Classikhan

by

Chaka Khan

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ClassiKhan, Chaka's latest outing of standards is really like a breath of fresh air. Interestingly enough, the title is rather misleading for diehard Chaka fans would be expecting smooth, funky, grooves, that she is known far and wide for. But her jazz afinity/expertise has always been relegated to the back burner for obviously commercial and unforgivably negative reasons.

Chaka is one of the all-time premiere vocalists and it is terribly unfair to pigeonhole her or any other artist for that matter whose craft transcends cateogrization.

This is a wonderful, jazzy set of standards that true music aficianados will readily appreciate as well as enjoy. There are no surprises here in terms of vocal performance - Chaka can get as smoky, and sensual, and exhilarating as anyone out there and she is more than capably backed up by the London Symphony Orchestra no less. On a very good sound system, this is the bomb! Top-notch production which gives you the feeling of being in a grand concert hall with Chaka blowing you away while you sip luxuriously on your favorite cocktail and enjoy a good cigarette.

The only complaint I have is the choice of selections. Chaka put out a jazz album in the early days with Chick Corea and Ron Carter which is ample evidence that she can indeed carry a jazz standards album with absolutely no problem. Even some of her R&B stylings indicate an enormous range. As a matter of fact, the whole time I listened to this I was reminded when Aretha did the very same thing releasing Soul 69, quite possibly her best Atlantic recording. This was an album of standards as well with Aretha literraly blowing you away with smoky renditions of blues and jazz cuts, but with an earthier selection. Diana Ross did the same when she recorded Lady Sings the Blues which I believe helped her find her true voice.

While Chaka's rendition of Stomy Weather is deep, her reading of To Sir With Love inspired and her interpretation of Teach Me Tonight is quite simply superb, one has to wonder why she felt the urge to include TWO James Bond themes. The CD ends with a beautiful ballad she penned, showcasing again, what we just love about Miss Chaka.

In the final analysis, there are some artists who deserve to be at least noticed no matter what you may think of the product. Moreover, an artist of Chaka's stature is forever adding to their body of work - it is futile to try to put a finger on the "best thing an artist has done" but rather, revel in the next level of the art form.

If you are familiar with jazz standards and appreciate the musicality of this genre, you will be quite pleased..

I've been a huge fan of Chaka Khan for decades and have practically all the stuff she's ever done on either LP or CD, including her work with Rufus, Quincy Jones, Lionel Hampton, Fourplay and a number of others I can't recall right now. I'm guessing I wasn't alone when there was talk - after many years of will she or won't she - of her releasing an album of jazz standards. I'm sure I wasn't alone in recalling, for example, her renditions of "The End Of A Love Affair" and "I'll Be Around" (featuring Miles Davis, no less) on her "C.K." album or "And The Melody Still Lingers On (Night In Tunisia)" on the "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" album, "Be Bop Medley" on the album "Chaka Khan", "My Funny Valentine" on the soundtrack to the "Waiting to Exhale" movie or indeed, her ultimate jazz performance in my view, the "Echoes Of An Era" album she did with Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White.

And thus I'm sure I wasn't alone in being a tad disappointed with this set. Sure, it's Chaka, sure these are jazz standards, sure she belts (in places) and sure, she's even backed by the London Symphony Orchestra but something seems to be missing. I can't put my finger on it but it seems as if her heart wasn't in what she was doing and she was basically just going through the motions. Not even great support from Joe Sample (on three songs - "Round Midnight", "Stormy Weather" and "Teach Me Tonight") saves the album. The set is produced by Eve Nelson and I have to confess I've never heard of her. How come Chaka didn't turn to true and tested folk she's worked with on jazz tunes before? People like Arif Mardin or Russ Titleman?

I'll support Chaka Khan 'til the end and she is and will always be one of the few artistes out there who's stuff I'll buy without listening to it first. I just feel slightly let down by this CD. Come on girl, we all know you can do better than this.