The Crusaders - The Vocal Album

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:57
Size: 135.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, Crossover jazz
Year: 1987/2012
Art: Front

[7:31] 1. Street Life
[5:24] 2. This Old World's Too Funky For Me
[5:42] 3. Better Not Look Down
[3:55] 4. Inherit The Wind
[4:10] 5. Hold On (I Feel Our Love Is Changing)
[4:31] 6. Help (I Need Somebody)
[6:24] 7. Soul Shadows
[4:47] 8. The Way It Goes
[5:01] 9. I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today
[4:12] 10. (No Matter How High I Get) I'll Still Be Looking Up To You
[7:16] 11. Burnin' Up The Carnival

Track 1 taken from 'Street Life' album by The Crusaders; Tracks 2 & 9 taken from 'Standing Tall' album by The Crusaders; Track 3 taken from 'Royal Jam' album by The Crusaders; Track 4 taken from 'Inherit The Wind' album by Wilton Felder; Track 5 taken from 'Midnight Believer' album by B.B. King; Track 6 taken from 'Private Dancer' by Tina Turner; Track 7 taken from 'Rhapsody & Blues' by The Crusaders; Track 8 taken from 'The Good And The Bad Times' by The Crusaders; Track 10 taken from 'Secrets' by Wilton Felder; Track 11 taken from 'Voices In The Rain' by Joe Sample.

Funny, we can't remember this many singers turning up on the Crusaders' albums, but look a little closer at the liner. For this 1987 compilation -- designed, perhaps, to fill the gap between albums by a group that no longer was a full-time act -- MCA reached for records by B.B. King, Tina Turner, Joe Sample and Wilton Felder that various Crusaders played on, as well as the band's output from Street Life through The Good and Bad Times. B.B. takes the prize for his fabulous, humorously funky, live-in-London turn on "Better Not Look Down" -- he plays guitar so sparingly, and every note is right in the pocket -- but Joe Cocker comes close, riding on a classic bumpy Crusaders groove on "This Old World's Too Funky for Me." Of course, Randy Crawford's career-making "Street Life" leads off the set, and Tina Turner (in a lugubrious dissection of the Beatles' "Help"), Bobby Womack, Alltrinna Grayson, Bill Withers, Flora Purim and Josie James also contribute with various degrees of effectiveness. Despite a few weak moments, the album works amazingly well, partly as an alternative highlights collection and partly as a sober reminder to the remaining Crusaders and their fans as to how essential drummer Stix Hooper was to their sound. ~Ruchard S.Ginell

The Vocal Album

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Randy Crawford - Permanent

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:03
Size: 124,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Wild Is The Wind
(3:42)  2. Merry Go Round
(4:21)  3. Free The Child
(3:38)  4. Permanent
(4:15)  5. Sweetest Thing
(4:03)  6. Fire And Rain
(5:44)  7. When I Get Over You
(3:24)  8. Alfie
(4:21)  9. When The Evening Comes
(4:15) 10. All I Do
(3:21) 11. When Will I Be Free Of Love's Taboo
(4:10) 12. Tell It To Your Heart
(4:23) 13. I Get A Little Burned

Crawford is most renowned in Europe, where she is enjoyed by mature adult audiences. She's marketed in the U.S. as a jazz singer, but judging from this stellar collection -- which features not one filler song -- she could fake her ID and ride high on the R&B charts alongside the younger crowd. Her voice can be sweet and airy, as on the dramatic, orchestrally punched opening track, but she digs deeper on more emotional statements like "Free the Child." "Permanent" is a funky power ballad in the classic R&B tradition, while "Sweetest Thing" rides along a soaring string section and percussive near-disco groove. "When the Evening Comes" and "All I Do" do the disco thing very impressively, but with a class reminiscent of Lisa Stansfield. "Fire and Rain" isn't the James Taylor song, but actually has a hook that would seduce even the most cynical teenybopper. Crawford shows her range on power ballads like "Tell It to Your Heart" and an acoustic, jazzy cover of "Alfie." A welcome return from an artist whose reach should be much more in the mainstream of pop and R&B. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/permanent-mw0000011763

Personnel: Randy Crawford (vocals); Gus Isador, Graham Kearns, Tim Cansfield, Jim Lowe (guitar); Peter Gordeno (piano, keyboards, bass, drums, background vocals); Phil Spalding (bass); Pete Smith (drums, background vocals); Steve McNichol (drums); Danny Cummings (percussion); Carol Kenyon (background vocals).

Permanent

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Randy Crawford - Nightline

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:01
Size: 93,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:48)  1. Nightline
(3:37)  2. Living On The Outside
(3:32)  3. Why
(4:08)  4. Bottom Line
(4:08)  5. In Real Life
(4:55)  6. Happy Feet
(3:59)  7. This 'Ole Heart Of Mine
(4:28)  8. Lift Me Up
(3:52)  9. Ain't No Foolin'
(3:33) 10. Go On And Live It Up

A nice combination of jazzy, sophisticated ballads, a few harder-hitting numbers, and some heartache material. The title track made it to the Top 30 on the R&B chart, and Crawford was a popular attraction on the urban contemporary and upscale R&B concert circuit. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/nightline-mw0000374878

Personnel:  Randy Crawford (vocals); Cecil Womack (vocals, guitar); Clydene Jackson, Curtis Womack, David Lasley, Julia Tillman Waters, Friendly Womack, Jr., Arnold McCutler, Linda Womack, Maxine Willard Waters, Brenda Russell , Carmen Twillie (vocals);  Dann Huff, David Williams , Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, David E. Williams (guitar); James Newton Howard, Robbie Buchanan (keyboards, synthesizer);  Denzil Miller, James W. Alexander, Eddie Noble, Jr. (keyboards);  Bill Cuomo (synthesizer, bass synthesizer);  John "J.R." Robinson , Reek Havoc, James Gadson, Jeff Porcaro (drums);  Lenny Castro (percussion).

Nightline

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Randy Crawford - Miss Randy Crawford/Raw Silk

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:18
Size: 177,3 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:47)  1. Halleluijah, Glory Halleluijah
(3:15)  2. I Can't Get You Out Off My Mind
(3:19)  3. I'm Under The Influence Of You
(3:07)  4. Over My Head
(3:28)  5. Desperado
(2:24)  6. Take It Away From Her (Put It On Me)
(3:06)  7. Single Woman, Married Man
(3:39)  8. Half Steppin'
(3:06)  9. This Man
(2:26) 10. At Last
(4:52) 11. I Stand Accused
(4:28) 12. Declaration Of Love
(3:52) 13. Someone To Believe In
(4:42) 14. Endlessley
(4:09) 15. Love Is Like A Newborn Child
(4:01) 16. Where There Was Darkness
(3:43) 17. Nobody
(4:25) 18. I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me
(3:04) 19. I Got Myself A Happy Song
(4:58) 20. Just To Keep You Satisfied
(3:16) 21. Blue Mood

In 2005, the Wounded Bird label reissued six of Randy Crawford's seven earliest albums 1981's Secret Combination remained in print on its own at the time via two-for-one discs. 1977's Miss Randy Crawford and 1979's Raw Silk are combined here with no-frills packaging. The former, produced by Bob Montgomery, carries a pronounced Southern touch throughout (even when compared to her 1976 debut) and, save for its disco-era string arrangements and some studio flourishes, could pass as an early '70s release. Raw Silk, one of Crawford's best albums, is relatively contemporary, graced with electric piano lines shared by Don Grusin and Leon Pendarvis. The up-tempo numbers are just as strong as the quiet storms an oft-neglected notion, given that many R&B fans instantly associate Crawford's solo work with her smooth ballads. ~ Andy Kelman https://www.allmusic.com/album/miss-randy-crawford-raw-silk-mw0000260841

Personnel: Greg Poree, John Tropea, Ken Bell, Larry Byrom (guitar); Sheldon Kurland, Lennie Haight, Martin Katahn, Samuel Terranova, John Catchings, George Binkley III, Roy Christensen, Virginia Christensen, Wilfred Lehmann, Carl Gorodetzky, Marvin Chantry, Gary VanOsdale (strings); Billy Peutt (flute); Dennis Good, Harrison Calloway, Jr., Harvey Thompson, Ronnie Eades (horns); Don Grusin, Leon Pendarvis (piano, electric piano); Pat Henderson, Julia Tillman, Maxine Willard Waters (Fender Rhodes piano); William D. "Smitty" Smith (Clavinet, organ, Wurlitzer organ); Randy McCormick (keyboards); Rick Marotta, Roger Clark (drums, percussion); James Gadson (drums); Phyllis Saint James (percussion, background vocals); Joe Porcaro (percussion).

Miss Randy Crawford/Raw Silk

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Randy Crawford - Don't Say It's Over

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:16
Size: 102,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:09)  1. I'm Glad There Is You
(5:10)  2. Love's Mystery
(3:57)  3. Can We Bring It Back
(4:02)  4. Keep Me Loving You
(6:12)  5. In My Life
(4:11)  6. Elusive Boogie
(4:27)  7. Mad Over You
(4:32)  8. Why Can't We Take A Chance
(2:42)  9. Year After Year
(5:50) 10. Don't Say It's Over

Don't Say It's Over album for sale by Randy Crawford was released Jan 08, 2008 on the Wounded Bird label. In her slippery, velvety tone, Randy Crawford blossoms on this diverse cast of songs, which includes jazz, dance, pop, and a little bit of boogie. Don't Say It's Over buy CD music She does nothing fancy or unique other than address these lyrically sound numbers with good old-fashioned singing. Don't Say It's Over songs Crawford softly croons through the lead track "I'm Glad There Is You" accompanied by only a piano. 

Don't Say It's Over album for sale She follows suit on songs like "Can We Bring It Back" and "Year After Year." Don't Say It's Over CD music They too are tranquil numbers that prey upon the tenderness of the heart. Her up-tempo numbers like "Keep Me Loving You" and "Elusive Boogie" expose Crawford's spirited side. Not flamboyant with her vocals, her mellow yet illuminating style is pleasing, as is the album's lyrical content. ~ Craig Lytle http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-say-its-over-mw0000105736

Personnel: Randy Crawford (vocals); Ramon Stagnaro (acoustic guitar); Paul Jackson, Jr., Colin "Doc" Sobers (guitar); Steve Tavaglioni, Justo Almario (saxophone); Ray Brown (flugelhorn); Will Miller, Rick Baptist (trumpet); Alan Kaplan (trombone); Lou Levy (piano); Donn Wyatt (organ); Misha Segal (keyboards, strings, synthesizers, bass); Greg Mathieson (keyboards); Abraham Laboriel, Andrew Gouche (bass); Demetric Collins, Jorge Patrono (drums, programming); William Maxwell, Ricky Lawson (drums); David Lasley, Arnold McCuller, Myrna Smith, Terry Young, Monalisa Young, Maxi Anderson (background vocals).

Don't Say It's Over

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Randy Crawford, Joe Sample - Live

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:42
Size: 113.8 MB
Styles: Soul jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:13] 1. Every Day I Have The Blues
[3:56] 2. Feeling Good
[3:17] 3. Tell Me More And More And Then Some
[5:30] 4. Rainy Night In Georgia
[3:45] 5. This Bitter Earth
[2:25] 6. Me, Myself And I
[3:20] 7. No Regrets
[4:57] 8. One Day I'll Fly Away
[5:02] 9. Almaz
[6:07] 10. Street Life
[6:04] 11. Last Night At Danceland

Bass – Nicklas Sample; Drums – Steve Gadd; Piano – Joe Sample; Vocals – Randy Crawford. This album was recorded at various concert halls throughout Europe, during October - December of 2008.

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. Gadd is present here, but it is Sample's son Nicklas in the upright bass chair. The impeccably recorded program is drawn from both albums and then some. Beginning with an in-the-pocket read of "Everyday I Have the Blues," and continuing with standards from the jazz, blues, and soul books, the set is well-sequenced and feels very much like a seamless live date. There's an excellent, jazzed-up reading of "Street Life" surprisingly enough, and a shimmering take on Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night in Georgia" (that features Sample quoting from the Crusaders' "Hard Times" in his vamps and fills. There's also moving a version of Clyde Otis' "This Bitter Earth" (first recorded by Dinah Washington in 1960). The tunes that reflect the depth of Crawford's and Sample's musical relationship best, however, are in her "Almaz," and Sample's "One Day I'll Fly Away." On the former, Crawford's vocal is haunting, spare, intimate; it is underscored by Sample's elegant playing with its restrained harmonics and Spanish tinge. The latter tune was more risky. Given that the song was a hit for Crawford and is her best-known tune, the bubbling bassline and lush strings are parts of its signature. Stripping all that back for this piano-trio setting meant letting the tune's simple melody be the sole anchor for its smoldering emotion. Crawford deliberately understates it. Sample responds by filling the spaces with poetic economy and a new version emerges that is every bit as resonant. While Live is a further inscription in the collaborative book authored by Crawford and Sample, it is more, too: a classy, soulful example of inspired musicmaking. ~Thom Jurek

Live

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Randy Crawford - Live In Zagreb

Styles: Vocal, R&B
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:38
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Rainy Night In Georgia
(3:29)  2. One Hello
(3:32)  3. You Bring The Sun Out
(5:25)  4. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
(4:51)  5. Almaz
(5:20)  6. One Day I'll Fly Away
(5:27)  7. Street Life
(5:26)  8. Imagine
(3:45)  9. Oh, Daughter Mine

One of the most readily identifiable voices of any contemporary female vocalist, Randy Crawford's initial recognition came from her fiery vocal on "Street Life," a 1979 song matching her with the Crusaders that was included on the soundtrack for Burt Reynolds' film Sharky's Machine. Crawford was born in Macon, Georgia, and grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio; she worked in clubs as a teen, accompanied by her father. Crawford was lead vocalist in a group that included bassist Bootsy Collins before touring as George Benson's opening act in 1972. Cannonball Adderley invited her to sing on his LP Big Man. Crawford recorded "Don't Get Caught in Love's Triangle," a song produced by Johnny Bristol, during a short stay on the label. She soon moved to Warner Bros., and after "Street Life," recorded and toured Europe with the Crusaders. Crawford was tabbed Most Outstanding Performer at the 1980 Tokyo Music Festival. She remained with Warner Bros. through the '80s and early '90s, during which time she developed a strong following in Europe and Britain. In the new millennium, Crawford has remained quite active, often re-teaming with Crusaders keyboardist Joe Sample for such albums as 2006's Feeling Good, 2008's No Regrets, and 2012's concert album Live. ~ Bio https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/randy-crawford/id74188#fullText

Live In Zagreb

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