ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 20, 1984
By Steve Newton
Joe Sample plays keyboards, Wilton Felder plays saxophone and bass, Leon Ndugo Chancler plays drums. And when the three get together to record an album as the Crusaders, the result is some of the most joyous, funky music around.
My favourite tracks on Ghetto Blaster are the vocal ones–“Gotta Lotta Shakalada”, “New Moves”, and “Night Ladies”. But the instrumentals, particularly the opener “Dead End” and “Mr. Cool”, also boast fine playing from some of America’s most respected sessionmen. Guitarists Dean Parks (Steely Dan), Roland Bautista (Earth, Wind and Fire), and Cornell Dupree make appearances throughout, as do bassist Abraham Laboriel (Al Jarreau, Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, etc.), trumpeter Chuck Findley and ace percussionist Paulinho Da Costa.
If you’re looking for an album with a whole lotta soul, look no further than Ghetto Blaster. And don’t miss Crusaders when they play the Orpheum Theatre next month. It promises to be one of the year’s finest concerts.