Randy Crawford & Joe Sample
Feeling Good
RANDY CRAWFORD & JOE SAMPLE
Feeling Good
Shortly thereafter, while writing songs for his band - The Crusaders - Joe invited Randy to appear as a guest on their record, and wrote “Street Life” especially for her. Of course the rest is history. “Street Life” became an international hit record for the Crusaders, and launched Randy on her own phenomenally successful career. They continued their collaboration thru the early 80’s, Joe playing on Randy’s own albums and writing numerous of her biggest hit songs, including “One Day I’ll Fly Away,” “When Your Life Was Low,” and “Last Night At Danceland.” When producer Tommy LiPuma (2-time Grammy® winner for “Album of The Year Award”, and recipient of over 30 Grammy® nominations and awards) came on board as producer of Randy’s own break through album, Secret Combination, the seed for Feeling Good had indeed taken root.
So it was only natural when Joe asked Randy if she would record a new album with him, that he (Joe) would ask Tommy LiPuma if he would join in as well. And of course, as Al Schmitt (15-time Grammy® Award winner as Recording Engineer/Mixer) had recorded and mixed all the early success with Tommy, Randy, and Joe, there was no one else to call.
The result, without a doubt, is a CD you cannot stop listening to.
From the first downbeat of “Feeling Good,” the title track of the new album, thru the last note of “Mr. Ugly,” its closer, the listener is drawn into the warm embrace of Joe and Randy’s wonderful musical heritage, a mixture of soul, jazz, gospel, pop, and of course a little bit of the blues. Randy’s performances underscore her position as one of the premier songstresses in contemporary music. “All Night Long” will simply tear your heart out. “But Beautiful” couldn’t be more beautiful. And when she sings the obscure “Mr. Ugly” you know there’s more to that song than meets the eye. Joe’s piano playing and arrangements envelop Randy’s voice, and capture the essence of each song.
Their reinterpretation of Peter Gabriel’s “Lovetown” and Albert Hammond and Carol Bayer Sager’s “When I Need You” make both songs brand new.
To create “magic” you need just the right ingredients. To that end the incomparable Steve Gadd on drums, and Christian McBride, today’s master of the acoustic bass, round out Joe’s trio adding their own special genius.
Born in Macon, Georgia, raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Randy started singing in the choir loft of her neighborhood church. As a teenager she had already established a reputation on the mid-western club circuit. By age 21 she had worked with Quincy Jones, recorded with Cannonball Adderely, and was regularly touring with George Benson. She first signed to Warner Brothers Records in 1976. She is known and loved all over the world for her incredible voice, and uncanny choice of songs.
Joe Sample was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He formed the seminal group the Jazz Crusaders, later known as the Crusaders, as a teenager in the early 50’s with neighborhood buddies, Wilton Felder, Stix Hooper, and Wayne Henderson. The group became one of the all time leading jazz ensembles and pioneered the way for the sound of contemporary jazz. Joe’s first solo record in 1973, Carmel became a classic pop jazz album before anyone knew what “pop jazz” was. He continues today as one of the legendary figures in contemporary jazz music.
