Album Review: Chaka Khan - "Funk This"

It's amazing that after decades as one of America's greatest R&B-pop singers, Chaka Khan is still at the top of her game. But at the top she is, and she still has an incomparable voice that's miles ahead - and heads above - most R&B singers half her age. Funk This isn't just an album, it's a clinic for singers, showing vocalists the world over how a true diva handles her business in the recording booth. Throughout the album, Chaka's vocals are consistently powerful, self assured, compelling and most of all, warm and inviting.

Chaka's Funk This contains a mixture of original material and cover songs, but the right decision was made to kick off with a new song, "Back in the Day," an autobiographical tune about Chaka's life growing up in Chicago and her becoming a singer. For new fans, it's a nice introduction to the woman and her music, and for longtime fans, it's a nice refresher course on why Chaka is who she is.

Once she gets the listening audience going on the first track, things really kick into gear on the second song, a powerful remake of the 1969 soul classic "Foolish Fool," originally recorded by Dee Dee Warwick. "Foolish Fool," about a woman fending off another woman who's trying to take her man. This song, along with the next two tracks, the acoustic "One For All Time," (which was written by Chaka with producer Terry Lewis) and the moving, old-school power ballad "Angel," are practically worth the album's purchase price all by themselves.

A good deal of the credit for the album's quality is deserved by its producers, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. They managed to find the right styles of music for Chaka which give the album a classic feel, but still modern enough of a touch to maintain a sense of relevancy and not make Chaka seem like a nostalgia act or a relic from a bygone era.

There's two songs that doesn't really work; a cover of Prince's "Sign 'O' The Times," and a remake of Jimi Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand." It's hard enough for any artist to remake those two legendary songs as it is, though many have tried and tried - and tried - over the years. But Chaka's versions just don't completely click on either level - vocally or musically - and don't do anything more than leave you wanting to listen to the original versions.

However, this is a rare thing: the other remakes on the album, including songs originally done by Michael McDonald ("You Belong to Me") Joni Mitchell ("Ladies Man") and Chaka's former group, Rufus (a medley of "Pack'd My Bags" and "You Got the Love") are all well done. Overall though, the original material definitely shines brighter than the cover songs.

Interestingly, one original song, which features another of America's greatest singers, Mary J. Blige, is good, but takes time to warm up to. The song, "Disrespectful," is sort of a modern-day version of Aretha Frankin's "Respect" and starts off with the momentum of a runaway locomotive, but then has that momemtum almost derailed by an awkward chorus. Despite that though, Funk This is a must-have for devoted Chaka fans and can also be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates massive, powerful vocals.