Chaka Khan - The Essential Chaka Khan (2CD) (2011) [gnodde]

Chaka Khan - The Essential Chaka Khan (2CD) (2011) [gnodde]



The anthemic soul of "I’m Every Woman" and 1984’s chart-topper "I Feel For You" clearly identify the rallying R&B spirit of much of Khan’s solo work, but there are longtime fans who maintain a fondness for her jazz-funk recordings with Rufus. There’s little of that here, though, bringing in to question the use of the word “essential” in the collection’s title.

Only three Rufus tracks make the cut, none of which are especially representative of the band’s core sound; the hit single "Ain’t Nobody" makes broad concessions to mainstream dance music, while their version of the standard "Don’t Go To Strangers" remains faithful to the song’s torch ballad roots.
There are, however, lingering signs of Khan’s old band’s hard grooves on selections from her 1979 solo debut Chaka (The Message In The Middle Of The Bottom, Life Is A Dance).

Khan’s late 80s and 90s recordings were fairly erratic in quality, though 1992’s "The Woman I Am" was a high watermark, notably the wronged woman ferocity of "You Can Make The Story Right" and the slinky "Love You All My Lifetime". Yet even when the songs themselves border on the mediocre, they’re lifted to a higher plain by that magnificent voice.

Tracks:
Cd 1:
01. I Feel For You
02. I'm Every Woman
03. Clouds
04. Ain't Nobody (with Rufus)
05. The Message In The Middle Of The Bottom
06. Roll Me Through The Rushes
07. Life Is A Dance
08. Papillon (Hot Butterfly)
09. We Can Work It Out
10. Any Old Sunday
11. Got To Be There
12. Lover's Touch
13. What'cha Gonna Do For Me
14. I Know You I Live You
15. And The Melody Still Lingers On (A Night In Tunisia)
16. Stronger Than Before
17. This Is My Night
18. Eye To Eye

CD 2:
01. Through The Fire
02. Everywhere
03. Love Of A Lifetime
04. It's My Party
05. Signed Sealed Delivered (I'm Yours)
06. I'll be Around
07. End Of A Love Affair
08. Don't Go To Strangers (With Rufus)
09. Love You All My Lifetime
10. Don't Look At Me That Way
11. You Can Make The Story Right
12. Never Miss The Water (With Me'Shell Ndegeocello)
13. Fate
14. I'm Every Woman (Remix)
15. Ain't Nobody (Remix)

Bonus Tracks:
01 - Once You Get Started
02 - Sweet Thing

All in MP3 @ 320kbps