Customer Reviews

Very Best of

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This straight reissue of the 1982 collection has no surprise choices in its linep. All ten tracks were top 10 R & B hits. Be it the oh-so funky "Tell Me Something Good" and "You Got The Love" or dance floor fillers like "At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up)" and "Once You Get Started," touching tales such as "Hollywood" and "Please Pardon Me" or the steamy ballads "Stay" and "Sweet Thing," all of the enclosed tracks are great.

My only complaint is that this collection did not offer more tracks when it was reissued on CD - in particular the lush "Sharing The Love" (their only other top ten hit). With first rate musicianship and a stellar lead vocalist in Chaka Khan, this set is long enough however to show why Rufus was one of the top bands of the '70s. Also, that they were far more than just Khan's launching pad.

Female singers in a duo or group fit a consistent pattern. They seem dominated at first by musical producers or collaborators, yet command all attention to the point where when they inevitably leave for solo work, they take the group's identity. Examples abound: Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Cher, Gloria Estefan, Annie Lennox, Natalie Merchant; none of the groups or song partners here achieved any solo success without them. (This cannot be said for the less successful solo ventures of Prince protoges Appolonia and Vanity.)

Yet Rufus (later Rufus featuring Chaka Khan), here with their brief but exciting greatest hits collection, show themselves to be a cohesive band blessed with a dynamic lead singer. Make no mistake, Chaka's vocals sling around party grooves like "At Midnight" and "Once You Get Started," and mid-tempo ballads like "Hollywood" and "Stay" with passionate skill equalling Aretha at her peak. But Rufus, led by guitarist/vocalist Tony Maiden, keyboardist Kevin Murphy and sax man David Wolinski (who co-wrote and produced several tracks) also authored the group's groundbreaking rock/R&B hybrid. Listen to the rubbery funk of Stevie Wonder's "Tell Me Something Good," or the gentle electric piano opening "Sweet Thing" and know that Rufus wanted, and briefly achieved, true R&B/rock/pop crossover success.

Chaka would work with the best after her solo career began in 1978: David Foster, Arif Mardin, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Prince. But her collaborations within, not in front of, Rufus produced the most satisfying music of her career. At least one diva, Diana Ross, decided to rejoin her fellow Supremes for a summer tour; Chaka would do no worse bringing Rufus back for another round. Recommended set.

In the sixties there was a group called American breed, best remembered in America for Bend me shape me. They didn't chart in Britain but Bend me shape me did - it was covered by Amen corner. American breed disbanded but some of its members went on to form a new group - Rufus. However, it was after one further change, the replacement of the original lead singer with Chaka Khan, that Rufus had their greatest success.

In this new formation, Rufus had a string of top ten hits on the American R+B charts, many of them featured here. They actually scored a UK top ten top hit in 1984 with Ain't nobody but it is not included here.

While I generally prefer Chaka Khan's solo music, there is no denying the quality of the music she recorded with Rufus - a mix of excellent ballads and funky songs to dance to.

If you enjoy seventies R+B with a funky groove, or you enjoy Chaka Khan's solo music, you are likely to enjoy this.

Chaka Khan is my favorite female singer of all time. I'm only 23 but I'm captivated by the sound of the entire 1970's soul era. In other words, it's all I listen to. I don't think Rufus gets enough credit for their input on these songs as well as the other albums they did with Chaka Khan. To me, this is R&B/Soul at its finest. There were other songs that should have been included on this greatest hits album, but nonetheless, for what is present on it, it's flawless. The sound arrangement, the instruments, the singing whether lead by Chaka Khan or backup, is all on point and right on time. All components compliment each other. The chemistry they possess is almost scary at times because you can hear the individuality where each band memeber gets to do their own thing but it all flows perfectly in the end. These songs are just a few of the many great tracks recorded by Rufus and Chaka Khan. The only album I'm missing is Ask Rufus, but anyone just starting to get into Rufus and Chaka Khan, or 1970's soul/r&b, this is a great place to start. If you enjoy hearing creativity and instruments being used to their potential, just pay whatever cdnow is asking or go look for this album in a store somewhere, but just buy it. Besides, today, everyone is sampling something from that era anyway. Why not just listen to the real thing?
On this album, my favorite songs are Stay, Hollywood, Please pardon me and You got the love. Tell me something good and Sweet thing are great songs too, but I think everyone has heard them in a movie or something. Erykah Badu sang Stay on her live album, and although I think it's great as well, it can't compare to the original. Teddy Riley sampled Hollywood on Queeen Pen's album back in the late 90s but it just took away from the creativity that was needed to create songs like these. The amazing part of it all to me is that everything is done by instrument and not computers or synthesisers. If synthesisers are used, it's done with taste and it doesn't overpower the sweat and effort of the band members and their instruments.

This CD is very good for those of us who got into appreciating Chaka late (as I did as a lil kid when she came out with the remake of "I Feel For You" in 1984). My favorites are "Hollywood" and "Stay" which happen to be back to back on the CD. If you are looking for the hits from Rufus and Chaka U can't go wrong with this CD at all. Very much recommend. "Once You Get Started" with this CD I also recommend for you to check out the group's 1979 CD "Masterjam" which is off the chain and comes STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!!!

EVERY SONG ON HERE IS A CLASSIC, BUT IT IS TOO SHORT. IT CLOCKS IN AT ONLY 43 MINUTES. THEY COULD HAVE ADDED ABOUT 6 OR 8 MORE SONGS. SONGS LIKE "SMOKING ROOM," "PACK'D MY BAGS,"
"CIRCLES," "EVERLASTING LOVE," AND MANY MORE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THIS SO CALLED "VERY BEST OF."

This compilation is a nice Chaka & Rufus 'sampler', and it would earn 5 stars if it were expanded & enhanced!!There is room for at least 5-6 more tracks since CDs can hold 80 minutes of music!! Songs like 'Ain't Nobody', 'Fool's Paradise', 'Close The Door', and 'Everlasting Love' SHOULD BE INCLUDED on this CD!!! With an incomplete collection like this, I would urge interested parties to invest in the original CDs for a better appreciation of this group's (& Chaka's !!!) talents!!! Peace, S.D. (from 'Chaka's World')

For years a $$$ import for Chaka Khan fans but now The Very Best Of Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan has been issued
by MCA. All the hits that propelled Rufus into orbit as one of the best 'crossover' Soul bands are here and these are just some
of the examples set that shot Chaka off onto her own on-going successful solo career. Unfortunately for Rufus, after Chaka
jumped ship Rufus sank after 2 unsuccessful albums. But as they say 'the music plays on' and this CD is packed with tunes that
are still 'radio staples'and club hits around the globe to this day. The sonics are amazing and you can hear clearer & brighter
than ever before. The bass pops and Chaka is especially a turn on! Just listen to her moan, coo & scream on "Tell Me
Something Good," "Do You Love What You Feel" & "Sweet Thing" for pre-warmup action. Get the message? O.K. now get
the CD and warm up your own SWEET THING... Chaka style!

Chaka Khan had (and still has) one of the post expressive, emotional voices of all time, but she never had more sympathetic collaborators than her partners in Rufus. Not only that but Ms. Khan had a much more active role as a writer in Rufus, and it shows when she takes one of her own lyrics and creates the pins and needles effect on the back of the unsuspecting listener's neck. The ballads "Stay," "Please Pardon Me," and "Sweet Thing" should prove once and for all that the 1970s were not the musical wasteland so many critics love to make people believe. This is great music of great value and taste, and should be a primer for any would-be soul emoter.

This, I would have to say is absolutely, right on. Rufus and Chaka Kahn, were, and as far as I'm concerned one of the best from the 70's. This CD features some of the best from the group. It also brings back happy times for me back in the groovy 70's. What I'm really trying to say it's a must have.