Chaka Khan
Chaka

The vocal qualities are not in question. A five-octave range, warm and multifaceted timbre, grit, and interpretative skills to spare. For many enthusiasts, the only one capable of rivaling the queen of R&B, Her Majesty Aretha Franklin.

And then, not just a powerful voice, but also technique. It's known that when you have a great engine, the risk is to over-rev it, to get lost in virtuosity that is there simply to say, "listen to how good I am." This risk does not arise with Chaka Khan. As she herself said in a recent interview, her primary concern has always been to enhance the song, to put her voice in service of the piece and not the other way around. The only risk, in her vast production, is that of inconsistency. Her problems (admitted and, it seems, definitively overcome) with alcohol and drugs have affected her artistic production, leading to performances that have not always been up to the mark.

Born on March 23, 1953, in the suburbs of Chicago, under the name of Yvette Marie Stevens, she discovered her vocal talent early. At 15, she was already performing in the clubs of Chicago and its surroundings, under the stage name "Chaka," which means "warrior" in Swahili. She would add the surname "Khan" around age 18, resulting from a hurried and brief marriage. These were the years of civil rights struggles and the "Black Panthers," to which she adhered with conviction, as a testament to a social and political commitment that has never waned.

In 1972, the breakthrough. She replaced the singer Paulette McWilliams in the Funk group "Rufus," which would soon become: "Rufus & Chaka Khan." An understated debut in terms of recording success, but the cover of "Maybe Your Baby" surprised its author, Mr. Stevie Wonder, who wrote a piece specifically for that fantastic voice: "Tell Me Something Good." For Chaka, it was her definitive consecration, with the first Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance coming in 1974.

1978 saw the release of the first solo album, titled "Chaka." Recorded with the finest musicians of the New York scene at the time, such as Steve Ferrone, Richard Tee, Airto Moreira, Michael and Randy Brecker, just to name a few. It was also the beginning of her artistic partnership with Arif Mardin (already a producer for the likes of Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, and Donny Hathaway). The album remains a milestone of Soul, and even today it retains all its extraordinary freshness. It opens with what would also be the first single and the most successful track: "I'm Every Woman," composed by the renowned duo "Ashford & Simpson," now a classic with an irresistible groove. The tempo stays high with tracks like "Life Is a Dance" and "We Got the Love," featuring the vocal contribution of its author, George Benson.

There are also ballads, like "Roll Me Through the Rushes" and "A Woman in a Man's World" (incidentally, where Amy Winehouse was inspired for her "Love Is a Losing Game"), where Chaka's vocal hues shine in all their facets, like precious gems. The Gospel sound is present, evident in the choirs of "Love Has Fallen on Me".

The intention, however, is to keep the album's tempo high, hence excellent pieces of pure Funk such as "Some Love" and the successful cover of Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made To Love Him".

The late 70s, as many contend, mark the pinnacle of Black music. Albums like "Chaka" are its seal. A season closes, other paths will open afterward, but the results will often be, with a few rare exceptions (like Prince comes to mind), below the interpretative value, stylistic elegance, and compositional originality of albums like "Chaka."

Even for Chaka Khan, as mentioned, there will be inconsistent trials. Her life, from then on, would not prove easy. Besides the aforementioned issues with dependency, she would face the dramas of a son accused of murder and acquitted after a long trial, and a grandchild affected by a severe form of autism. But to all these problems, the "Warrior" would respond with her customary grit, never forgetting others (For years, she has been at the forefront with her foundation supporting autistic children). Therefore, for some years now, it has been a pleasure to hear her, finally at peace with her ghosts, but not yet tamed, expressing all her grit and her magnificent voice (marked only by a few wrinkles) in concerts and albums that are always engaging and moving.

A curiosity. In the choirs of "I'm Every Woman," there's a very young and still unknown Whitney Houston. A few years later, at the height of success, Houston would record her version of the same piece. If you have the inclination, listen to the two versions in quick succession. I concluded that in this case, the pupil did not surpass the master, but trails several lengths behind. Personal opinion.