Rufus Chaka Masterjam Rarity
Rufus/Chaka Khan Rufus/Chaka KhanReviews on thispage:- -In the early 70s scramble to succeed at the top of the funk genre, Rufus appeared: amultiracial band armed with a batch of compelling tunes and a phenomenal lead singer, Chaka Khan - possibly the most capablesinger in the history of the genre. Originally founded by refugees from the American Breed (of 'Bend Me Shape Me' fame),and then led by soulless popster Ron Stockert, the first couple of Rufus records are mostly unfocusedand unfunky. Thankfully, Stockert soon got out of the way, leaving the stage to Khan. In those days, Khan gave herall on stage (according to one story, she put so much force into her vocal delivery she once vomited into the crowd) and her unusual phrasing also brought out theemotion in slower numbers. Predictably enough, Khan went off on her own in the late 70s, leaving Rufus to languish.
Her solo career has hadreal peaks and valleys: no one doubts her vocal talent, but since she rarely writes her own material, she's been at the mercy of herproducers to find her good songs. Her latest release reverses that trend, and I hope she continues to control her own recordings in thefuture.I saw Khan in concert in 1998, and reviewed the show on our,which is the envy of all the nattering nabobs of online negativity. And her fine autobiography is reviewed on our.(DBW)Personnel:AlCiner, guitar; KevinMurphy, keyboards; Lee Graziano, drums;Chuck Colbert,?; Paulette McWilliams, vocals; Willie Weeks,bass; James Stella, vocals. Stella, Weeks, McWilliams, Graziano and Colbert all leftby 1973, replaced by Dennis Belfield, bass; Chaka Khan, vocals; Ron Stockert, vocals, keyboards;Andre Fischer, drums. Stockertleft 1974. Belfield left 1974, replaced by BobbyWatson.Ciner left 1974, replaced by Tony Maiden. David'Hawk'Wolinski joined 1977.
Fischer left 1978, replaced byRichard 'Moon' Calhoun. Calhoun left 1979, replaced by JohnRobinson.Rufus (1973)- At this point Rufus was mostly Ron Stockert's band; he wrote almost all the originals here, and sings a bunch of leads. As a performerand composer he's a third-rate - either 'Your Song'-type ballads ('There's No Tellin') or fakechurchy rave-ups (the piano-led 'Slip 'N Slide'). Fortunately, Chaka really cuts loose on her features, including a cover of 's 'Maybe Your Baby.' Ciner overplays on that one- he has a nice guitar tone but no new ideas, just imitating Ray Parker's original solo.
(DBW)- Stockert is terrible - he's like someone of Leon Russell's caliber trying hard to rip off Elton, butfalling back on standard American pop conventions instead. Khan'sdevastating vocal talent is quite apparent on the half-dozen songs shegets to her own, but Stockert hogs most of the original material (hispainful ballad 'Haulin' Coal'), leaving her to cover tunes by veteranslike (a really miserable 'Love TheOne You're With/Sit Yourself Down' medley), and (a respectable 'Keep ItComin').
'Slip 'N Slide' has some wild-eyed, boogie-woogie camp value,and in a couple places they support Khan with some legitimate,entertaining funk (Ciner's 'Feel Good') and soul (Allen Toussaint's'Whoever's Thrilling You (Is Killing Me)'), but there's just not a lotof value here. (JA)Rags To Rufus (1974)Pleased by Rufus' version of his song, Wonder wrote them their first hit single: the deliberate, funky 'Tell MeSomething Good.' The other hit is 'You Got The Love.' Khan's voice is a marvel, but the backing band isn't quite up to scratch: atthis point they spin out the backing tracks without much verve or enthusiasm. (DBW)Rufusized (1974)Jesus, this is one solid record. New arrivals Maiden and Watson knew how to keep a solid groove while leaving the spotlight onKhan, where it belonged. The band gave up on corny pop-gospel, and figured out a new formula: slow, grinding funk and even slowerballads, with lots of clavinet and light horn touches - and there are a ton of really clever tunes.
'Once You Get Started' and'I'm A Woman (I'm A Backbone)' are nasty funk; 'Stop On By' is a lovely ballad, while 'Pack'd My Bags' blends both elements, openingwith an unaccompanied piano solo. The brassy instrumental title track is fun, and Khan's version of 'Half Moon' invites comparisons with. There are no throwaway tracks here; even the lesser material ('Your Smile,' 'Somebody'sWatching You') has good hooks and interesting lyrics. (DBW)Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan (1975)Like the preceding record, this is packed with funk ('Ooh I Like Your Loving,' 'Dance Wit Me') and positive lyrics ('Everybody HasAn Aura'). The band sounds better than ever, although the disappearance of the horn section makes the arrangements thin in places. Most fanswill be thrilled with this one, but the previous record is better for the uninitiated.
The hit was the ballad 'Sweet Thing,' which also becamea hit two decades later for. (DBW)Ask Rufus (1977)With Wolinski on the scene, the sound is much more laid back, with plenty of ballads ('Hollywood,' 'Earth Song') and evenan orchestrated instrumental ('Slow Screw Against The Wall'). The band is good at it, but if you're looking for funk you'llbe disappointed, except for 'Close The Door' and the funk-pop 'At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up).' Khan's vocals are subduedand contemplative, quite a contrast from her earlier work, but still affecting. Drops by andadds guitar on the brief, noisy 'Ab Fry.'
(DBW)Street Player (1978)Richard 'Moon' Calhoun, recently of, was the drummer du jour. The mellowness of the previous record goes out of control here, turning most of the record into mood music more worthy of Steely Dan than anR&B/funk band.
The worst offenders are 'Blue Love,' 'Best Of Your Heart' and 'Stranger To Love'; the only truly funky cut, 'Take Time,' soundsout of place among so much dross. There's one excellent ballad, 'Stay,' and the jazzy, sinuous 'Destiny,' but overall this is a realdisappointment, perhaps signalling Khan's imminent departure. (DBW)Chaka (Khan: 1978)Khan's solo debut was produced by, and he went with a lush, fully orchestrated sound that'ssometimes slow but never dull. The hit here was 's 'I'mEvery Woman' (recently covered by ), and it's just as transcendent as one of Simpson's ownarrangements.
There's also a duet with George Benson, 'We Got The Love,' but many of the album tracks are better: the soothing 'Roll MeThrough The Rushes, the funky 'The Message In The Middle Of The Bottom,' 'Some Love' (Khan's only co-write on the record). There are only acouple of false notes: a cover of 's 'I Was Made To Love Him' is corny, and I find the uptempohit 'Life Is A Dance' bland. Players vary from track to track, but generally include(drums), (keys), Anthony Jackson or Will Lee (bass), Phil Upchurch and Hamish Stuart (guitar), plus the(horns). Also this year, Chaka appeared on Quincy Jones'. (DBW)Masterjam (1979)By now Rufus was in mode, replacing their drummer with every new LP - this time it was John Robinson.
Was brought in to produce, and he gives everything a cool LA sheen that makes the whole album soundlike background music. The credits say Rufus played all the instruments themselves (except the horns), but thebacking tracks sound suspiciously close to contemporaneous records like 's Off TheWall. Khan's voice is mixed way back, so that even nice tunes like Wolinski's 'Do You Love What You Feel' lack excitement. Only a few tunesare written by the band, and the most enjoyable track, 'Heaven Bound' was written by a pack of outsiders. There are also two tracks byRod Temperton: a dull ballad ('Live In Me'), and a duller dance track (title tune).
For Rufus and/or Quincy Jones completists. (DBW)Numbers (1979)Without Khan; this was their first record in years to miss the Top 40. I just picked this up (real cheap) and will review it sooner or later.(DBW)Naughty (Khan: 1980)A conventional late 70s R&B record - small band plus occasional horns, strings and synth - without the funkiness of Khan's work with Rufus orthe jazz leanings of her later recordings. Though she doesn't take as many chances as usual, it's fun to hear her booming voice in such anuncomplicated mainstream context. Mardin produced again, and he dug up good songwriting from a number of different sources: contributed the dramatic single 'Clouds' and the mournful album closer 'Our Love's In Danger'; session guitarist DeanParks wrote 'All Night's All Right'; and several numbers are by minor-league professional writers like Ellison Chase ('Get Ready, GetSet') and Deborah Ash ('Nothing's Gonna Take You Away').
Rufus Chaka Khan Stay
Mardin's arrangements are functional but not distinctive, except for his use oftuba and French horn on a couple of numbers. Lots of big-name players like, Weeks,Anthony Jackson, Steve Ferrone,. Avery young adds backing vocals on the Ashford & Simpson numbers; as usual, though, Khandoes most of the backing vocals herself, and they're frequently the most enjoyable part of the record (Khan's own 'What You Did').(DBW)Party 'Til You're Broke (1980)Again, no Chaka. I have this and will review it the same time I review Numbers. (DBW)What Cha' Gonna Do For Me (Khan: 1981)Mardin produced again, and mostly continued the same conventional approach as the previous record, but without the same sharp songwriting.Starting with a cover of the ' 'We Can Work It Out' that's uncomfortably similar to 's, there's just not much originality on display here, just a lot of familiar-sounding midtempo love songs ('Night Moods'). Comparedwith the later live version, the studio version of the title track is unforgivably restrained and by the numbers, both vocal andarrangement: what should be a demand sounds more like a half-hearted plea.
The album's centerpiece is a version of Dizzy Gillespie's 'A NightIn Tunisia,' which led to Khan's further dabblings in jazz, but it's diffuse, with a noodling synth solo (from, no less) in the middle and not enough focus on Khan. But despite all the problems, Khan's voiceand Mardin's attention to detail make for a pleasant listen, particularly on the gently grooving 'Any Old Sunday' and thetranscendent, energetic 'I Know You, I Live You.' Aside from the main band of Larry Williams (keys), Anthony Jackson (bass), David Williamsand Hamish Stuart (guitar) and Steve Ferrone (drums), there are guest appearances by Tee, the, and Hiram Bullock, and 'Tunisia' features David Foster, Paulinho Da Costa,Gillespie himself, and a 'cut and paste' of a 35 year old Charlie Parker solo. (DBW)Camouflage (1981)Khan's on this one, but it still didn't sell.
It's not as numbingly laid-back as Masterjam, but it has many of the same qualities:generic midtempo R&B, with no memorable hooks, overly subdued vocals, and almost no variation from track to track. Tony takes lead on severaltunes, and they're uniformly lifeless ('Lilah'), but Chaka's features aren't much better ('Jigsaw,' one of only two cuts she cowrote -presumably she was putting most of her energy into her solo career). Bobby Watson proteges added some keyboards and backing vocals, presumably on the two tunes theyco-wrote: 'Secret Friend' and 'Highlight.' Both songs are sweet, not far from Winbush's breakthrough sound in fact, buttoo pat. Other guests include.
Produced by the band; listening to this dreck, it's hard to believe the band wasjust two years away from knocking out a blistering, career-capping live album. (DBW)Chaka Khan (Khan: 1982)This didn't generate any hits, but it's a lot of fun.
Khan and were ready to experiment, comingup with energetic raveups ('Tearin' It Up' with a zillion Chaka backing vocal tracks), a terrific slow electronic funk number ('SlowDancing' with guest vocals from ), and a medley that reinterprets a bunch of bebop tunes as synth funk.That may sound appalling to jazz purists, but to me the versions here of 's 'Epistrophy,'s 'Giant Steps' and 's 'Yardbird Suite'are a heck of a lot fresher and more engaging than the 'real' jazz she ventured into on her next outing. Her singing here is phenomenal,enlivening the minor tracks like 'Pass It On (A Sure Thing)'; a pleasant surprise and a fine introduction to Khan's solo work.
(DBW)Echoes Of An Era (Khan: 1982)Khan's acoustic bebop tribute album, featuring, Joe Henderson,. The linernotes by Khan and White (who produced) are painfully self-congratulatory, bragging that they cut the disc in just two days.Maybe if they'd spent another day or two they could've come up with a whole album's worth of tracks - as it is, there are twonot-very-different takes of 'All Of Me,' as if this were a landmark Charlie Parker session or something. Anyway, the trackselection is mostly standards ('I Love You Porgy,' 'Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most' - also attempted by ) with only a couple of unequivocal bebop tunes ('s 'I Mean You').They were going for a laid-back nightclub atmosphere, but to me it comes across as too subdued, like they're not really exerting themselves.Corea's piano playing is eye-opening if you've only been exposed to his cheesy elektric work, Hubbard and Henderson are their usual fine selves,and Khan does have that great voice, but overall this is a frustrating missed opportunity. (DBW)Seal In Red (1983)Khan had nothing to do with this project, and neither should you.
Produced by, andhe slaps synth washes, boring electronic percussion and corny slap-pop bass all over everything. There are a zillion studio musicians here -, Michael Sembello, Duke - making youwonder how much the band actually had to do with the album. Java programming comprehensive concepts and techniques 3rd edition pdf.
The band is credited with most of the tunes, though, allof which lack luster: the single 'Take It To The Top' sounds like a hit only when compared to the other drab material. I think Tony's singingmost of the leads, and though his voice is completely undistinctive, it's still the best thing about the record.
Rufus Chaka Masterjam Rarity Youtube
(DBW)Stompin' At The Savoy (1983)A contract-fulfilling live double album by an all-but-defunct band sounds like a recipe for disaster, so how did it become Rufus's highpoint? Well, the professionalism of the group's late period complements the great tunes of the early days, as songs like 'I'm A Woman (I'm ABackbone)' and 'You Got The Love' benefit from loads of crafty riffs above a rock-solid pocket. The full horn section (led by ) adds a dimension lacking from some of the original recordings, while the live atmosphere andKhan's always emotional performance keeps the proceedings from getting too dry. The only drawback is that she can't sing her own backups.The set is mostly the group's greatest hits - a mix of high energy funk ('Dance Wit Me') and ballads ('Pack'd My Bags') - though there'sa fun cover of 's ' and Khan's solo hit 'What Cha' Gonna Do For Me.' There's also one side of new material, including the hit 'Ain't Nobody' - electrofunk at its most subtle and sensuous - and 'Try A Little Understanding,'combining a wonderful Khan vocal with a wicked Maiden guitar hook.(DBW)I Feel For You (Khan: 1984)The title track was ultrahip, bringing together several different sides of early 80s black pop: a song by,with harmonica by, plus a rap by Grandmaster Melle Mel, topped off by Chaka's vocals. Throughout, thealbum utilized state of the art technology, so much so that now much of it sounds dated ('My Love Is Alive' and 'La Flamme' use stuttering vocalsampling to an irritating extent). But the effects are used carefully, and often with stunning results ('Eye To Eye'); and a lot of thesongwriting is first rate ('This Is My Night,' the electrofunk 'Caught In The Act').
The lyrics aren't much and if you're an old schoolfunkaholic you may hate all the gadgetry, but if you like 80s pop tunes this is top of the line. Tony Maiden is the only other Rufus alum here;other players include Reggie Griffin, Steve Lukather and Mike Landau. Produced by Arif Mardin and a host of others. (DBW)In 1985, Khan recorded '(Krush Groove) Can't Stop The Street' for the Krush Groove soundtrack; it's a horribleattempt to clone 'Feel For You' written by, with a rapby. (DBW)Destiny (Khan: 1986)Not as hard-edged as Khan's previous effort; the sound is slick and mechanical, which is a shame because many of the tunes are engaging('Love Of A Lifetime,' 'I Can't Be Loved,' Khan's own 'My Destiny'). 'Tight Fit' is slow and yearning, like many a tune. Khan explores her love of bebop on 'Coltrane Dreams,' but again the synthetic productionspoils the track.
Session players include, Phil Collins and the Brecker brothers. (Khan: 1988)Big-time guest stars here, from (on a cover of his 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'mYours)') to George Benson to (on 's 'Sticky Wicked').There's also a version of the jazz standard 'The End Of A Love Affair.' In a big change from the electronic wizardry of her previoustwo records, she goes for a subtler, more meditative sound. She's good at it, but you may be disappointed if you're looking forthe unrestrained belting of her Rufus work. (DBW)Life Is A Dance: The Remix Project (Khan: 1989)Remixed hits from both Rufus and solo albums; I've never heard it.(DBW)The Woman In Me (Khan: 1992)A rather anonymous loud-pop production, much of it by, with plenty of harshkeyboards, carefully-distorted guitar solos and in your face percussion - like arecord.