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...Chaka Khan singing jazz standards !?!? "Echoes Of An Era" [Elektra E1-60021, 1982] First time I've played this. She has a nice voice but she's trying far too hard and the result is unlistenable. Without the instrumental breaks I'd have frisbeed it off the balcony of the Bearcave. The 'music biznis' demons at Elektra must have told her she had one shot at singing jazz or they'd let her slip under the waves of the "new" black-music direction forming around 1984-85: heavy synthesizers, hip-hop influences, etc. that would wipe her soulful Philadelphia sound off the map (after a couple last gasps...) This album doesn't even have her lovely face on the cover and an appearance and name that sounds like it might be a Smithsonian recording of piano-rolls... What a waste of talent. Glad I got the "Super Saver" and didn't pay "List Price."
Edits: 02/04/17Follow Ups:
I love that album'''' "Echoes of an Era"! If you don't like it, you should hear the second one..."Echoes of an Era 2: The Concert" with Nancy Wilson! Its great! And also...as mentioned there's the "Griffith Park Collection" and also the "Griffith Park Collection 2: The Concert". Both of the last 2 are all music no singers.
Would be nice if Acoustic Sounds did some reissues 45's on 180G vinyl of all of them.
I'd save it for the solos of any of the above 5 great musicians, if there are any solo or non-vocal cuts. On the other hand, I used to like Chaka, too. Perhaps your porridge was either too hot or too cold, Mr Bear.
...add Joe Henderson on 'The Griffith Park Collection'. No vocals, but a very very good album anyway. You might enjoy this one better.
Gotta agree with the other responses - while she's no Nina Simone or Abbey Lincoln, I don't find the album unlistenable. Sure, she's an r-n-b singer, not a jazz singer, but she's not in over her head. A fun one-off, giving her a chance to strut her stuff wth some of the best, and she acquits herself well. As far as the record company giving her one chance to make a jazz record before pushing her under the electronic/hip-hop stream, she'd already dove in the year before and scored her biggest hit covering a Prince tune with a rap break by Melle Mel. She's stayed pretty eclectic since then, moving easily among styles. She seems to sing what she pleases.
Not a Philly soul singer, either - Rufus came out of Chicago. No swooping strings, no Gamble and Huff, no Thom Bell.
nt
I've always enjoyed this album. The "side men" are amazing and Chaka kills on Night in Tunisia, retitled "The Memory Lingers On" with lyrics.$2.92 plus shipping on amazon.
"If people don't want to come, nothing will stop them" - Sol Hurok
Edits: 02/05/17
I may pick that one up. Thanks to Mr Bear for bringing it to our attention, up or down.EDIT: I just ordered it; a near mint copy was around $20 on Amazon, including shipping.
Edits: 02/06/17 02/06/17 02/06/17
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