No Regrets

Released in 2008, No Regrets marks the second major collaboration between Randy Crawford and pianist Joe Sample in their late-career reunion phase, following 2006's Feeling Good. While Crawford is often associated with the polished crossover soul of the 1980s, this record firmly plants its feet in the soil of soul-jazz and traditional blues. Recorded with a live-in-the-studio feel, the album features a selection of covers ranging from Aretha Franklin and Edith Piaf to The Staple Singers. The production is intentionally sparse, highlighting the telepathic communication between Crawford and Sample. Critics, particularly from the BBC, praised the album for its 'unhurried' pace and Crawford's 'exquisite' vocal control, noting that her voice had lost none of its signature breathy vibrato while gaining a new, gravitas-heavy depth. It stands as a definitive document of her late-period artistry, prioritizing emotional honesty over commercial artifice.