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The way that Chaka Khan turbocharged the career of Chicago funk band Rufus was extraordinary enough to warrant the group appending "featuring Chaka Khan" to its name throughout most of her hit-making tenure with them. So, it was inevitable that after four successful studio albums between 1974 and 1977 that "featured" Chaka Khan, Rufus would soon watch their star vocalist embark upon a solo career, even though that solo career mostly took place alongside her role in Rufus. (Khan would appear on several more—though not all—Rufus albums until the band's eventual dissolution in 1983, truly becoming a "featured" performer.) 1978's Chaka was released the same year as Street Player, her fifth studio album with the band, and the contrast between the two records could not be more sharp. While the latter focused on brassy funk and midtempo drama like "Stay," Chaka explodes out of the gate with "I'm Every Woman," a now-inescapable banger that finds both Khan and the songwriting team of Ashford & Simpson at the heights of their powers. Its lush, discofied groove makes the song an insistent dancefloor hit and also a remarkable showcase for Khan's voice. While that voice had long been a focal point on Rufus albums, they often used group harmonies. On Chaka, her room-filling approach to singing is given plenty of space to shine, and she is unafraid to unleash its full power, which she does so tastefully and with plenty of dynamics. "I'm Every Woman" is undoubtedly the best-known classic, but the album also shines with other notable moments like the slow jam favorite "Roll Me Through the Rushes," which would become a deep-cut cornerstone of Quiet Storm radio, the gender-flipped Stevie Wonder cover "I Was Made to Love Him," and the jazzy romance of "We Got the Love," which finds Khan duetting with George Benson. Arif Mardin's production touch is a perfect match, expertly fusing a sophisticated soulfulness with dancefloor acumen and marshaling an army of session players to execute this material at its highest possible level, and this dynamic modern remaster delivers warmth and presence. © Jason Ferguson/Qobuz
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Hamish Stuart, Guitar, Backing Vocals - Arif Mardin, Producer - GENE PAUL, RecordingEngineer - LEW HAHN, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Richard Tee, Piano - Cissy Houston, Backing Vocals - Phil Upchurch, Guitar - Sheridan Eldridge, Assistant Sound Engineer - NICKOLAS ASHFORD, Composer, Writer - Valerie Simpson, Composer, Writer - Will Lee, Backing Vocals, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - JAMES DOUGLASS, Sound Engineer - Michael O'Reilly, Assistant Sound Engineer - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Bill Dooley, Assistant Sound Engineer - Randy Mason, Assistant Sound Engineer - Anthony D'Amico, Assistant Sound Engineer
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
Alan Gorrie, Backing Vocals - Charles Stepney, Writer - David Lasley, Backing Vocals - Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer - GENE PAUL, RecordingEngineer - LEW HAHN, RecordingEngineer, RemixingEngineer - Richard Tee, Piano - Michael Brecker, Tenor Saxophone - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Writer - Cissy Houston, Backing Vocals - Randy Brecker, Trumpet - Phil Upchurch, Guitar - Sheridan Eldridge, Assistant Sound Engineer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Barry Rogers, Trombone - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - JAMES DOUGLASS, Sound Engineer - Michael O'Reilly, Assistant Sound Engineer - George Young, Alto Saxophone - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Ronnie Cuber, Baritone Saxophone - Bill Dooley, Assistant Sound Engineer - Randy Mason, Assistant Sound Engineer - Anthony D'Amico, Assistant Sound Engineer
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
David Lasley, Backing Vocals, Writer - Arif Mardin, Producer - Cornell Dupree, Guitar - Rick Marotta, Drums - Luther Vandross, Backing Vocals - GENE PAUL, RecordingEngineer - LEW HAHN, RecordingEngineer, RemixingEngineer - Cissy Houston, Backing Vocals - Brooks Tillotson, French Horn - Sheridan Eldridge, Assistant Sound Engineer - Will Lee, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - JAMES DOUGLASS, Sound Engineer - Michael O'Reilly, Assistant Sound Engineer - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Leon Pendarvis, Electric Piano - Gene Bianco, Harp - LANA MARRANO, Writer - Bill Dooley, Assistant Sound Engineer - Randy Mason, Assistant Sound Engineer - Jim Buffington, French Horn - Anthony D'Amico, Assistant Sound Engineer
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
Hamish Stuart, Guitar, Backing Vocals - Arif Mardin, Producer - Andrew Kastner, Guitar, Writer - GENE PAUL, RecordingEngineer - LEW HAHN, RecordingEngineer, RemixingEngineer - Richard Tee, Electric Piano - Brooks Tillotson, French Horn - Phil Upchurch, Guitar - Sheridan Eldridge, Assistant Sound Engineer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Will Lee, Backing Vocals - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - JAMES DOUGLASS, Sound Engineer - Michael O'Reilly, Assistant Sound Engineer - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Ken Bichel, Synthesizer - LARRY JOHN MCNALLY, Writer - Bill Dooley, Assistant Sound Engineer - Randy Mason, Assistant Sound Engineer - Jim Buffington, French Horn - Anthony D'Amico, Assistant Sound Engineer
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
Alan Gorrie, Backing Vocals - Hamish Stuart, Guitar, Backing Vocals - Arif Mardin, Producer - GENE PAUL, RecordingEngineer - LEW HAHN, RecordingEngineer, RemixingEngineer - Richard Tee, Clavinet - Michael Brecker, Tenor Saxophone - Randy Brecker, Trumpet - Phil Upchurch, Guitar - Sheridan Eldridge, Assistant Sound Engineer - Barry Rogers, Trombone - Will Lee, Backing Vocals, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - JAMES DOUGLASS, Sound Engineer - Michael O'Reilly, Assistant Sound Engineer - George Young, Alto Saxophone - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Gavin Christopher, Writer - Ronnie Cuber, Baritone Saxophone - Bill Dooley, Assistant Sound Engineer - Randy Mason, Assistant Sound Engineer - Anthony D'Amico, Assistant Sound Engineer
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
Phil Bodner, Flute - Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer, Arranger - GENE PAUL, RecordingEngineer - LEW HAHN, RecordingEngineer, RemixingEngineer - Michael Brecker, Tenor Saxophone - Eddie Daniels, Flute - Randy Brecker, Trumpet - George Benson, Writer - Phil Upchurch, Bass - Sheridan Eldridge, Assistant Sound Engineer - Barry Rogers, Trombone - Arthur Jenkins, Electric Piano - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - JAMES DOUGLASS, Sound Engineer - Michael O'Reilly, Assistant Sound Engineer - George Young, Alto Saxophone, FeaturedArtist, With Vocals - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Ken Bichel, Synthesizer - George Marge, Flute - Ronnie Cuber, Baritone Saxophone - Bill Dooley, Assistant Sound Engineer - Randy Mason, Assistant Sound Engineer - Raphael Cruz, Congas - Anthony D'Amico, Assistant Sound Engineer
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
Arif Mardin, Producer - Mark Stevens, Writer, Bass - GENE PAUL, RecordingEngineer - LEW HAHN, RecordingEngineer, RemixingEngineer - Richard Tee, Piano - Michael Brecker, Tenor Saxophone - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Brooks Tillotson, French Horn - Randy Brecker, Trumpet - Phil Upchurch, Guitar - Sheridan Eldridge, Assistant Sound Engineer - David Sanborn, Saxophone - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - JAMES DOUGLASS, Sound Engineer - Michael O'Reilly, Assistant Sound Engineer - Steve Ferrone, Drums - John Clark, French Horn - KEITH BOYD, Writer - TRAUDE SAPIK, Writer - Bill Dooley, Assistant Sound Engineer - Onnie McIntyre, Guitar - Randy Mason, Assistant Sound Engineer - Anthony D'Amico, Assistant Sound Engineer
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
Sammy Figueroa, Percussion - Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer - Andrew Kastner, Guitar, Writer - GENE PAUL, RecordingEngineer - LEW HAHN, RecordingEngineer, RemixingEngineer - Richard Tee, Piano - Brooks Tillotson, French Horn - Randy Brecker, Trumpet - Sheridan Eldridge, Assistant Sound Engineer - David Sanborn, Alto Saxophone - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - JAMES DOUGLASS, Sound Engineer - Michael O'Reilly, Assistant Sound Engineer - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Ken Bichel, Synthesizer - John Clark, French Horn - LARRY JOHN MCNALLY, Writer - Paul Faulise, Bass Trombone - Bill Dooley, Assistant Sound Engineer - Randy Mason, Assistant Sound Engineer - Anthony D'Amico, Assistant Sound Engineer
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
Jesse Levy, Cello - Hamish Stuart, Bass - Arif Mardin, Producer - GENE PAUL, RecordingEngineer - LEW HAHN, RecordingEngineer, RemixingEngineer - Michael Brecker, Tenor Saxophone - Kermit Moore, Cello - Brooks Tillotson, French Horn - Randy Brecker, Trumpet - Phil Upchurch, Guitar - Sheridan Eldridge, Assistant Sound Engineer - Arthur Jenkins, Clavinet - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Richard Bock, Cello - JAMES DOUGLASS, Sound Engineer - Michael O'Reilly, Assistant Sound Engineer - Steve Ferrone, Drums - John Clark, French Horn - LALOMIE WASHBURN, Writer - Paul Faulise, Trombone - Bill Dooley, Assistant Sound Engineer - Onnie McIntyre, Guitar - Randy Mason, Assistant Sound Engineer - Raphael Cruz, Congas - Anthony D'Amico, Assistant Sound Engineer
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
Henry Cosby, Writer - Sylvia Moy, Writer - Hamish Stuart, Guitar, Backing Vocals - Arif Mardin, Producer - Mark Stevens, Backing Vocals - GENE PAUL, Engineer - LEW HAHN, Engineer, RemixingEngineer - Richard Tee, Piano, Clavinet - Phil Upchurch, Guitar - Stevie Wonder, Writer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, MainArtist - JAMES DOUGLASS, Engineer - TONY MAIDEN, Guitar - LULA HARDAWAY, Writer - Terri Gonzalez, Backing Vocals
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
Album review
The way that Chaka Khan turbocharged the career of Chicago funk band Rufus was extraordinary enough to warrant the group appending "featuring Chaka Khan" to its name throughout most of her hit-making tenure with them. So, it was inevitable that after four successful studio albums between 1974 and 1977 that "featured" Chaka Khan, Rufus would soon watch their star vocalist embark upon a solo career, even though that solo career mostly took place alongside her role in Rufus. (Khan would appear on several more—though not all—Rufus albums until the band's eventual dissolution in 1983, truly becoming a "featured" performer.) 1978's Chaka was released the same year as Street Player, her fifth studio album with the band, and the contrast between the two records could not be more sharp. While the latter focused on brassy funk and midtempo drama like "Stay," Chaka explodes out of the gate with "I'm Every Woman," a now-inescapable banger that finds both Khan and the songwriting team of Ashford & Simpson at the heights of their powers. Its lush, discofied groove makes the song an insistent dancefloor hit and also a remarkable showcase for Khan's voice. While that voice had long been a focal point on Rufus albums, they often used group harmonies. On Chaka, her room-filling approach to singing is given plenty of space to shine, and she is unafraid to unleash its full power, which she does so tastefully and with plenty of dynamics. "I'm Every Woman" is undoubtedly the best-known classic, but the album also shines with other notable moments like the slow jam favorite "Roll Me Through the Rushes," which would become a deep-cut cornerstone of Quiet Storm radio, the gender-flipped Stevie Wonder cover "I Was Made to Love Him," and the jazzy romance of "We Got the Love," which finds Khan duetting with George Benson. Arif Mardin's production touch is a perfect match, expertly fusing a sophisticated soulfulness with dancefloor acumen and marshaling an army of session players to execute this material at its highest possible level, and this dynamic modern remaster delivers warmth and presence. © Jason Ferguson/Qobuz
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:43:28
- Main artists: Chaka Khan
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Rhino - Warner Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 1978 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1978 Warner Records Inc.
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