazz, funk. Está bien.

prva pomisao-odlična podloga za učenje 😄

Great, a classic and clearly very influential.

Funky AND Jazzy

Very fun album. Especially enjoyed the last track “Night Faces” with the drums real playing a big part in the experience

Napokon malo jazz-a! 😍

Street Life (the first track) is excellent.

Easy to listen to. Know the first track well. Definite repeat.

Chill vibes, just some people jamming for 40 minutes

Silky smooth jazz record. Enjoyed it quite a bit. Favorites: "Street Life", "My Lady", "Carnival Of The Night"

Cool - the instrumental cuts are sleek and classy, hitting similar beats to Gaucho era Steely Dan. The title track, featuring Randy Crawford's impeccable vocals, is solid gold. No grit in this oyster, but a muso's dream nonetheless.

A pretty chilled out album. A nice start to a Monday.

-Pretty spiffy jazz album -Got some cool guitar at some points

Loved it. Forgot I was listening and didn't notice when Youtube moved on to similar music.

Loved the title track, the instrument and vocal parts worked well together. Even my 9 year old son was snapping along in the back of the car.

Smooth AF.

Lovely stuff

solid light funky disco soul

Hace mucho no me gustaba tanto un disco

Really enjoyable listen. Clasic slab of late 70's jazz infused funk.

7/10 got a bit repetitive but overall a nice listen

8/10. Fun to listen to, but nothing blew me away.

Super chill, would listen to on a night drive. 8/10

Nice jazzy stuff.

Turns out that I didn't know I needed some sweet, sweet Jazz Fusion on a random Wednesday, but I did. It's an easy listen and the 11 minute version of Street Life is the icing on the cake.

All excellent, pretty brief album and didn't quite consolidate into a single work for me.

7,5/10 Muito bom

Nice sax jazz to have on in the background.

I had liked the album's eponymous song before already, despite the fact that it doesn't shine with conciseness. I did enjoy Carnival Of The Night a lot though!

11 minute jazz intro? Let's get it "Street Life" is some solid Funk Notes of sonic adventure casino in the rest of the album Okay definitely gets into smooth slow jazz by the end of the album

On the fence between a 3 and 4, its better than most 3s so I'm gonna go with a 4. I love the first two tracks, it falls off a bit after that. I think one of them was used in Jackie Brown?

Most of this sounds kinda like instrumental Steely Dan, but I dig it!

Good 70's jazz funk fusion album. The first keyboard that came in really felt it like setup the sounds that would stick through the album. Then the bass line in particular was super funky. I've been wanting to listen to more jazz, and while this wasn't exactly what I had in mind it was a blast to listen to. Favorite Songs: Street Life

Late 70s jazz-funk, mostly sad-forward instrumentals except the title track. Source of many samples. A time piece, production-wise. Reminds me of George Benson Greatest Hits in places. Very nice, a bit smooth.

Great

funky (af), street life banger (ja vitu pitkä), pelkkii hyvii biisei

Jazzy, relaxing music Really like the saxophone 4/5

A chilled album. Could easily listen to this again!

This is some slappin' Jazz

high step

This album is so cool - amazing saxophone work and the basslines are very fun. An incredible vibe.

Loved this. Great musicianship and of course vocals.

A very nice jazz album. Great background listening, very enjoyable during work.

Never heard before. Liked it a lot

The title track is amazing! It really should be too long at over 11 minutes but it is somehow consistently interesting. I think it's the best song on the album although everything else is still pretty good. I love the saxophone on every song. Wilton Felder's tone is really nice and it fits the funk/smooth jazz style well. For the most part, it doesn't blow me away enough to warrant 5 stars but it's certainly a very good album. Favorite songs: Street Life, My Lady, Rodeo Drive, The Hustler Decent 8/10

Great disco/funk vibe

Painfully tasteful playing. Elevated to four stars by the epic opening track

JAMS, songs can go a little long often times but love the cores of these songs Light 4

Soulful, funky grooves and sultry singing. Some instrumental tunes, with borders on cool/smooth jazz.

muy buen álbum, perfecto para una buena mañanita

qué buenos ritmos

saxy vibes

A very fun little funky jazz album. Certainly not the sort of thing you'll blast on repeat for days, but it's a good thing to put on for some creative energy while working.

Super album de Jazz avec des gros classiques. J'ai reconnu de samples de NTM et j'imagine qu'il y a en plus!

A bit flat due to drum machine and other electronic techniques of the 80s, but some good highs as well. Good singing and nice catchy tunes

Yeah! Love the title track, and the rest of the album followed suit. Not much else to say.

Cool

First track carries, but good jazz overall.

The jazz caught me by surprise, but it was a very welcome surprise. Super chill, great vibe, will definitely listen again.

Jazzy

Happy vibes

Relaxing to have on in the background - driving, cooking, doing stuff round the house.

Pretty great album. A handful of tracks, but they all work it. If I didn't know better, I'd swear this was a live jazz album recording... 4 stars.

Right outta the gates this is smooooth. There are some pretty tasty licks on this album. Definitely a nice choice when feeling like a fresh jazz groove.

Street Life is a great song. Relaxing album

Brings back memories of listening to crusaders and George benson on tape in the car. A lovely funky jazzy Motown album that was a joy to listen to

Jazz-funk, groovy, lange numre, soul/rnb-vibes, sax-soloer

8/10 FT: Street Life

Enjoyed thoroughly!

Smooth jazz with a banger of a first track (EWF vibes). Solid, mostly instrumental album.

Neat, don't really have much else to say about it rn tbh.

los conocía por street life, realmente un himno. que lástima no siguieron por ese camino en este álbum. es un 2.5 pero le pongo 3 porque veo el vaso medio lleno

Some fantastic playing but, honestly, a bit boring aside from the epic title track. Groovy without being arresting. Not looked it up but is there any crossover between these guys and Steely Dan? Some big similarities.

Didn't do much for me, but listenable.

3.7/5

Mild, jazzy, and a bit dull.

This is not anything mind blowing, but it’s well performed, and each musician gets their moment. The highlight here is Street Life which is a great blending of genres.

One good song, and the rest was just ok

Awesome title track before getting to pretty good elevator music

7,50 Me gusto, muy tranquilo sin aburrir,

Was this album added to the list to correspond with the passing of James Burroughs? Because this style of jazz always makes me think of “transition shots” from TV shows like “Taxi,” and, “Cheers.”

Street Life 3.4 My Lady 3.2 Rodeo Drive (High Steppin') 3.3 Carnival of the Night 3.6 The Hustler 3.4 Night Faces 3.4 Score: 3.383333333

Easy to listen to, no complaints

No está tan mal como decían, me encantaron los comentarios que lo comparaban con un tono de espera o música de elevador, pero tampoco me encantó. La primera canción, que como decían, parece más influenciada por la música disco, es la única que volvería a escuchar.

When this album started and there were lyrics in the first song, I was stoked for some excitement ahead...but then there was no more singing and it sort of fell flat. Easy listening though.

Good night music but pretty repetitive. No slam, I'd come back to this if I need some bopping background music.

6.5/10 - Good listening. Not particularly stand out aside from the classic street life, yet not bad at all by any means. Fun to listen to but not striking.

No fav song

6/10 Knowing the title track from this record well from its use in Quentin Tarantino’s excellent Jackie Brown (although that version was a disco remix), I was pretty excited to hear this. With that track kicking the album off, they get off to an absolute flyer here and, despite the 11 minute length, there is so much to love about the track. It showcases exceptional touch and feel for a groove, a high level of musicianship and an ability to weave in great hooks around an interesting and varied arrangement. With the vocal to focus around, they allow plenty of room for their musicianship to shine, while also maintaining a central theme and focus for the track that helps keep it engaging throughout. Unfortunately, when the vocals disappeared from track two onwards, the band struggled to maintain the same level of control over the listener that they had achieved with Randy Crawford’s vocal in place. That’s not to say it was bad, but it did struggle to reach the same hooky heights that Street Life was able to hit. The rest of the record showed moments of real jazz-fusion quality, drifting from funky mid-tempo grooves with more of that excellent rhythmical touch, to slightly more jazzy cuts that showcased the instrumental prowess of the band members. But they did really fail to capture the same slightly pop-melodic sensibility that they have showed themselves capable of delivering. I did find that while I enjoyed the grooves and vibes of most of the remaining tracks, they rarely managed to present any particularly memorable hooks that stuck in the mind and begged for a repeat listen. There were also occasions when they slipped a little too far into the lounge-jazz world of late night love, with Rodeo Drive and, to a lesser extent, Night Faces. It’s a real shame, because has they stuck to the formula of Street Life, this could have been an amazing record, but ultimately, it’s one that was enjoyable but not as special as it promised to be. Street Life - Straight out of the gate with a classic featuring Randy Crawford. The mid-tempo jazz funk groove is gorgeous with a perfect balance of staccato pop sections and smooth legato ones. There’s so much to like about this and it packs a load in over the 11 minute run time. Cool string arrangements, some perfectly placed horn punctuations and top notch soloing. I love the electric piano work particularly, but there’s a subtle excellence of touch to pretty much all of the instrumental work. It’s incredibly well arranged to maintain interest for its length and, despite a lightly drawn out intro and outro, it’s a fantastic piece of work. My Lady - More sharp funky groove work now with a smooth and sultry lead from the sax. There’s some great solo work here, but without the vocal of the opener, it does lack a central focus. It also doesn’t offer as much dynamic and musical range, feeling a touch one-paced and flat compared to the vibrancy they were able to deliver previously. That’s not to say it’s bad, but it’s got a lot to live up to. I think it’s lacking a bit in central hooks and while the vibe and groove are great, there’s not much to elevate it beyond that. Rodeo Drive (High Steppin’) - This steps a bit too far into the cheesy “late night love” radio fodder. The groove is a bit one-paced again, but the lead lines just feel a bit safe and obvious, lacking much in the way of edge or bite. Again, it’s not terrible, it’s just pleasant, harmless stuff. They’re locked in tight, the production is solid and the playing is all great, it just doesn’t have the requisite soul that music like this really requires to fully connect. Carnival Of The Night - We’re back onto more solid ground now. There’s a bit more grit and punch to this, and the lead parts have a better melodic hook that helps to centre the track and give it focus. The little descending chord progressions at the end of certain sections are really tasty. The variation of feel between the sections give this way more interest, and the solo work feels much more soulful and engaging. Unlike the last track, I can almost see the players soloing away and grinning at each other across the studio. It sounds fun and heartfelt. Much, much better. The Hustler - That touch and feel in the groove is great here and we’re way more into the jazz world for the soloing now. It’s not as hooky as the last track, but it’s still musically satisfying and manages to keep hold of that sense of fun and adventure from the playing. The rhythmic punch of the little breakdowns they do are really cool and, while this isn’t the strongest cut on the record, it’s still an enjoyable listen. Night Faces - There’s something of the Weather Report about this, but it’s not got the range, melodic excellence or virtuosity of that band, so it feels a touch bland by comparison. That sounds harsh, because this isn’t bad, it just feels a little lightweight and veers a little too far to the cheesy side of jazz fusion for me, which is a bit of a shame. The talent is there, and they’ve got a great feel and sense of groove, but this just doesn’t quite punch its way past the barrier from pleasant to memorable.

9uu⅞⁶⁷in t2q44fbjn⁶uuw 🤢🤢😕😕😕🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️66 ²☺️

it’s fine

Do you guys remember the old Weather Channel "Local on the 8s" segment that always had smooth generic jazz in the background? I think these guys provided that soundtrack. If last week's Charles Mingus album was advanced-level jazz, The Crusaders is an intro jazz 101 course. Pretty basic stuff, but inoffensive and sometimes fun. Did not like that the title track had a lady screaming about street life, just keep jazz as instrumentals, please. I'll give it a low 3/5.

Street life is a classic disco/soul track. The rest of the tracks match that energy but without vocals for the most part. So if you like that track's sound, you'll love the album. But don't expect a bunch of other disco songs with singing. Just more like, disco-era jazz. High 3/5.