Freedom Sound, the 1961 debut by The Jazz Crusaders, began a prolific and successful decade-long association with Pacific Jazz. The Houston-founded band (featuring Stix Hooper, Joe Sample, Wayne Henderson, Wilton Felder and Jimmy Bond) blended jazz aspirations with R&B roots to create an enticing sound. This stereo Blue Note Tone Poet Series edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180 gram vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket.