Pianist Joe Sample said he was thrilled to be recording with his old friend and colleague Randy Crawford once again for the new album Feeling Good, due February 20th on the PRA label. The two had not been in the studio together since 1979's Street Life album, which proved to be a major boost for the Crusaders and Crawford.

Sample says that when the Crusaders reunited for the Rural Renewal album and embarked on a worldwide tour, they engaged Crawford to perform with them in Europe. Sample says he got a chance to fall in love with her voice all over again: "We first went to Europe, and we did Europe, and we were having a wonderful time there. Again, I had an opportunity to hear Randy singing a cappella here and there and she did it one afternoon at Ascot Race Park outside London, and I was absolutely thrilled with the sound of her voice."

When the suggestion was made on the road that the two of them team up, Sample was intrigued, because he says that Crawford's sound has gotten better over the years: "I knew Randy when she was young and she used to go for the gusto, and now she has matured down. I said listen -- (laughs) she has aged, she was vintage Randy Crawford now. And she was like throwing in strikes, every time she opened her mouth. It was simply wonderful."

Feeling Good features Crawford singing with Sample's trio. Among the tunes are previous hits "Rio de Janeiro Blue" and "Last Night At Danceland."