Just got the news that pianist and writer, Joe Sample, has passed away. I never knew the man but I knew his music. He was one of my first keyboard heroes. And I believe I only saw him perform live twice; once after the release of Those Southern Knights and once after the release of Free as the Wind.
His albums have literally been a soundtrack of my life, from his work with the Crusaders to his solo albums like Rainbow Seeker, Carmel, Voices in the Rain, Roles, Spellbound, Ashes to Ashes and others.
When I lived in North Carolina, Donald McCoy, David Albert and I had a jazz trio called the River City Jazz Ensemble. If memory serves me, it was my friend, Donald McCoy who first introduced us to the Crusaders, the group that Sample founded and played in.
The first Crusaders album that I remember listening to was Southern Comfort. When Those Southern Knights came out and the Crusaders played at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, Virginia, we were there. I think Donald got us tickets and he took us there early and tried to get in backstage to meet everyone but were turned away.
The Crusaders were the main act and I think the supporting act was Ronnie Laws. I do remember that whoever the keyboard player for Ronnie Laws was, he was surrounded on three sides by a wall of keyboards and synths; it was the 70s. Since it was one of the first real concerts I attended, of course I was impressed by Ronnie Laws and his band, especially the keyboard player and his arsenal of instruments, but there was a reason why they were a support act.
Once they finished and when the lights came up again, there I was, sitting in about the fifth row, watching Joe Sample with the Crusaders and they literally blew me away. Sample was center stage with a suitcase Rhodes and one small synth sitting on top of it. I think he only used the synth for the opening number, Spiral; Stix Hooper was on drums, Wilton Felder on sax, Pops Popwell on bass and Larry Carlton on guitar. It was amazing. I don’t remember the setlist but I know that the musicianship of that band, and especially Sample and Carlton, changed me. I’ve been a major fan of both ever since.
Another funny thing I will never forget is that as soon as the lights went down you could literally see a huge puff of smoke rise from the seats as everyone lit up their joints. And then these big joints started being passed back and forth down each row; it was the 70s. Naive and a little shocked, the three of us just passed them on but it is a smell and experience I will never forget.
Carmel is probably my favorite Joe Sample album. It spoke to me like no other album and I find myself going back and listening to it again and again, even now, almost 30 years later. I’m almost certain that I have a vinyl version somewhere, I know I had it on cassette, and now I have it on CD.
I don’t really know what to say when someone you never knew passes on. For me, Joe Sample was an inspiration and an extraordinary musician. He touched my life, inspired me musically and left us all with the gift of some great music. I can’t think of a better legacy.
albemarlesounds 