Street Life

Street Life has a really unique sounding opening that I enjoyed. But overall, I'm not a huge fan of jazz. I don't think I'm into it enough to appreciate what this album is and haven't really developed the ear for it. So listening to this album was a bit tiring at times. I did get some nostalgia from it though. It reminded me of late night drives we took when I was a kid and the music the live artist that used to play in Downtown Disney. I don't think I'll be coming back to this album anytime soon, but I'm glad I listened.

Very smooth, too smooth.

Nice elevator music…4/10

So so, Street life is great track but the rest are a bit meh

2.2/5 listened 2x while almost to Denver on road trip

The smiths are awesome. One of a kind

This was nice, but not nice enough to listen to again

It was an alright listening experince. A little too laid back for my personal taste but it was bearable.

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

Background music. Not my jam, but it wasn’t awful.

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

I liked it. Smooth jazz. Very easy listening while working. 3.5 stars for me.

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

Pretty easy listening for a morning album. Too easy listening. Got elevator music vibes from this one. Prefer other jazz to this minus the title track which got me excited for the album as a whole. High 2

Love it

Directionless soft jazz odyssey. Pretty shit

Not heard of these guys before but very much enjoyed this. 3.5

it's ok. I can understand and appreciate their talent but smooth jazz isn't really my thing.

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

Der erste Track ist ein Knaller (eher Funk/Disco als Jazz), der Rest nudelt so vor sich hin. Barmusik war meine erste Assoziation.

Smooth

Fantastic

Street life is a great song, the rest of the album is somewhat uplifting elevator jazz fusion. 3 Stars.

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

WOW. Excellent stuff.

yo that was pretty good

An earlier review was right. This is hold music.

Canciones favs: - My Lady Del Jazz que realmente escucharía (o la mayoría). Muy instrumental para mi gusto pero muy groovy

Nice relaxing smooth jazz to make the afternoon easier.

I detest cool/smooth Jazz and The Crusaders are the group that I never knew to blame. The reason being I've heard most of this album e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. Grocery stores, elevators, dentists, offices. Anyplace that was subject to background muzak in the 70s and 80s had this group and this album in heavy rotation. I can still smell the retro naugahyde-laden dentist offices thanks to this memory. Still, this album was a game changer and I hate that I have to rate it as high as a 3 but personal biases aside, this album deserves its slot here. 3/5

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.

Boring elevator music.

Oh my god it’s Nick’s favorite thing, Jazz vibes! All hail the tenor sax!

Fun

Saxophone central! Groovy, mellow and easy 8/10

Loved the songs and it didn't overstay its welcome

Street life is a banger but the rest of the album belongs in a lift.

Did this album fall in a tub of body lotion? It's so SMOOTH! It's like a simulator for being on hold with an airline. It's the soundtrack to going grocery shopping in the suburban 1990s when someone decided that this combination of disco, funk and jazz should be the default sound for all commercial space - no edges, just positive vibes and mellow moods. It's kind of a nadir for all three genres - the saccharine strings, the glossy production, the total coked out mundanity. But it has some fun elements: the bass especially goes hard, a d the guitar/sax solos sometimes rip off a hot line amidst the smooth noodle.

the first song is a certified banger, and the others were nice background music:)

Algo relaxante pra se ouvir de manhã

Standard smooth sax jazz?

I am not a fan of music with no vocals, but this was enjoyable when working.

this album manages to blend elements of disco, soul, jazz, and funk into a near-homogenous mix, which is worthy of praise. unfortunately, it does this with very basic forms of each ingredient, creating a somewhat bland product - though still one i'll probably come back to every so often.

A bit too much of a cheesy jazz-funk bar feel for me.

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

I enjoyed the title track, the rest of the album didn’t leave that much of an impression. It’s nice and smooth, but wasn’t very memorable for me.

Elevator jazz, next to one standout track which got too much airplay on "solid gold" radio shows when I was a kid. I listened to the album a few times, but there was no spark.

Gorgonzola. Gouda. Cheddar. Mozzarella. Brie. Emmenthal. Feta. Parmesan. Camembert. Edam. Mascarpone. Leerdammer. Balkan. Stilton. Sorry that was just my exercise to try and name as many types of cheese off the top of my head. Nothing to do with the music. By the way, I didn't even notice that this album ended until like 30 minutes later. Spotify just kept playing songs that sounded exactly the same until I was like, "hey wait a minute, this album is long as he- oh, I'm listening to some Bulgarian jazz band from 1955. The album ended half an hour ago". ..So that should tell you something about the uniqueness and memorability of this project.

The first song is a great film score. The rest are late-70s department store jazz.

The opener ist fine. Too long, though. Which is a fine indicator of the overall impression this album left. It's the worst kind of noodling. It's noodling, but the production tells you that not a single note is actually improvised, which adds an aseptic, sterile quality to this record.

Overall, a fun listen. Probably not something I would go to frequently but I enjoyed it. I can see why some of the reviews describe this as elevator music, but sometimes I actually enjoy that kind of sound. A lot of the key to that for me is if I have control over listening or if I'm being forced to listen to it while on hold. I saw a lot of people mention that they liked the title track but nothing else. Kind of wonder if that is because it's the only track with vocals? I'm the other way around. Street Life was probably the song I liked the least. I preferred Carnival of the Night and The Hustler. Night Faces and Rodeo Drive (High Steppin') were also fun.

The Crusaders were my intro to jazz back in the day - accessible and groovy. A fun album, although a bit same-y after the first track. That's kind of The Crusaders in general, fun but not much variety in their sound.

Boring supermarket background music.

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

Title track outshines the rest

This sounds like music you hear in a waiting room or an elevator.

Pleasant enough. In fact I quite liked portions of this. But this is quality background music. I can’t see myself ever throwing this on to enjoy. 3.5/5

I started on the back foot by finding the title track quite irritating, but it's actually a perfectly decent album really, if not necessarily to my tastes.

Street life - a well known song. Nice opening Sax. Great female vocalist. Nice bass line. Great song. nice way to open the album. My lady - some decent sax, bass and wah pedal. SHame theres no vocals. Rodeo drive - some very nice lead guitar in this track. The rest of the album is pretty good jazz. Each song has some strong pieces whether its the sax, bass, lead guitar, you name it. However, its music that blends into the background for me. I would prefer more vocals if im honest. Rating 3/5.

Makes you wanna dance

Funky fresh 3/5

It was ok. I’ve listened to other work from the Crusaders and liked it more, however this had a pleasing vibe.

Started promising but got a bit boring

This is the kind of music that plays when the doctor's office puts me on hold.

"Street Life" by The Crusaders is an album that blends jazz, funk, and soul into a smooth, easy-listening experience. Released in 1979, the album is perhaps best known for its iconic title track featuring the powerful vocals of Randy Crawford. This song alone captures the vibrant and energetic essence of the late '70s music scene. While "Street Life" shines with its title track, the rest of the album tends to fall into a more predictable pattern. The musicianship is top-notch, as expected from The Crusaders, with tight grooves and polished production. Tracks like "My Lady" and "Rodeo Drive (High Steppin')" showcase their signature fusion style, blending jazz improvisation with funky rhythms. However, some listeners might find that the album lacks the innovation and edge that could make it stand out more distinctly. The instrumental pieces, while expertly played, sometimes feel repetitive and fail to leave a lasting impression compared to the standout opener. Overall, "Street Life" is a pleasant and well-executed album, perfect for background listening or for fans of smooth jazz-funk. It may not be groundbreaking, but its polished sound and standout title track make it worth a listen. Thus, it earns a solid 3 out of 5.

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

Funky Disco Jazz. Street Life is the only song on the album with words to the song.

I've been tricked by 70s albums like this before. First song is a banger. The rest is perfectly fine easy listening background jazz.

Apparently this was jazz? I just never really noticed anything about it. I was expecting it to be a rock album at first because of the name of the album and band, and my mild surprise after finding out it was not is the only thing I really remember about the album. It’s not bad but there doesn’t seem to be anything memorable.

Visst är det bra med disco. Coolt med lite jazz och massa grejs men asså låtarna blev lite tråkiga. Visst kunde man ha det i bakgrunden och de var inte dåliga eller så men eftersom att det var mestadels instrumentalt och ganska monotont sound så sonade man ut.

It was very nice -- mellow and relaxing.

Not bad. Kinda of urban yacht rock feel to it.

Really boring. Didn't see anything special about it

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.

This is like funky elevator music. And I like it! Great, unoffending music that I can play at work.

street life!

Moood

that's elevator music with some rythm. 2 stars

I almost didnt' recognize this without the "Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line and we'll be with you as soon as possible." every 30 seconds.

Pretty smooth

great

A surprise -you will know the title cut, but the rest is pretty good late 70's jazz!

Pleasant enough album, but not essential listening. I would say with almost absolute certainty that it would not have made this list without the song "Street Life." One song, however, does not make an album one that "I must hear before I die."

Bastante funky y divertido, temón Street Life

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

makes me want to listen to city pop 11 minutes?????? okay street life is a banger but i really think they couldve made it shorter like the song would be basically the same if you took away 6 minutes, usually longer songs have different parts and build up to something big or whatever but this is just the same thing for 11 minutes my lady is nice but i want vocaaals

Noice

Soul-jazz. Similar sound to Spyro Gyra, which is understandable for the release year. Lean on the # of songs for the album.

Hermoso

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

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

Enjoyable album listen but will not really be visiting any of the songs on their own. Maybe title track. 6/10

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.

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!

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.

Light instrumental jazz funk with a killer opening track. Independent coffee shop owners - take note! 3 cups of java out of 5 ☕️☕️☕️

Solid, kinda jam-band

Spiffing

I want to collect all the one-off disco songs on otherwise non-disco albums from like 1979-1983 on the 1001 albums list (looking at you, Blondie) onto one comp. The first track was nice, but it got kinda boring afterwards. I think I'm learning that I like weirder jazz than this. Which is weird bc I don't like weird jazz? I don't know. It was a 3.

this was fine. after the opening track, which i enjoyed in substance if not length, i was not exactly expecting an easy listening album having seen it described as jazz. i wish all jazz was like this.

This was nice to listen to, but I did get bored of it after the first song. It didn’t really grab my attention at all.

is this jazz? i assume this is jazz. or something. it was fine, 2.5

I was concerned when this said 'jazz' but it definitely has disco vibes. It sounds like The Weather Channel, but in a (positive) way not in a (derogatory) way.

It's an

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

Good fun, pumping and jamming

“Street Life” is a solid opening track and sets the vibe, but overall the eat of the album just kind of went by without much of an impression. Decent listen.

3.5

3.5 stars rounded up.

Smooth Jazz of the late 70's. Meh.

Nice smooth jazz. Never heard it before but I would listen again. Too bad it's such a short album.

I have not heard of this album before. It’s another jazz album but unlike the others from this website, it was actually somewhat enjoyable. I really liked the title track Street Life; the vocals were good. I probably won’t listen again unless I need some background music.

That was difficult to get through. I try to find the positives in most music but I really dislike the sort of anodyne smooth jazz on display here. Sorry, The Crusaders.

A bit dated—Good ambience listening, but not a grabber of a selection for me.

Jazz, Funk, Soul, and Disco all rolled into one album. I dug this album, even if it wasn't anything groundbreaking. It get's a +1 to the overall rating just for the title track appearing on QT's "Jackie Brown."

Standard jazz stuff. Nothing awful and nothing great.

Felt like something I could here at any of a thousand jazz clubs in a thousand cities. Blech.

Rachel: “this is elevator music.” “Tim, this is real bad.”

I can appreciate musicians who master their instruments. My grandparents also listened to a lot of Jazz (Dixieland Jazz) so I'm used to a similar vein of music to this. We would go to Sacramento every May for a Jazz festival. I wish they were still here.

Jazz agradável para trilha sonora do começo da noite.

Why?

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

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..."

Promising sound, but ultimately feels too cheap

Yeah. Street life. Life. On the street. Yeah. Best song: Street Life

The title song/opening track is one of these instant-recognizable hit songs from late 70s that was sampled numerous times just like the second track (My Lady). The other tracks are more jazz than funk, and it is no surprise that they are hardly sampled at all. So, this is a strange album with a great first half (5*) and a much less interesting second half (2*). Overall: 3* (would never listen to 2nd half again).

Rather unremarkable jazzy tunes.

Most of the album is a bit too easy listening for me. I do like the title track a lot though.

Great musicianship. Opening track is very accomplished

OK... nothing more, nothing less

Catchy and jazzy, love it.

This album starts with something interesting and then settles in to smooth jazz “on hold” music. Competent but lacking real flavor or drive.

Groovy

Meh, a classic to open, then some middling noodling jazz instrumentals. Not my cup of tea, and not really sure why it's on the list. Decent background music I guess, but no more than that.

Enjoyed, especially Street Life, but kept forgetting it was playing after that.

too schmaltzy—it tied in well with my dentist office visit today. although street life is definitely a sample on a hip hop album somewhere. it was driving me crazy trying to figure it out where i knew it, and i never figured it out :(

Good 70s funk

Dry mellow jazz album

The first track had me convinced the genre was CIA Torture Music but it was only 11 minutes of repetitive drone before they switched up for the Elevator Music genre. If nothing else, this has solidified my opinion that Jazz is not actually real music. It's the Emperor's Clothes of music. Anyone who is telling you they enjoy it is probably an NPC.

Jazz R&B Disco - I'm not a fan of Jazz or the late 1970's/early 1980's disco scene. Apart from an overly long version of their hit "Street Life", I found this album boring elevator music.

Street life, street life, street life. Beetje generiek voor de rest

3.5

This album felt very much “of a time”. It was fine - but just another album where I don’t understand why this is on a list of albums I should listen to before I die.

Jazzy.

Very commercial. Good musicians. A little insipid. Jazz Crusader stuff is better. 3 stars

If I were driving down the road of that album's cover that night, I'd probably dig this a lot more. But I'm in another imaginary scenario which is at a bar while this band is playing up on the stage and my mates want to leave for the next part of the evening and I'm like "Alright, let's go." (Street Life, of course, is gold)

Enjoyable enough, but I’ll probably shortly have forgotten about it.

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.

Favourite song - Carnival of the night

Great title track. The rest is awful elevator music.

Enjoyed it. Street Life is a classic and it seems it could go on indefinitely and I'd still like it. If I got to know the rest of it better it would probably go up to 4 stars.

Love Randy Crawford’s voice so that was a big plus. Pleasant to listen to, perhaps a bit aural wallpaper overall but I’ll probably put it on again in the summer.

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

This opens with "Street Life" (the song) which is an 11-minute jazzy / disco / soul song with Randy Crawford guest singing. She's got a nice voice, and it's pretty fun overall if you're into the groovy '70s type of thing. These guys put out A LOT of music (49 albums by Wikipedia's count) and this seems to be their most popular song by quite a bit. After this, the album has 5 more songs that I would probably describe as elevator music. It's perfectly ok, but nothing stands out to me in the way that say Dave Brubeck did (when I listened to it yesterday). It's this saxophone-y smooth jazz sound that's consistently fine, and generally not much more than that in my (very unprofessional) opinion. Favorite song: Street Life Other: My Lady 2/13/24

1. Lied gut, Rest Fahrstuhljazz

The title track is good, albeit twice as long as necessary. It shows groove and soul, with a great vocal performance. The rest of the album features no vocals and is competently played but completely forgettable.

fun saxophone

Boring, Boring, Boring

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.

Really nice groovy and chill jazz/funk album. I don't think I've enjoyed saxophones as much as i did on this record. I wish there was more vocals like on the first track though. Close to a 4 but going to settle on a very strong 3.

Elevator jazz.

maneirinho pô, tem uma vibe meio Djavan sei lá

Smooove jazz baybayyyy

jams!

Some great tracks

Bluesy/Jazzy/70s soul

American jazz. Instrumental. Bonico.

Kinda Earth Wind and Fire + an ok Donna Summer vibe + Super Market/Elevator music = No me gusto

3.5/5 interesting, will have to relisten

Wow. Really is an album for it’s time. Sounds crisp but very boring and dated. Not for me.

Nice way to start the day. Street Life was a good listen. May need to visit some of the other albums.

Hey its that one song you know from like movies or TV or commercials or whatever. Rest is decent too.

💖 carnival of the night 🗣️ 8️⃣

immer wieder gerne

A lot of people said this album kinda sounds like good music. And those people are spot on. It’s not a bad album. But it definitely works more as background music. The first song was my favorite, the others were a bit bland. I was relieved when it was over

This that smooth that you lay ya girl down to.

Soundtrack to your funky life-lyrics on track 1 only! 3/5

Disappointed to say the least. Title track is ok, and reminiscent of Jackie Brown by Quinten Tarantino soundtrack but the rest is boring and derivative. If you were on hold while trying to make a dentist appointment, you'd be like wow this is dope.

About as edgy as smooth jazz can get, I suppose.

Interesting combination of Disco and jazz. Most songs are instrumental, the title track had lyrics, good vocals. Overall it was upbeat, not bad to listen to, it all kind of blended together after a while, not much differentiation between the tracks

smooth jazz. enjoyable enough.

Talented musicians making music I don't care for.

Why is this essential listening?

First song was good, rest is elevator music

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.

Jazz, R&B, Funk, and Disco vibes, doing none of them enough to fully capture me in the elements I like nor to lose me in the elements I dislike. It takes a very meandering path to about average for me.

Was pleasant to listen to while I worked. Can't say it blew me away, but it was fine.

This is what elevator music wishes it could be.

obviously great musicians and there were some bright spots but the sax. I just can't listen to music dominated by a saxophone for very long.

My biggest question here is...why? Why is this soft jazz something I would need to hear? There is a lot of other jazz in this book that is more interesting, has better sounds and was more influential. Brian Eno already has the "elevator music" genre covered, so that can't be the reason this album is in the book. These guys are really good at playing instruments and this is completely non-invasive music. Would I ever just put this album on? Never. If I wanted to listen to jazz, would I put this album on? Never. Doesn't break new ground for me.

Not really my cup of tea. Ok for some background music, but not something I’d listen too again

Great tunes from a legendary group

Funky. Mostly no vocals.

Top notch disco-y jazz--very warm and friendly. It lands a little cheesy these days, but is nonetheless quite enjoyable.

A bit ‘background’ but those guys can play!

Not sure why this is on the list

This record is a great mix of jazz, funk, and soul. It feels like you've time travelled to the 70's, yet remains timeless. It's smooth and lush. I would love more vocals though, since they're so strong on Street Life.

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

The song Street Life followed by some elevator music. No.

The title track with Randy Crawfords vocals, is the only credible track on this album. The rest of the tracks are literally the same jazz funk riffs, with a lot of sax leads. These guys can certainly play their instruments, it was just all very bland and boring... perhaps best suited as background music in a shopping mall.

Toller Sound mit Anklängen an Bigband-Sax!

No disco!

It has some nice stuff but sticks rigidly to the formula

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

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

Very poppy 🪩🕺

Street Life, the song, is a classic. The rest of the album was sort-of seventies background music. It made me think of The Towering Inferno, for some reason. This music could be playing whisky you were hanging out in a bar with Roddy McDowell wearing flares and sipping a cocktail before the tower got infernoed. I don’t know if I’d listen to it again.

Funky/Disco classic start…. then sort of tails off to cocktail party background music. Nice enough but nothing exciting.

Started great. But got repetitive Very quickly.

Wonderful.

Not for me. It has some moments and one good song but I was not into this much at all.

Street Life- 3.8/5 My Lady- 3.2/5 Rodeo Drive (High Steppin')- 3/5 Carnival of the Night- 3.6/5 The Hustler- 3.1/5 Night Faces- 2.9/5 Total- 3.3/5

2* because of Streetlife. For the rest it's 13-in-a-dozen jazzfunk-by-the-numbers lounge. The music you'll hear in the park when there's a band playing that doesn't want to upset anyone.

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

I recognize the talent and artistry necessary to make this kind of thing, but it is just so deeply boring to me.

I dig.

Holy saxophone baby!

Elevator music with hints of disco. Hard pass.

Jazz so smooth that it left little to no impression

Nice blast from the past. Enjoyable.

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

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!

I don't feel like this album did anything major for me, but I must say that it was super smooth and easy to listen to! By mixing jazz and funk, they created something really enjoyable here! It's definitely pleasant music all around, but it's just average!

#68. Partway through I had to remind myself that no, I wasn't on hold to talk to the dentist, I was in fact listening to this album on purpose, for some reason. 2/5: meh Song added to playlist: Street Life I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

Pretty cool R&B album. Mostly instrumental.

Después de una temporada con discos aceptables, volvemos a los bodrios.

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!

one of my favourite albums of all time

Converted

It grooves but didn't catch me.

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

It was pretty good. banger first track followed by some solid instrumentals after. Solid Jazz Album but nothing will really stick with me afterwards

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.

very cool album. funky

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

Good stuff, think I was a fully qualified lounge lizard by the end though.

Quite a jam

This album started in a very different place than it began ... and then returned. I was very into the higher tempo more upbeat songs while the slower jazzier stuff lost my interest.

Boring

Instrumental album, not bad but kinda sleepy beat throughout. This band has better songs on other albums, so this one is a curious choice for the project.

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.

Sax lovers will faint

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

This is just such an unnecessary album. It's not terrible, hence why not 1 star, but it brings absolutely nothing interesting to the world - it just ... exists. Utterly, utterly bland and forgettable but performed and produced very well. It's like a paint-by-numbers painting of Munch's 'The Scream' - you know the painting is good, but you don't see the point of it having been made.

Thought I was on hold at times.

Street Life - 4.5/5 That's an 11 minute song and WHAT A SONG IT IS. So fuckin groovy. The length obviously makes it a harder commit to re-listen to but it's really good, there's a shorter single version of this song that might be worth a listen. My Lady - 3.5/5 No lyrics this time around. Still decent, a bit more stereotypical funk-type beat. The cowbell works better than I'd care to admit. The song sounds like its like a minute long but loops throughout its actual 6 minute runtime and gets repetitive. Sounds like background music for a puzzle game. Rodeo Drive (High Steppin') - 3/5 No lyrics yet again (I have a feeling Street Life is going to be the only one with lyrics). Bass line carries the song, other than that, just some more jazz. Carnival of the Night - 0.5/5 Unironically sounds like hold music. Is too long, I was more than ready for it to be over at the halfway point. The Hustler - 1.5/5 Saxophone. Skipped when I was halfway through. Night-Faces- 0.5/5 More hold music. Only reason this and Carnival of the Night don't get 0's is that it's not terrible, just terribly boring. Overall thoughts: Street life is the only one really worth listening to, and you might be better off listening to the edited version so you don't have to commit to an 11 minute song. The vocalist is really freakin good, and other songs would've benefited from her inclusion. Latter half really fell off, very boring compared to the strong start.

why is the first song ELEVEN MINUTES??!?!! very disco, was in the 70s groovy tbh loving it all instrumental which is different

Idk, it's jazz and it's okay ig

Street Life - Sax at the beginning sounded amazing. The part just before the first verse where it’s only piano until the other instruments punch in is very enjoyable. Vocals and instruments are great, the only thing that’s lacking in my eyes is the lyrical content; Granted though the idea the song is presenting doesn’t resonate with me. Pretty lengthy listen, I think ending the song after verse 2 would result in a more enjoyable listen. 3.4/5 My Lady - I initially really liked the trumpet in this song, however I came away thinking it domineered the track in a bad way. The drums are nice and laid back, wish I could hear more from them. Sax was great. I’m typically not to keen on instrumentals but I think my mind is starting to change. 3.6/5 Rodeo Drive - A welcome change in song length. A nice listen. 3.3/5 Carnival of the Night - Falls a little flat towards the middle. The piano seems to be the focal point, but it’s not particularly impressive. 2.6/5 The Hustler - It’s alright, I don’t have too much to say about it. 2.5/5 Night Faces - Pretty much the same as the last song. 2.5/5 The front half was a lot better than the second half. The front half seemed to have more substance to the music while the back half sounded, not phoned in, but just lackluster. A couple of songs went a little longer than I think is necessary. People have called this elevator or hold music but I think that only really applies to the last 3 songs. 3/5

watered down jazz

Cocktail party background music, heavy saxophone use

I liked the funkier parts of this one. Could do without the stuff that sounds like 70s porno

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

Rating: 4/10 Did not enjoy this one overall. The production is amazing, the album really sounds great and is recorded well. Despite this, I was not into this whatsoever, besides Street Life. As good as everything sounds, it is not interesting at all. No memorable ideas, sounds like background music. As it progressed, I just wanted it to end. Favorite song: Street Life, which is also too long. Everything else is pretty forgettable and boring.

Never heard of them before would like to listen to more

I don’t get it. Who listens to this? It’s fine, but who would search this out and put it on. Sounds like it was written to be the menu music for Gran Turismo. Is there some super cool saxophone technique I’m missing? Isn’t jazz supposed to be free flowing, unpredictable? Street Life is as predictable and bland as anything I’ve ever heard I don’t get it. 3.7/10

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.

Instrumentaal, eerste liedje is wel lekker.

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

Street Life hit song, but otherwise muzak-y in a jazzy way. 3.4

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

Good musicians, reminds me of something I might hear while I'm waiting at the dentist office in the seventies.

it was ok. i like jazz standout track: street life

Street Life is an undeniable tune, but elsewhere it is jazz fusiony grooving and noodling. All very tasteful and immaculately played in a 'quiet storm' stylee but not really anything to shake my tree.

Carnival of the Night

Street Life (the song) was fantastic and really is the album. The remaining songs are good but are more like a jam. This is a very good one song album

What a big fat nothing burger

The jazz gunk was fun. It had only one song with words, and that was 12 minutes long and could have been 5 with no vocals. Maybe a good album to listen to when you are reading

Funky vibes, but did not grab me.

Herbie Hancock, Earl Klugh and motown. Creatively diverse composition and phrasing allows for a bouncier, warmer interpretation of classic R&B soul structures. Carnival of the Night is a Headhunter b-side composed by an actually sane person. Feels unfinished, like a small sampler EP of band favorite jams. My Lady The Hustler

First song is great, meh to the rest.

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.

This was a quick jazz album. The first song was 8 minutes with a lot of funk and soul to it. The following 5 songs didn’t have any lyrics and went by pretty quick. This album could’ve been pretty great if it was more like the first song. It wasn’t a bad album but it started off and end me to believe it was something else. 5.7/10

Pretty boring for a jazz album.

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

Catchy and classy.

bad and boring

Good funk

decently fun

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

Street Life is good, a bit long… The rest of the songs are good background music but not much else.

instrumental other than STREEET LIYEEEEF

Pleasant, if a bit uninspiring. Street Life clearly the stand out track but lasted 7 minutes too long. Vocals sorely missing from a couple other songs. 2.5*

"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.

Hittibiisi rox, loput taustamusaa. Varma 2*

Erittäin entertaining läpi levyn. Helppo kolmonen

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.

The title track is a decent, then it gets very safe and elevator like

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.

Opening track is great, the rest sounds like the best lounge bar band in a groovy hotel - but a lounge bar band nonetheless!