Randy Crawford

[John L]

After many years, Randy Crawford has finally become a musical revelation for me. (OK, I know. She may not really be a “jazz singer.” But what is a jazz singer, anyway? Hell, she even sang on a Cannonball album.)

I never paid her much attention in years past. In fact, I was certain that I didn’t like her at all. Her early commercial breakthrough on “Street Life” caught my ear because it had a sort of unique sound. But subsequent songs that I heard sounded like the epitome of everything that is wrong with the Smooth Quiet Storm: bad production, bad taste, uninteresting arrangements, no room for real creativity. So I wrote her off.

About 6 months ago, I walked into a CD store that was having the final day of an every-must-go closeout sale. All remaining discs were $2 a pop, although there was nothing left that I had ever heard of. But the music playing in the store really struck me with its beauty and originality. It turned out to be Randy Crawford’s record, “Permanent.”

There was a big stack of “Permanent” piled up in the corner. So I grabbed my copy for $2 and marched out. Since this time, I just keep playing it more and more. It has become a favorite disc. The material is excellent. Her pitch is precise, her emotions are mature, and she has an uncanny ability to sing in a sort of whispery mode that makes sounds just hang in the air. Randy Crawford has an extraordinarily distinctive voice. Some of these songs, especially “When I Get Over You,” can bring tears to my eyes on a given evening.

After this revelation, I went out and bought a number of her other records to hear what I had been missing. For the most part, I was very disappointed. They mostly confirm the reasons why I never thought that I liked her. The “Best of Randy Crawford” would have been better titled “The Worst of Randy Crawford.”

But "Permanent" is the shit.

Any other opinions out there on Randy Crawford?

Edited December 6, 2004 by John L

[JSngry]

I'm like you, John. Dug her muchly on "Street Life" and kept waiting to find something else that did it like that. NEver happened.

I'll keep an eye out for this one. Sounds like something I could put to good use.

[John L]

Yea, knowing your taste, I think that you will dig this one. It is deep.

This album really makes you wonder about what might have been if the right artistic choices had been made. Of course, the fact that this artistic triumph wasn't even selling at $2 a pop might not encourage her to fix her ways any time soon.