Composer and keyboardist Joe Sample was a true jazz fusion pioneer. In the late '50s, Sample formed the long-running band The Jazz Crusaders. While the group initially played swinging hard bop, they quickly grew more adventurous, bringing the slick grooves of funk and soul into the mix. By the early '70s, The Crusaders had become one of the hottest bands in jazz, and Sample had launched his own prolific solo career. In addition to his work as a sideman for some of the biggest names in jazz and pop, Sample would enjoy a stellar run of smooth and soulful jazz-funk albums until his death in 2014.