Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal Vol. 229 - Fender Rhodes Electric Piano Masters: Overseas Edition Part V

Joe Sample: A Messenger of Native Music

This is the fifth installment of our feature on players of the Fender Rhodes electric piano.
This time, we will focus on Joe Sample, who is more of a pianist than a keyboard player.
Joe Sample was born in 1939 in Texas, USA, and started playing piano at a young age. While in high school, he formed a band with bassist Wilton Felder, trombonist Wayne Henderson, and drummer Stix Hooper. In 1960, he made his professional debut as part of The Jazz Crusaders and in 1972, shortened the name to simply The Crusaders.
Reflecting the earthy and native Texan style, their jazz-funk is both approachable and technical, with grooves that became their trademark, winning widespread popularity.

The central figure in The Crusaders was Joe Sample, the pianist.
Sample was known for his dual ability to play both acoustic and Rhodes pianos. On the Rhodes piano, he would deliver incredible performances, enchanting audiences with the best sound and technique.
While Joe Sample is generally categorized as a jazz pianist, his style is distinct from traditional 4-beat jazz pianists.
He rarely used the straight-ahead hard-bop scales and had a unique way of capturing rhythm, differing significantly from the rhythm style of 4-beat jazz.
One of my friends once said, “Joe Sample’s piano is not jazz,” but since The Crusaders didn’t specialize in 4-beat jazz, whether it’s good or bad comes down to personal preference. I think this distinction is part of Joe Sample’s unique style.
In that sense, The Crusaders weren’t just a jazz band; they might be better described as a fusion band blending earthy blues, funky jazz, and pop (Though such a category doesn’t exist...).

■ Recommended Album: Joe Sample - Rainbow Seeker (1978)

Released in 1978, this was Joe Sample’s first solo album, where he brought out his lyrical melodies.
He worked with musicians from The Crusaders, along with first-call musicians like saxophonist Ernie Watts, guitarist David T. Walker, and percussionist Paulinho da Costa. Sample might have intended to refine The Crusaders’ earthy style here.
While keeping the Crusaders’ essence, there are also tracks that aim for a different direction.

Recommended Song: “Melodies of Love”

This is my favorite track from Joe Sample. While the string arrangement might feel dated, the melody is beautiful.
The piece starts with the melody played on an acoustic piano, then the same melody is played on the Rhodes piano.
The sound of the Rhodes here is remarkable—it delivers that sweet, smooth, and rich tone that’s characteristic of the Rhodes piano. This track is a standout for its perfect blend of the Rhodes sound and melody.

■ Recommended Album: The Crusaders - Street Life (1979)

This album represents the pop side of The Crusaders and was a commercial success, significantly raising the band’s profile.
Bands like this often face the challenge of balancing instrumental-focused albums that don’t directly translate to high sales.
The inclusion of vocals on Street Life challenged the band’s identity, but it helped the album become successful.
It’s a well-known fact that singles cut from jazz albums can lead to higher album sales. This album, like Grover Washington Jr.’s Winelight, featured the hit single “Just the Two of Us”.
The record company caught on to the success of Street Life and began to include vocal tracks on later albums. There’s even a best-of album with just the band’s vocal tracks.
While these vocal albums are enjoyable, they leave you wondering if they were true to The Crusaders’ core sound.

Recommended Song: “Street Life”

In 1979, the record company released “Street Life” as a single from the album of the same name.
Featuring lead vocals by Randy Crawford, the song was a hit, reaching #36 on the Billboard charts in the US and #5 on the UK Singles Chart.

The song starts with a Rhodes piano and saxophone duo before transitioning to Randy Crawford’s vocals. The signature rhythm and melody of The Crusaders are present, with Joe Sample’s Rhodes providing a smooth backing.
This track also features an impressive Rhodes piano solo by Sample. The rising phrases, which briefly step “out of bounds,” are typical of Sample’s style and are reminiscent of his work on Bill Withers’ “Soul Shadows”. I’ve often wondered whether this was intentionally done by Sample or if he simply thought he was playing within the scale.

Musicians, Albums, and Recommended Tracks Featured in This Article

• Artists: Joe Sample, Stix Hooper, Wilton Felder, Randy Crawford, Bill Withers, and others
• Albums: Rainbow Seeker, Street Life
• Recommended Tracks: “Melodies of Love”, “Street Life”

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