Randy Crawford

Digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition of this 1995 album from the jazz/R&B vocalist. This set includes a staggering 14 bonus remixes and exclusive interviews with Randy Crawford and Ralf Droesemeyer. This collection is a must for all acid jazz, jazz-funk, soul and dance fans everywhere!

Randy (born Veronica Crawford) is a brilliant American soul singer who had a UK top five hit (Street life) as un-credited vocalist with the Crusaders in 1973, then had two UK top five hits (One day I'll fly away, Almaz) in the eighties as a solo singer. Randy never achieved this level of success in her homeland. Apart from those three major hits, Randy had two other UK top twenty hits (You might need somebody, Rainy night in Georgia) and several minor hits, three of which (Imagine, Secret combination, One hello) are included here. Most of the songs here are originals but, with her outstanding voice, Randy is a great interpreter of other people's songs, as this collection shows. This collection truly is the very best of Randy Crawford, one of the finest soul singers there has ever been.

Nice, highly stylized album by a versatile vocalist whose trembling sound and eclectic nature have made her tough for record labels to market. This album, like her others, was all over the idiomatic lot and expressively sung, if at times overproduced.

Another strong album for Randy Crawford; the song "Imagine" remains one of the best R&B covers/versions around, while "One Hello" did well in Europe and made it to the charts, as did "Imagine," although it broke later in America. Crawford sang with consistency and character on every number.

Randy Crawford's and Joe Sample's musical paths have been intertwined for 36 years; they began with his keyboard work on her debut album Everything Must Change in 1976. She returned the favor a couple of years later with her vocal on the Crusaders' 1978 smash "Street Life." The pair have worked together intermittently since then, but only formally recorded as a dual entity on 2007's Feeling Good, a collection of (mostly) jazz tunes and standards. They followed it with No Regrets in 2008, a collection of blues, soul, and pop tunes. Both albums were highly regarded critically. Sample's piano was aided by drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Christian McBride. Live was recorded on various European stages between October and December of 2008, immediately prior to and just after the release of No Regrets.

The Crusaders produced this '80 album, one of the better Randy Crawford sets. The song "Last Night At Danceland" was a hit, while the album cut "One Day I'll Fly Away" got widespread radio airplay and did well in the international market. Crawford's quivering delivery and eclectic nature has made it difficult for record companies to target and market her material; this was one of the few times she penetrated the urban contemporary and R&B markets.

Randy Crawford made even more noise on the urban contemporary and R&B front in 1981 with this album, one of her most successful ever from a chart and hit standpoint. The title track and the album cut "Rio De Janeiro Blue" were well-received. She continued smartly blending jazzy pop, slick ballads, and earnest, anguished numbers like her cover of "Rainy Night In Georgia."