Chaka [Ruby Red Vinyl] [Barnes & Noble Exclusive]

by Chaka Khan

Overview

Chaka Khan's transition to solo artist in 1978 could not have been smoother. At the top of the year, Street Player, her sixth album with Rufus, appeared with a sleeve displaying her name ahead of the band's name -- no longer were they Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan. Its biggest single, "Stay," followed "You Got the Love" and "Sweet Thing" as the third Top 40 hit the singer co-wrote. In July, Chaka's unmistakable voice was on the number one soul single, Quincy Jones' "Stuff Like That," also featuring Ashford & Simpson. Three months later, Chaka was back on the charts with the Ashford & Simpson-written "I'm Every Woman," in one supremely graceful swoop the Platonic ideal of a midtempo floor-filler, feminist anthem, and solo debut. No other song has been so inviting of cover versions with the obvious caveat that it cannot be surpassed -- not even by Whitney Houston. Although that number one soul hit overshadows everything else on Chaka, the album is full of outstanding performances and a broad range of strong material pulled together by Arif Mardin. It's a near-total break from Rufus. The only connections are Tony Maiden's guitar solo on a gender-switched cover of Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made to Love Her" and writing input from a few Rufus collaborators. At times, especially on the free and easy "Sleep on It" and celebratory second single "Life Is a Dance," the LP resembles a Chaka-fronted Average White Band session, as guitarist/singer Hamish Stuart and dynamite drummer Steve Ferrone are on almost everything. The spirit of Chaka's Chicago hometown is also felt with Phil Upchurch's blues-jazz-soul rhythm guitar a throughline, and there's an emphatic update of Rotary Connection's gospel-fied "Love Has Fallen on Me," composed by group producer/arranger Charles Stepney with Chess staff writer Lloyd Webber. As with virtually every Chaka album with or without Rufus, there are some deep-cut knockouts. Dealing the strongest blow by far is the swirling belter "Some Love," introduced and driven by a bassline from Mark Stevens (Chaka's brother), and augmented by woodwinds and brass from David Sanborn and the Brecker Brothers. (Echoes of this song can be heard in Aurra's "Nasty Disposition" and Snap!'s "The Power.") Beneath that is the lovely upbeat George Benson duet "We Got the Love," also written by the guitarist. Certified gold within a month of release, Chaka was quickly followed by seventh Rufus and Chaka album Masterjam, and then Chaka resumed solo work with Naughty. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	03/22/2024
Label:	Warner Records
UPC:	0603497826261
Rank:	2816

Tracks

1. I'm Every Woman [2024 Remaster]
2. Love Has Fallen on Me [2024 Remaster]
3. Roll Me Through the Rushes [2024 Remaster]
4. Sleep on It [2024 Remaster]
5. Life Is a Dance [2024 Remaster]
6. We Got the Love [2024 Remaster]
7. Some Love [2024 Remaster]
8. A Woman in a Man's World [2024 Remaster]
9. The Message in the Middle of the Bottom [2024 Remaster]
10. I Was Made to Love Him [2024 Remaster]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chaka Khan   Primary Artist,Vocals,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Ronnie Cuber   Guest Artist,Saxophone,Sax (Baritone)
Cissy Houston   Guest Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Airto Moreira   Guest Artist,Percussion
Will Lee   Guest Artist,Bass,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Michael Brecker   Guest Artist,Soloist,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Randy Brecker   Guest Artist,Trumpet,Flugelhorn
David Sanborn   Guest Artist,Soloist,Saxophone,Sax (Alto)
George Benson   Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Leon Pendarvis   Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
Raphael Cruz   Congas
Mark Stevens   Bass,Vocals (Background),Bass,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Joe Malin   Strings
Phil Upchurch   Bass,Guitar
Richard Bock   Cello,Strings
Phil Bodner   Flute
Richard Tee   Piano,Clavinet,Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
Richard Sortomme   Strings
Tony Maiden   Guitar,Soloist
John Clark   Horn,French Horn
Regis Iandiorio   Strings
David Lasley   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Sammy Figueroa   Congas,Conductor
Anthony Jackson   Bass
Arthur Jenkins   Clavinet,Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
Julien Barber   Strings
Kenneth Bichel   Synthesizer
Hamish Stuart   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Terri Gonzales   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Andrew Kastner   Guitar
Harold Kohon   Strings
Paul Faulise   Trombone,Trombone (Bass)
Steve Ferrone   Drums
Onnie McIntyre   Guitar
Jim Buffington   French Horn
Cornell Dupree   Guitar
Barry Rogers   Trombone
James Buffington   Horn,French Horn
Jesse Levy   Cello,Strings
Gene Bianco   Harp,Strings,Harmonica
Eddie Daniels   Flute
Mitsue Takayama   Strings
Guy Lumia   Strings
Susan Allen   Strings
Rafael Cruz   Conductor
Ken Bichel   Synthesizer
Pat Winter   Strings
Rick Marotta   Drums
Alan Gorrie   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
George Marge   Flute,Strings,Flute (Alto)
Jonathan Abramowitz   Strings
Brooks Tillotson   Horn,French Horn
Theodore Israel   Strings
Frederick Buldrini   Strings
Marvin Morgenstern   Strings
George Young   Saxophone,Sax (Alto)
Kermit Moore   Cello

Technical Credits

Gene Paul   Engineer
George Benson   Composer
Valerie Simpson   Composer
Lewis Hahn   Engineer,Remixing,Remix Engineer
Mark Stevens   Composer
Lula Mae Hardaway   Composer
Henry Cosby   Composer
Chaka Khan   Arranger,Composer
Gavin Christopher   Composer
Charles Stepney   Arranger,Composer
David Lasley   Composer
Lee Herschberg   Engineer,Digital Remastering
Nickolas Ashford   Composer
Andrew Lloyd Webber   Composer
Andrew Kastner   Composer
Sylvia Moy   Composer
Bill-Dog Dooley   Assistant Engineer
Kevin Tong   Reissue Producer
Larry John McNally   Composer
Randy Mason   Assistant Engineer
Anthony d'Amico   Assistant Engineer
Mary Ann Dibs   Design
Sheridan Eldridge   Assistant Engineer
Lalomie Washburn   Composer
Lana Marrano   Composer
James Douglass   Engineer
Keith Boyd   Composer
Traude Sapik   Composer
Keith Boyd Jr.   Composer
Michael O'Reilly   Assistant Engineer
Arif Mardin   Arranger,Producer,Brass Arrangement,String Arrangements,Woodwind Arrangement
Stevie Wonder   Composer