Children of the Sun

Joe Sample s first studio recording of all new compositions since his Grammy nominated Pecan Tree (2002).

Recorded with the NDR Bigband, Hamburg, Germany, featuring Joe Sample on piano, legendary drummer Steve Gadd and trombonist Nils Landgren. This suite of original music is perhaps Sample s most ambitious both compositionally and arrangement-wise.Sample s inspiration for his compositions was a performance at the St. Croix Jazz Festival. In the 17th century, St. Croix was a vital part of what is referred to as the 'middle passage' for slavery. The juxtaposition of the beauty of the island, the brutality of slavery, and the helplessness the slaves must have felt, being the backdrop to Sample s compositions.

Sample is a recipient of 15 Grammy nominations for his work with The Crusaders, as a solo artist and with other artists (Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye & more).