Chaka Khan - Original Album Series [5CD Box Set] (2010)

Part of Warner Bros. UK and Rhino's Original Album Series collection, this budget-priced set of Yvette Marie Stevens (Chaka Khan) jams features five complete albums, including Chaka (1978), Naughty (1980), What Cha' Gonna Do for Me (1981), Chaka Khan (1982), and I Feel for You (1984).

"Chaka" is the debut solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1978. Two singles were released from Chaka, the first being her anthemic solo debut "I'm Every Woman", one of Khan's signature tunes alongside "Ain't Nobody" (1983) and "I Feel For You" (1984). The song has over the past three decades been re-released, remixed and covered a number of times, most notably by Whitney Houston in 1992 for the soundtrack album The Bodyguard, then featuring guest vocals by Khan herself and topping Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. A remix of Khan's original recording was also a Top Ten hit in the U.K. in 1989. The remix was included on the compilation Life is a Dance - The Remix Project, the title track of which was the second single release from the Chaka album in early 1979 (US R&B #40). The album also features the ballad "Roll Me Through the Rushes", never commercially released as a single but still receiving considerable airplay in 1979, as well as Khan's cover version of Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made To Love Her", re-titled "I Was Made to Love Him". Following the release of the Chaka album Khan reunited with Rufus for the recording of 1979's Masterjam, produced by Quincy Jones. Her second solo album "Naughty" followed in 1980.

"Naughty" is the sophomore solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1980. Three singles were released from Naughty: the club hit "Clouds" (penned by Ashford & Simpson who also wrote Chaka's "I'm Every Woman") (US R&B #10), "Get Ready, Get Set" (#48) and the big hit "Papillon (a.k.a. Hot Butterfly)" (#22). "Papillon" featured prominent background vocals from Luther Vandross, Cissy Houston, and her daughter Whitney. On Billboard's charts, the album reached #6 on Black Albums, #43 on Pop Albums. Following the release of Naughty Khan reunited with Rufus for the recording of 1981's Camouflage. Her third solo album "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" followed later that same year.

"What Cha' Gonna Do For Me?" is the Gold certified third solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1981. Three singles were released from What Cha' Gonna Do: the Beatles cover "We Can Work It Out" (US R&B #34), "Any Old Sunday" (#68) and the album's title track which became a number one hit on Billboard R&B Singles chart. On Billboard's charts, the album reached #3 on Black Albums, #33 on Jazz Albums, and #17 on Pop Albums. This would be Chaka's highest charting album until her 80's-era breakthrough I Feel For You. Its popularity among jazz audiences was likely due to the inclusion of the Dizzy Gillespie composition "Night In Tunisia" with a guest appearance by Gillespie himself as well as what today would be called a 'sample' of Charlie Parker's legendary seven second alto break from his 1946 recording of the title. Khan's vocal interpretation also features lyrics written by the singer herself. This album was nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female in 1981. Two tracks from the "What Cha Gonna Do For Me?" sessions were only released as B-sides of singles; "Only Once" and "Lover's Touch", both remain unreleased on CD. The instrumental intro to "Fate" has been sampled by a host of dance acts all through the 1990s and 2000s, most notably by Stardust on their 1998 hit single "Music Sounds Better With You" and a section of "I Know You I Live You" also features on "Bad Habit" by Onephatdeeva feat. Lisa Milett.

"Chaka Khan" is the eponymous fourth solo album by American R&B/Funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1982. Two singles were released from Chaka Khan: the Michael Jackson cover "Got to Be There" (US Pop #67, US R&B #5) and "Tearin' It Up" (US R&B #48), the latter also as a 12" single including an extended remix (07:21) as well as an instrumental version (08:07), both mixed by Larry Levan and included on Warner Music Japan's 1999 compilation Dance Classics of Chaka Khan. The album track "Slow Dancin'" was a funky ballad duet with the late Rick James. On Billboard's charts, the album reached #5 on Black Albums and #52 on Pop Albums. The "Bebop Medley" won producer Arif Mardin and Khan a Grammy Award in 1984 in the Best Vocal Arrangement For Two Or More Voices category. Following the release of the Chaka Khan album and the greatest hits package The Very Best of Rufus featuring Chaka Khan later that same year Khan reunited with the band Rufus for one final album together, the double live/studio set Stompin' at the Savoy - Live (1983). Her next solo album I Feel for You followed in 1984. Despite its many accolades and artistic achievements the Chaka Khan album remained unreleased on CD in both the United States and Europe, and was only available as an import from Japan, until it was finally issued on CD in the EU in 2010, as part of a Five disc set containing Khan's first five solo albums.

"I Feel for You" is the Platinum certified fifth solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1984. After having balanced her two simultaneous careers as a member of the band Rufus and a solo performer during the years 1978 to 1983, which culminated with the release of the final Rufus & Chaka Khan album Stompin' at the Savoy - Live after which the band dissolved, Khan recorded the album that was to make her a pop star with mainstream chart success; 1984's "I Feel for You". The title track, "I Feel for You" was a sample-heavy cover of a 1979 Prince track, featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel on the classic Ch-ch-ch-chaka-chaka-chaka Khan rap intro and Stevie Wonder on harmonica (and also a sample from one of his first hits, "Fingertips Part 2") and saw Khan embracing high-tech funk, rap and hip hop and stands as one of her best known songs and her biggest commercial hit, reaching #3 on the US Pop Chart, #1 on both US R&B and US Dance as well as topping the UK singles chart - and it also earned her a second consecutive Grammy Award in 1985 for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female, following "Ain't Nobody" with Rufus. Further hit singles from the album which reached #16 on Billboard's Pop Chart, #4 on R&B and also #15 on the UK albums chart were "This Is My Night" (US #60, R&B #11, US Dance #1, UK #14), "Eye To Eye" (UK #16 ) and the ballad "Through The Fire," which also reached the US R&B top ten, setting a then-record for most consecutive weeks on the Billboard R&B chart. It also rose to #60 on the Pop chart during a 19-week run on the Hot 100, and crossed over to the adult contemporary chart (US Pop #60, US R&B #15, US AC #16, UK #77). "Through the Fire" has since been sampled by Kanye West for his 2003 hit single "Through the Wire". on his debut album The College Dropout The I Feel for You album's second ballad, "Stronger Than Before" co-written by Burt Bacharach, Bruce Roberts and Carole Bayer Sager, released as the fifth single in certain territories, was later covered by among others Dionne Warwick. "I Feel for You", "This Is My Night" and "Eye To Eye" were all released as extended 12" remixes in 1984 - these are not to be confused with the re-produced ones that later appeared on the 1989 remix compilation Life is a Dance - The Remix Project. The 1984 mixes by Arif Mardin and Russ Titelman remain unreleased on CD. 1985 saw Khan releasing two non-album singles, "(Krush Groove) Can't Stop The Street" from the movie Krush Groove (US R&B #18, UK #80) and "Own The Night", featured in the first series of Miami Vice (US Pop #57, US R&B #66).