Even before they dropped ‘Jazz’ from the front of their name, this band of Texans were a big deal. Along with outfits such as The Charles Lloyd Quartet, not only did they have a hardcore following, but were also an easy-access for those new to jazz. This was achieved without any gimmicks or dumbing down, just their natural ability to blend elements of hard bop, contemporary pop and sweet soul music into an irresistible concoction. Yours truly, along with thousands of followers, eagerly snapped up every new release and then begged for more. Following on from Freedom Sound and Lookin' Ahead, Live At The Lighthouse ‘62 was their third album for Pacific Jazz. As it transpired they enjoyed the Lighthouse's ambiance so much that they would return to the South California beach side niterie in 1966, 68 and 69 with tapes running. Wilton Felder's Texas tenor and Wayne Henderson's robust trombone were a perfect blend while Joe Sample's blues bop piano and leader Stix Hooper's hard swinging drums added to their unique sound. Added to this was the undeniable impression that collectively they were having the time of their lives and most of the time this was beyond question as they performed 11 self-composed selections. The only non-original is a feisty reading of Jackie McLean's ‘Appointment In Ghana’. Final Note: The Crusaders eventually became so in demand as a backing band for the likes of Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, B.B. King and Joe Cocker that it intruded on the band's own heavy workload. So not to offend those wanting to hire their services by turning people away, they just doubled their fee only to be inundated with more requests than ever.