The Crusaders – Put It Where You Want It

The Crusaders

“Listen – The Crusaders – Put It Where You Want It – MP3″

Greetings all.

I hope you’ve all weathered the week and are ready to dig in to the weekend.
I sure as hell am….

If you’re in the area, and feel like getting down to the sounds of soul and funk spun exclusively on the 7”/45RPM format, then you could do no better than to fall by the world famous Asbury Lanes for the latest installment of the legendary Asbury Park 45 Sessions. Now halfway through it’s third year, the AP45 Sessions have become a local institution, featuring the deepest crates in the area, including my own (natch), and those of DJ Prestige, DJ Prime Mundo, Jack the Ripper, MFasis, DJ Bluewater and an ever impressive revolving cast of guest selectors.
I spent some time this week pulling some heat from the crates, which mixed with several interesting recent acquisitions ought to make for a sweet set.

The tune I bring you today is an old fave. Though the name of the Crusaders was very familiar when I was a kid, I cannot for the life of me remember where or when I first heard ‘Put It Where You Want It’. I have a vague recollection of it being used as incidental music by someone, perhaps on a TV or radio show back in the day, but I can’t be sure.
Truth be told, for a long time I knew it was a Crusaders’ song, but didn’t know the title, once buying the ‘Street Life’ CD from a record club because a friend had assured that that was their big hit, and probably what I was looking for. ‘Street Life’ was in fact the band’s biggest hit (in 1979), but as it turns out, the tune I was looking for may not have been their biggest hit, but it was indeed their first (in 1972).
The Crusaders started out in their hometown on Houston, TX (in the mid-50s) as the Swingsters, at one time including Hubert Laws in the line-up of their next incarnation, the Modern Jazz Sextet. The core of the group – keyboardist Joe Sample, saxophonist Wilton Felder, drummer Stix Hooper and trombonist Wayne Henderson – relocated to California in 1960 and started operating under the name Jazz Crusaders.
The Jazz Crusaders recorded 19 (?!?) albums between 1961 and 1971 for Pacific Jazz and Chisa, playing a soulful variation on hard bop, as well playing countless session dates individually and collectively. They dropped the “Jazz” from their name in 1971 and becoming simply the Crusaders. It was under the new, truncated moniker that the group took on a funkier edge.
The tune I bring you today, ‘Put It Where You Want It’ is from the 1972 LP ‘1’, and as I mentioned before was the very first hit for the Crusaders, making into the R&B Top 40 and falling just outside the Pop Top 50. Featuring Joe Sample’s rolling electric piano and the guitar of Larry Carlton, ‘Put It Where You Want It’ is a perfect, summertime head-nodder, as well as a fine example of certain jazzy style of West Coast R&B that wound its way into the sound of groups like Steely Dan, Stuff and the later Doobie Brothers.
I hope you dig the tune, and I’ll be back on Monday with something funky(er).

Peace

Larry

NOTE: Don’t forget to fall by Viva Internet Radio Tonight at 9PMEST for the latest edition of the Funky16Corners Radio Show. You can always check out the show (and many pastshows) in the archive.

NOTE: If you haven’t yet checked out the new funk 45 mix I did for Galactic Fractures, head on over there and pull down the ones and zeros.

PS Don’t forget to head over to Iron Leg for some more pop.

PSS Check out Paperback Rider too.

PSSS Don’t forget to hit up Funky16Corners on Facebook