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As a vocalist, Chaka Khan is the one of the very few who often doesn't need great material to prosper. Thankfully, on What Cha' Gonna Do for Me that isn't the case. Teaming again with Arif Mardin, slowly but surely the two began to craft an even more successful and innovative sound. This effort not only bests the work before it, but it is Mardin's most fulfilling production since 1974's Average White Band. The cover of "We Can Work It Out" gets a brash and funky Stevie Wonder-style arrangement, with Gregory Phillanganes doing great synth work. The biggest hit here is the melodic title track and has Khan's patented mix of sexiness and intelligent phrasing. The best song here, "I Know You, I Live You," displays the brilliant bass and drum team of Anthony Jackson and Steve Ferrone, whose innovation all but rendered Rufus obsolete. Their pounding yet refined sound is also on "We've Got Each Other," a hooky and propulsive duet with Khan's brother Mark Stevens. The ambitious and much loved "And the Melody Still Lingers On (Night in Tunisia)" had Mardin and Khan creating pithy lyrics that paid homage to '40s jazz legends as well as all other subsequent musical geniuses. The track features a clavitar solo from Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, and an "excerpted" solo break from Charlie Parker. Throughout What Cha' Gonna Do for Me, Mardin seems to get amazing vocals from Khan and has he certainly had fun playing with her voice. What Cha' Gonna Do for Me is arguably the best effort of their partnership.
© Jason Elias /TiVo
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Greg Phillinganes, Keyboards, Synthesizer - Arif Mardin, Producer, String Arranger - John Lennon, Writer - Paul Mccartney, Writer - Kim Hutchcroft, Horn - LARRY WILLIAMS, Horn, Horns Arranger - Paulinho Da Costa, Percussion - Larry Hall, Horn - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Gary Grant, Horn - Bill Reichenbach, Horn - Mike Sembello, Guitar - Ray Pounds, Drums
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1981 Warner Records Inc.
Hamish Stuart, Guitar, Writer - Arif Mardin, Producer, Horns Arranger - Ned Doheny, Writer - Chaka Kahn, MainArtist - Michael Brecker, Horn, Tenor Saxophone - Randy Brecker, Horn - LARRY WILLIAMS, Flute, Keyboards, Saxophone, Synthesizer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Vocals, ExecutiveProducer - David Williams, Guitar - Lou Soloff, Horn - Steve Ferrone, Drums - TAMMY COLEMAN-MCCRARY, CoProducer - Barry Rodgers, Horn - Crusher Bennett, Percussion - Lou Delgatto, Horn - Bob Christianson, Synthesizer
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1981 Warner Records Inc.
Jerry Hey, Trumpet - Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer, Writer - LARRY WILLIAMS, Flute, Keyboards, Saxophone, Horns Arranger, Synthesizer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Percussion, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - David Williams, Guitar - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Crusher Bennett, Percussion
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1981 Warner Records Inc.
Linda McCrary, Writer - Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer - Randy Brecker, Flugelhorn - LARRY WILLIAMS, Flute, Keyboards, Saxophone - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Andrew Fraser, Writer - CHAKA KHAN, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - David Williams, Guitar - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Alfred E. McCrary, Writer - Danny Ironston, Writer
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1981 Warner Records Inc.
Jerry Hey, Trumpet - Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer - Mark Stevens, Vocals - LARRY WILLIAMS, Flute, Keyboards, Saxophone, Horns Arranger, Synthesizer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - David Williams, Guitar - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Fred Lederman, Writer - Alan Baboff, Writer
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1981 Warner Records Inc.
Arif Mardin, Producer, Writer - Abraham Laboriel, Bass - DAVID FOSTER, Synthesizer - Ronnie Foster, Electric Piano - Paulinho Da Costa, Percussion - HERBIE HANCOCK, Keyboards, Synthesizer - CHAKA KHAN, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Dizzy Gillespie, Trumpet, Writer - TAMMY COLEMAN-MCCRARY, CoProducer - FRANK PAPARELLI, Writer - Casey Scheuerell, Drums
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1996 Reprise Records for the U.S. and WEA International for the world outside of the U.S.
Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer, String Arranger - JERRY RAGOVOY, Writer - LARRY WILLIAMS, Flute, Keyboards, Saxophone, Synthesizer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - David Williams, Guitar - Steve Ferrone, Drums
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1981 Warner Records Inc.
Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer - Mark Stevens, Writer - Ellison Chase, Writer - Arthur Jacobson, Writer - LARRY WILLIAMS, Flute, Keyboards, Saxophone, Synthesizer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - David Williams, Guitar - Steve Ferrone, Drums - David Richards, Synthesizer
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1981 Warner Records Inc.
Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer - LARRY WILLIAMS, Flute, Keyboards, Saxophone, Synthesizer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - David Williams, Guitar - Steve Ferrone, Drums - DEBORAH ASH, Writer - Mike Campagna, Writer
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1981 Warner Records Inc.
Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer - Hiram Bullock, Guitar - Richard Tee, Clavinet - LARRY WILLIAMS, Flute, Keyboards, Saxophone, Synthesizer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Vocals, MainArtist - David Williams, Guitar - Steve Ferrone, Drums - David Richards, Synthesizer - Frank Musker, Writer - Crusher Bennett, Percussion - Dominic Bugatti, Writer
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2000 Warner Records Inc.
Jerry Hey, Trumpet - Hamish Stuart, Guitar - Arif Mardin, Producer, Writer - LARRY WILLIAMS, Flute, Keyboards, Saxophone, Horns Arranger, Synthesizer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - CHAKA KHAN, Percussion, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - David Williams, Guitar - Steve Ferrone, Drums - Crusher Bennett, Percussion
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1981 Warner Records Inc.
Album review
As a vocalist, Chaka Khan is the one of the very few who often doesn't need great material to prosper. Thankfully, on What Cha' Gonna Do for Me that isn't the case. Teaming again with Arif Mardin, slowly but surely the two began to craft an even more successful and innovative sound. This effort not only bests the work before it, but it is Mardin's most fulfilling production since 1974's Average White Band. The cover of "We Can Work It Out" gets a brash and funky Stevie Wonder-style arrangement, with Gregory Phillanganes doing great synth work. The biggest hit here is the melodic title track and has Khan's patented mix of sexiness and intelligent phrasing. The best song here, "I Know You, I Live You," displays the brilliant bass and drum team of Anthony Jackson and Steve Ferrone, whose innovation all but rendered Rufus obsolete. Their pounding yet refined sound is also on "We've Got Each Other," a hooky and propulsive duet with Khan's brother Mark Stevens. The ambitious and much loved "And the Melody Still Lingers On (Night in Tunisia)" had Mardin and Khan creating pithy lyrics that paid homage to '40s jazz legends as well as all other subsequent musical geniuses. The track features a clavitar solo from Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, and an "excerpted" solo break from Charlie Parker. Throughout What Cha' Gonna Do for Me, Mardin seems to get amazing vocals from Khan and has he certainly had fun playing with her voice. What Cha' Gonna Do for Me is arguably the best effort of their partnership.
© Jason Elias /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:42:04
- Main artists: Chaka Khan
- Label: Rhino - Warner Records
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
© 1981 Warner Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1981 Warner Records Inc. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company.
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