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Chaka Khan is the eponymous fourth solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1982.
| “ | An excellent album from Chaka Khan, mixing tingling uptempo tunes with her characteristic soaring, glorious vocals. "Got to Be There" reached number five on the R&B charts, but it actually wasn't the album's high point. That was the marvelous "Be Bop Medley," which later led hardcore jazz purist Betty Carter to proclaim Khan the one female singer working outside the jazz arena with legitimate improvising credentials. | ” |
| — Ron Lynn, Allmusic | ||
Chaka Khan had delivered a stellar jazz-R&B hybrid in the form of 1981's What'cha Gonna Do. The two key tracks, "I Know You, I Live You" and "And The Melody Lingers On (Nights In Tunisia)" saddled Ms. Lungs with more signature goodness. Then Chaka Khan comes out a year later with guns blazing and an eclectic electronic sound in tow. One track, the innovative classic jazz homage, "Be Bop Medley", won a Grammy (but who really knows that bit of info besides real music nerds and Chaka Khan super fans?). Then two minor hits later...the sound of crickets comes rushing in.
The album is then fully ignored by the time Chaka wraps things up with Rufus in 1983, thanks to "Ain't Nobody", yet another song for Khan's hits canon. Then I Feel For You crops up in 1984 taking the Hot 100 by storm, thus completely erasing this album out of the conversation.
What a big mistake. This album could have been huge.
Once you hear the crackling shrill synth opening of the six minute opus known as the title track, Khan's cover of Prince's "I Feel For You" just seems cute. It's physically the best dance track she has ever done as the trumpets blare, a sax croons, and a middle eight explosion of synths erupts. It may seem too much on first listen, but it truly modernizes Chaka Khan for the rest of the 80's and predates the power pop that Madonna and Shannon would explode on the scene a year later with.
Then you have Rick James joining her for the smoldering "Slow Dancin'", a cooking bass riddled song that Teena Marie probably would've scratched Chaka's eyes out for doing clearly because James should have been making duo magic with Chaka all along. (As much as I love Lady T, her and James' duets are akin to that drunk aunt and uncle at your reunion who won't stop drunk singing---what that only happens to me?).
The funk doesn't stop there. A crackling bullet out of its jacket kicks starts the fabulous "Best In The West", which is country fried funk that boot scoots about and is highly danceable right on arrival. It's the fiddles that do it. "Be Bop Medley" was deserving of its Grammy win, thanks to long-time Khan producer, Arif Mardin's production of blending modern sounds with snatches of classic jazz numbers by Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker.
Chaka's reading of Michael Jackson's "Got To Be There" scarily bests MJ's original. Once you hear it you'll know the song was meant to be sung by a grown woman, not a pubescent Michael. "Twisted" is another winner as it's a brooding slice of New Wave that effectively melds in some soulful tones. The final two numbers, "So Not To Worry" and the leftover Rufus funk of "Pass It On (A Sure Thing)" may not be as strong as the previous material, but still manage to keep things on a high note with their infectious sing-a-long makeups.
Weird mistakes were truly made when promoting the record. The releasing of "Got To Be There" as the first single was one. Khan can slam a ballad, but she's known for big dance numbers. "Tearin' It Up" or even "Pass It On" would have been much better suited for the first singles. Then her Rick James duet was stupidly never released. Maybe Motown had something to do with it, but it would've made for a hell of single if it had been considered.
Then again, I'm being an annoying advocate for this record. It was a big year for albums back in 1982. I mean, we had Rio, The Lexicon of Love, The Dreaming, 1999...uh, Thriller...I could go on. So where was a R&B siren like Chaka Khan going to fit in at that time? I can only just shrug.
Two singles were released from Chaka Khan: the Michael Jackson cover "Got to Be There" (US Pop #67, US R&B #5) and "Tearin' It Up" (US R&B #48), the latter also as a 12" single including an extended remix (7:21) as well as an instrumental version (8:07), both mixed by Larry Levan and included on Warner Music Japan's 1999 compilation Dance Classics of Chaka Khan. The album track "Slow Dancin'" was a funky ballad duet with Rick James.
Side one
1. Tearin’ It Up (6:39)
2. Slow Dancin’(featuring Rick James) (5:22)
3. Best In The West (4:00)
4. Got to Be There (4:00)
Side two
1. Be Bop Medley: (5:22)
(a) Hot House
(b) East Of Suez (Come On Sailor)
(c) Epistrophy (I Wanna Play)
(d) Yardbird Suite / Con Alma
(e) Giant Steps
2. Twisted (4:12)
3. So Not To Worry (4:55)
4. Pass It On (A Sure Thing) (Pasa Lo Esta Seguro) (4:32)
== Personnel ==
- Chaka Khan - Vocals, Backing vocals
- Steve Ferrone – drums on all tracks
- Will Lee - bass
- Paul Jackson Jr. - electric guitar
- Hiram Bullock - guitar tracks: 5, 7, 8, rhythm guitar
Track 2 “Slow Dancin’” Vocal - Rick James Keyboards & Synthesizers - Robbie Buchanan
Track 3 “ Best In The West” Keyboards & Synthesizers - Robbie Buchanan Additional OBX Synthesizer - Bob Christianson Percussion - Sammy Figueroa Fiddle - Kenny Kosek Harmonica - Robert Bonfiglio Steel guitar & Jaw Harp - Eric Weissberg
Track 4 “Got To Be There” Keyboards & Synthesizers - Robbie Buchanan
Track 5 “Be Bop Medley” Additional OBX Synthesizer - Bob Christianson Electric piano & Synthesizers – Robbie Buchanan Vocoder & additional synthesizers ("Con Alma") – Bob Christianson Sitar - Eric Weissberg Darbuka ("East Of Suez") - Seyhun Çelik Tenor Saxophone - Joe Henderson
Track 6 “Twisted” Lead Guitar - Ray Gomez Keyboards & Synthesizers - Robbie Buchanan
Track 7 “So Not To Worry” Bass - Anthony Jackson Piano & Synthesizers – Robbie Buchanan Background vocals – Hamish Stuart, Will Lee
Track 8 “Pass It On (A Sure Thing) (Pasa Lo Esta Seguro)” Tube Voice – Mark Stevens Piano & Synthesizers – Robbie Buchanan Alto Saxophone - Dave Tofani
Production
- Arif Mardin - record producer, musical arranger (rhythm) tracks: 1, 2, 3, musical arranger track: 4, musical arranger & vocal arrangement track: 5
- Randy Brecker - musical arranger (horns) track: 1
- Robbie Buchanan - musical arranger (bass part) track: 1, musical arranger (rhythm) tracks: 2, 3, 6, 7, 8. musical arranger tracks: 4, 5
- Danne Lemelle - musical arranger (horns) track: 2
- Chaka Khan - vocal arrangement & special lyrics track: 5
Notes
Release: 1982
Format: LP
Genre: Soul / Funk
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Catalog# 923729-1
Vinyl: Excellent
Covers: Excellent
Prijs: €10,00
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