Search - Chaka Khan :: Naughty

Ms Khan at her best

Olukayode Balogun | Leeds, England | 12/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is another one in my collection that recently made the very necessary transition from very worn vinyl to CD. Originally released in 1980, the album was produced by the legendary Arif Mardin, who sadly passed away recently. It's solo Chaka, i.e. without Rufus, at her best and this album is especially notable for featuring on background vocals, a very young Whitney Houston (on "Clouds" and "Our Love Is In Danger") and an - at the time - up and coming Luther Vandross (on "Papillon (aka Hot Butterfly)" and "Our Love Is In Danger"). Vandross's voice is particularly noticable on Papillon, which was a big hit for Khan, who was reportedly reluctant to let anyone do her backing vocals but herself. She and Mardin obviously knew talent when they heard it.



Personal favourites include "Clouds", (which was a huge club hit well into the 90s), "Get Ready, Get Set", "Move Me No Mountain", "What You Did" and "Papillon". But the truth is this is a solid set from start to finish. I'm a hopeless singer but this is one album I can never resist screeching along to every time I play it. If you're a Chaka fan, surely you must have this one already but if you'd like to find out how real female vocal r&b/soul was done back in the day, you cannot go wrong with this one."

"Naughty" and nice!

Divascribe | San Antonio, TX | 01/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this album as a record years ago when it first came out. I retired my turntable and didn't know whether I would enjoy this album as much as I did then, but to my delight I did. Chaka rules! And "Naughty" was my favorite of all her releases."

Sleeker followup to first solo effort. . . .

Danniray99 | Expatriate in Germany | 05/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Naughty" was a smoother, sleeker follow-up to "Chaka," the more raw, rough-hewn smash that featured her signature classic "I'm Every Woman." Despite the album's slickness, Chaka Khan's characteristic energy and abandon is on full blast on "Naughty"(I swear the woman must have seven lungs). Khan may have sometimes come across as an undisciplined R&B shouter, but on "Naughty" you get a chance to admire her way with a melody (the same is true on "Ask Rufus," her last truly great album with that group). "Move me no Mountain" starts off as smooth as silk before exploding with Khan's thrilling wail. "Chanson Papillon" is exquisite not only for Khan's amazingly smooth delivery, but also for the unmistakeable imprint and backing of the late great Luther Vandross, who gives the song a high-gloss finish--a nice counterbalance to Khan's wildness. The bluesy rock of "Get Ready, Get Set" and "All Night, All Right" are great sounding nods to her work with Rufus, while "Nothing's Gonna Take You Away", "Naughty" and "What you Did" signal her increasing fascination with jazz. Track for track, "Naughty" is probably the single best example of Khan's considerable stylistic range when she was at the peak of her powers."