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Joe Sample

Joseph Leslie Sample (February 1, 1939[1] – September 12, 2014)[2] was an American jazz, Jazz fusion keyboardist and composer. He was one of the founding members of The Jazz Crusaders in 1960, the band which shortened its name to "The Crusaders" in 1971. He remained a part of the group until its final album in 1991 and also the 2003 reunion album Rural Renewal.

Joe Sample

Joseph Leslie Sample

(1939-02-01)February 1, 1939
Houston, Texas, U.S.

September 12, 2014(2014-09-12) (aged 75)
Houston, Texas, U.S.

Jazz fusion, smooth jazz, crossover jazz, jazz

Musician, composer, songwriter

Keyboards, vocals

1950s–2014

Blue Thumb, MCA, GRP, Warner Bros., Verve, ABC

Beginning in the late 1960s, he enjoyed a successful solo career and guested on many recordings by other performers and groups, including Miles Davis, George Benson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Michael Franks, B. B. King, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Anita Baker, and the Supremes. Sample incorporated gospel, blues, jazz, latin, and classical forms into his music.

Personal life[edit]

Joe Sample was Catholic, and supported Catholic charities and churches throughout his life.[7]


His son, bassist Nicklas Sample, was a member of the Coryell Auger Sample Trio featuring Julian Coryell and Karma Auger.[2][8][9][10]

(Pacific Jazz, 1961)

Freedom Sound

(Pacific Jazz, 1962)

Lookin' Ahead

(Pacific Jazz, 1962)

The Jazz Crusaders at the Lighthouse

(Pacific Jazz, 1963)

Tough Talk

(Pacific Jazz, 1963)

Heat Wave

(Pacific Jazz, 1963) with Les McCann

Jazz Waltz

(Pacific Jazz, 1964)

Stretchin' Out

(Pacific Jazz, 1965)

The Thing

(Pacific Jazz, 1965)

Chile Con Soul

(Pacific Jazz, 1966)

Live at the Lighthouse '66

(Pacific Jazz, 1966)

Talk That Talk

(Pacific Jazz, 1966)

The Festival Album

(Pacific Jazz, 1967)

Uh Huh

(Pacific Jazz, 1968)

Lighthouse '68

(Pacific Jazz, 1969)

Powerhouse

(Pacific Jazz, 1969)

Lighthouse '69

Give Peace a Chance (Liberty, 1970)

Old Socks New Shoes – New Socks Old Shoes (Chisa, 1970)

Pass the Plate (Chisa, 1971)

Hollywood (MoWest, 1972)

Crusaders 1 (Blue Thumb, 1972)

The 2nd Crusade (Blue Thumb, 1973)

Unsung Heroes (Blue Thumb, 1973)

Scratch (Blue Thumb, 1974)

(Blue Thumb, 1974)

Southern Comfort

(ABC/Blue Thumb, 1975)

Chain Reaction

(ABC/Blue Thumb, 1976)

Those Southern Knights

(ABC/Blue Thumb, 1977)

Free as the Wind

Images (ABC/Blue Thumb, 1978)

(MCA, 1979)

Street Life

Rhapsody and Blues (MCA, 1980)

(MCA, 1981)

Standing Tall

Ongaku Kai - Live in Japan (Crusaders, 1981; GRP, 1993)

(MCA, 1982) with B.B. King

Royal Jam

Ghetto Blaster (MCA, 1984)

The Good and the Bad Times (MCA, 1986)

Life in the Modern World (MCA, 1988)

Healing the Wounds (GRP, 1991)

Rural Renewal (Verve, 2003)

discography at Discogs

Joe Sample

biography at Verve Records

Joe Sample

at IMDb

Joe Sample

at Find a Grave

Joe Sample