Chaka Khan

The opening statement in the liner notes for CLASSIKHAN, the latest triumphant recording by the legendary international superstar says it all: "You thought you knew Chaka Khan? Guess what? You have no idea!" Ever-inventive, always venturing into new creative terrain, Chaka Khan's commitment to her musical artistry shows no bounds and never has that been more obvious than on CLASSIKHAN, a sumptuous collection of classic tunes exquisitely executed with that special mix of soul, power, sensitivity and subtlety that has become synonymous with Chaka's legacy of recorded works. She is a one-of-a-kind artist, daring, spirited, forever stepping beyond what may be considered 'comfortable' into new musical realms. Who else but Chaka Khan would be up for tackling such time-honored standards as Lena Horne's "Stormy Weather" and the jazz and blues classic "Round Midnight" on the very same disc she gives that special Khan treatment to a pair of James Bond movie themes, specifically "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds Are Forever."

With such a wealth of accomplishment behind her in a three-decade career filled with achievement, her thirty-year anniversary as a recording artist seems the perfect time for CLASSIKHAN. Indeed, when asked the question 'why now?' Chaka answers with typical honesty, 'Why not? There isn't necessarily a reason to do the album now other than I felt it was time for me to do a record that contains songs that have been a part of me since I was a little girl. These are the tunes I grew up on. I just felt I needed to do them now and working with a big band and a symphony orchestra, well, that's my kind of work!"

Indeed, CLASSIKHAN is aptly titled for it features the renowned London Symphony Orchestra accompanying Chaka Khan on tunes like Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?" and "The Best Is Yet To Come," a tune associated with such legends as Frank Sinatra. Eve Nelson (whose credits include work with Angela Bofill, Heather Nova and Donna Summer) produced the album while famed musician Joe Sample arranged and played on three tracks ("Round Midnight," "Stormy Weather" and "Teach Me Tonight"), Chaka recorded her vocals in London, mostly at Abbey Road (the studio where The Beatles cut all their classic albums), many done 'live' with the London Symphony. "That orchestra added a special dimension to the process of recording," Chaka recalls. "I adore them. They are unaffected people who know their art. Working with them, there was a true and honest beauty without a whole lot of fanfare."

Chaka Khan's song choices for CLASSIKHAN ran the musical gamut: "I'm sure some of them - like "Hey Big Spender" (from the Broadway musical "Sweet Charity"), the James Bond tunes and "To Sir With Love" (originally the theme for the '60s movie starring Sidney Poitier) - may surprise some people but I hope my audience will 'feel' me and like what I did." Talking specifically about that quartet of tunes, Chaka elaborates: "Well, "To Sir With Love" is just a beautiful song. Not too many people have done it and when I sing it, I think of my father and the song is dedicated to him. I did "Hey Big Spender" just because I love it and "Goldfinger"? Now that was a challenge! I was trying to think how the lyrics might apply to a modern-day girl and then the whole 'bling-bling' thing came to mind. I guess it's a warning song - like beware of the 'bling-bling'!"

"Diamonds Are Forever" - originally recorded, like "Goldfinger," by Britain's own Shirley Bassey - gets a powerhouse Khan vocal workout: "Honestly, honey," Chaka shares with a smile, "That song is self-explanatory for me, it's like my personal testimony, it says how I'm feeling right about now with the b.s. and crap in personal relationships!" In much the way Chaka Khan has often said she identifies with the songs she's sung over the past thirty years, Oscar Brown Jr.'s witty "Hazel Hips" is a perfect vehicle for 'Khan-onizing': "Growing up in Chicago, Oscar has always been a big influence in my life. My parents used to play his music and he was very much a part of the Chicago scene when I was growing up. It was tough choosing one of his songs but this one was perfect. Hey, I do have some hips," Chaka laughs, "and hey, maybe underneath it all, I'm a frustrated waitress myself," she says referring to the sassy lyrics.

Sass is an integral component of "Teach Me Tonight," a song Chaka Khan has always enjoyed and such is the case with the collection of revered standards that are included on CLASSIKHAN. "The song "I'm In The Mood For Love" is one that my grandma used to hum all the time. She passed away this year so it seemed right to include it. "Round Midnight" had to be on this record. What moves me about it are the colors of the song. It has a dark haunting beauty. "Is That All There Is" is another Peggy Lee song I've been listening to forever and it's just imprinted on my musical psyche. "Stormy Weather" has that melancholy flavor and I thought of Lena Horne in the movie (of the same name) sitting next to that big window looking out onto life " Like other classic tunes on the album, "The Best Is Yet To Come" required Chaka's innate ability for vocal inventiveness: "I had a short battle with myself," Chaka confesses, "on how to do songs like that without just copying what was done before. Eventually, I told myself, 'just shut up and sing the song!' In the end, I did it my way "

Chaka employed the same approach with country legend Patsy Cline's "Crazy" which "was an experiment, something I did to see if I could." As ever, Chaka brings her distinctive blend of jazz and soul to the song and she notes, "Jazz is always going to be there in whatever I do. CLASSIKHAN is not a jazz album in the way that "Echoes Of An Era" (a 1983 set she did with Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea and Joe Henderson) was even though some of the songs I did for this record are definitely associated with jazz. I could have done a tribute album to a singer like Billie Holiday or a record that paid tribute to a particular time period. In the end, it was about picking songs that had meaning for me." The album's closing cut, the poignant yet lyrically powerful "I Believe" is one such song, a Khan-penned original that she offers "is close to my heart, a song that speaks to everyone's inner beauty and vulnerability, a song that's really a personal statement on how I feel about myself, about life."

CLASSIKHAN comes on the heels of a highly productive period for Chaka Khan in which the Chicago-born multi-talented singer, songwriter and musician has added several milestones to a career that began in the early '70s when Chaka became lead singer for Rufus, one of the first multi-racial bands of its time. In 2003, Chaka's frank and candid autobiography, "Chaka! Through The Fire" was published to rave reviews by Rodale Press. Formed by the socially-conscious performer in 1999, The Chaka Khan Foundation assists women and children at risk and helped raise over $1.4 million dollars for autism research, awareness and therapy in 2004 alone. Chaka's own line of gourmet chocolates "Chakalates" which became available in all twenty-two Neiman Marcus stores; and as a testament to the enduring nature of her music and her influence on a whole generation of today's performers, hip-hop artist and producer Kanye West had a huge hit in 2004 with "Through The Wire" (which contained samples of "Through The Fire") as an homage to Chaka adding to the array of covers of Khan classics such as "Sweet Thing," revisited by Mary J. Blige and "I'm Every Woman," revived by Whitney Houston in 1993, fifteen years after it became Chaka's first hit as a solo recording artist in 1978.

Since her arrival on the scene in the early 1970s, Chaka Khan - award-winning singer, songwriter, and community advocate - has been setting standards in most every music genre: Pop, Rhythm & Blues, Rock, Disco, Fusion, Jazz, Rap, Hip-Hop and even Classical. Today, Chaka Khan is a musical icon, known and loved by millions of fans who have grown up with her music or found a new love for it through the reverence now given to what has become known as sound of 'Old School'. Over the years, Chaka has built a strong bond and intimacy with her fans while perfecting her craft and bringing her own special brand of energy and dynamism to her live performances.

An eight-time Grammy winner, Chaka's reputation as an exciting onstage performer goes back to her early years when Rufus featuring Chaka Khan began to make an unrivalled impact on the music world with one platinum album, five gold albums, five gold singles, five No. 1 hits and two Grammy awards. Among those many enduring hits: "Sweet Thing," "Tell Me Something Good," "Once You Get Started," "Everlasting Love," "Do You Love What You Feel," and "Ain't Nobody." Launching her solo career with "I'm Every Woman," a tune written especially for her by the legendary songwriting team of Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, Chaka has recorded nine albums and been honored with a total of six Grammy Awards for her solo work. A constant fixture on the global best-selling charts, Chaka's classic hits include "What Cha Gonna Do For Me?" "Clouds,", " the million-selling "I Feel For You," and "Through the Fire." Much-loved by her peers, Chaka has constantly worked with some of the music world's icons, starting with Stevie Wonder who wrote "Tell Me Something Good" especially for Chaka and Rufus and moving on to other superstars like her dear friend Joni Mitchell, world-class producer Quincy Jones and musical icon Prince. Never restricting herself to any one musical genre, Chaka Khan has worked in literally every area of music and her vast credits include appearances and recordings with such diverse artists as the Manhattan Transfer, Dizzy Gillespie, Gladys Knight, Joe Henderson, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Lenny White, Bobby McFerrin, Lionel Hampton, Eric Clapton, Fourplay, Peter Cetera, Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Clarke, Ry Cooder, Bruce Hornsby, Guru, Phil Collins and, of course, Miles Davis. As recently as the beginning of this decade, Chaka's collaboration with veteran rappers, De La Soul on the single "All Good?" spent more than twelve weeks on Billboard's Rap Single Chart.

Chaka's work has not been limited to the studio and stage. Expressing her admiration and love for children, Chaka recorded the theme song for Levar Burton's "Reading Rainbow," seen on the PBS television network. She's also been inducted into the "Sesame Street" family, performing with characters Elmo and Telly. Chaka, an avid film fan, has also been involved with the recording of fifteen movie soundtracks. She can be heard on the multi-platinum "Waiting to Exhale" soundtrack, performing "My Funny Valentine" for a new generation. She was nominated for a Grammy Award for her collaboration with Bruce Hornsby on "Love Me Still," which was featured on the soundtrack of Spike Lee's "Clockers." For the soundtrack "Set It Off," she teamed with Gladys Knight, Brandy and Tamia. She sang on the soundtrack of "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar," and has also recorded songs for "Miami Vice," "White Knights" and "Moscow on the Hudson" and Chaka Khan's soundtrack credits also include work on award-winning writer Terry McMillan's film adaptation of "Disappearing Acts" for which she sang the tune,"Have A Little Faith in Me." Chaka and Michael MacDonald recorded the theme song "For Your Love" for the hit television series of the same name. The Yardbirds classic provided Chaka with the opportunity to add yet another gem to a list of outstanding duets that includes "Love Me Still" with Bruce Hornsby, "Feels Like Heaven" (with Peter Cetera); and "I'll Be Good To You" (recorded with the late Ray Charles) and "Higher Love" with Steve Winwood: both of which were Grammy Award winners as was Chaka's reading of the Marvin Gaye classic "What's Going On" which was featured on the soundtrack for 2003's "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown."

Over the years, Chaka Khan has expanded her creativity by taking to the theatrical stage: she was featured in a lead role in the London West End production of "Mama, I Want to Sing." That performance earned her London's "1995 Capitol Radio Listener's Poll Award for London's Best Actress." In 1996, the State of Illinois and City of Chicago declared Oct. 19 as Chaka Khan Day. The same year, Chaka was presented the "Soul Train's Lena Horne Lady of Soul Career Achievement Award." Vibe Magazine called Chaka a "power mover" and paid tribute to her "for her influence as an innovator and conduit of all musical styles." The magazine further wrote, "She's a Jazz life force, intensely weaving Pop, Funk and R&B" and thanked her for "the timeless body of musical works that she has contributed to the recording industry." Rolling Stone magazine wrote, "Since Chaka Khan first dropped her flavor in the early Seventies with Rufus, her influence has spread exponentially, affecting singers who don't even know they're biting her style. Her voice is an instrument of knowingness, carnality, spirituality and intellect. Superstar Bette Midler called Chaka Khan "one of the greatest voices in pop music. It was a thrill to hear her live." In 1992, Chaka Khan was presented with the Diamond Life Award for Excellence by the International Association of African-American Music (IAAAM) and in 1993, she received the ASCAP Pop Award for the most played song - "Sweet Thing," originally a hit for Rufus featuring Chaka Khan in 1975.

Chaka's heightened role as the creative source for her recordings was recognized when she served as executive producer for the 1992 Grammy-winning "The Woman I Am." Her 1998 album, "Come 2 My House" featured a number of Khan compositions and confirmed Chaka's longstanding ability to use her creative skills as the producer of her own work and it's that spirit of artistic creativity that is the mandate for Chaka's entertainment company. Earth Song Entertainment (which got its name from "Earth Song," one of Chaka's compositions on the renowned "Ask Rufus" album, a song in which Chaka's mystical lyrics celebrate her divine relationship to the sun, moon, heaven and earth and speak to the purity of heart and mind with which she begins each creation). "Artists on the Earth Song label will be joint partners in their projects," Chaka says about the company which is definitely a family affair: her mother Sandra Coleman works as her business manager; her sister Tammy McCrary is her personal manager; while her daughter Milini (who enjoyed success as the lead singer for the group Pretty in Pink) has her own burgeoning solo career and son Damien is an aspiring record producer.
Chaka Khan has spent the last few years performing and preparing for the release of CLASSIKHAN which is the debut release on the Earthsong Record label. Recording an album of songs she has known and loved seems a fitting way to start the next chapter in Chaka's illustrious career and she is, as always, philosophical in declaring, "I feel that doing this album is also a great way to acknowledge this material especially if I can introduce people to some of these tunes for the first time. I do feel that I have been successful with my honesty and intent in making this record. Working with Eve Nelson, Joe Sample, Sheila E. and The London Symphony Orchestra has been amazing - many of the tunes were done in one or two takes and without a doubt, this has been one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had as an artist." And listening to everything from the heartfelt honesty of "Is That All There Is," "To Sir With Love" and Chaka's own "I Believe" to the intimacy of "Round Midnight" and "I'm In The Mood For Love" and on to bold and powerful cuts like "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds Are Forever," there's no doubt that this is indeed CLASSIKHAN done the way only Chaka Khan can.