What Cha' Gonna Do for Me (Chaka Khan album)

Infobox Album
Name = What Cha' Gonna Do For Me
Type = studio album
Artist = Chaka Khan


Released = 1981
Recorded =
Genre = R&B
Length = 42:04
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Producer = Arif Mardin
Reviews = Rating|4|5 All Music Guide [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3xfwxqq5ldje~T1 link]
Last album = "Naughty"
(1980)
This album = "What'Cha Gonna Do For Me"
(1981)
Next album = "Echoes of an Era"
(1982)

"What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" is the Gold certified third solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1981.

Overview

Three singles were released from "What Cha' Gonna Do": the Beatles cover "We Can Work It Out" (US R&B #34), "Any Old Sunday" (#68) and the album's title track which became a number one hit on Billboard R&B Singles chart. On Billboard's charts, the album reached #3 on Black Albums, #33 on Jazz Albums, and #17 on Pop Albums. This would be Chaka's highest charting album until her 80's-era breakthrough "I Feel For You". It's popularity among jazz audiences was likely due to the inclusion of the Dizzy Gillespie composition "Night In Tunisia" with a guest appearance by Gillespie himself as well as what today would be called a 'sample' of Charlie Parker's legendary seven second alto break from his 1946 recording of the title. Khan's vocal interpretation also features lyrics written by the singer herself. [cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3xfwxqq5ldje~T3|title=Chaka Khan: "What Cha' Donna Do For Me" (Charts & Awards)|publisher=All Music Guide] This album was nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female in 1981. [ [http://theenvelope.latimes.com/factsheets/awardsdb/env-awards-db-search,0,7169155.htmlstory?selectsearch=awardsdb&target=article&searchtype=all&Query=chaka+khan&search.x=0&search.y=0 Chaka Khan @ The Envelope Awards Database] (Page 2)]

Two tracks from the "What Cha Gonna Do For Me" sessions were only released as B-sides of singles; "Only Once" and "Lover's Touch", both remain unreleased on CD.

The instrumental intro to "Fate" has been sampled by a host of dance acts all through the 1990s and 2000s, most notably by Stardust on their 1998 hit single "Music Sounds Better With You" and a section of "I Know You I Live You" also features on "Bad Habit" by Onephatdeeva feat. Lisa Milett.

For reasons best known to the Warner Music Group the "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" album has been re-issued on CD in both Europe and Japan - but has yet to see a CD release in the United States.

Track listing

# "We Can Work It Out" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:43
# "What Cha' Gonna Do for Me" (Doheny, Stuart) - 3:54
# "I Know You, I Live You" (Khan, Marden, Mardin) - 4:29
# "Any Old Sunday" (Fraser, Ironstone, McCrary, McCrary) - 3:37
# "We Got Each Other" (Baboff, Khan, Lederman) - 3:56
# "And the Melody Still Lingers On (Night in Tunisia)" (Gillespie, Khan, Mardin, Paprelli) - 5:04
# "Night Moods" (Jerry Ragovoy) - 4:21
# "Heed the Warning" (Chase, Jacobson, Khan, Stevens) - 4:32
# "Father He Said" (Ash, Campagna) - 3:52
# "Fate" (Bugatti, Musker) - 3:14
# "I Know You, I Live You" (Reprise) (Khan, Marden, Mardin) - 1:22

Personnel

* Chaka Khan - Percussion, Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)
* Michael Brecker - Reeds, Saxophone, Sax (Tenor), Brass, Soloist
* Randy Brecker - Reeds, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Brass
* Hiram Bullock - Guitar, Soloist
* Bob Christianson - Synthesizer
* Frank DeCaro - Production Coordination
* Louis del Gatto - Reeds, Saxophone, Brass
* David Foster - Synthesizer, Mini Moog, Prophet 5
* Ronnie Foster - Keyboards, Piano (Electric)
* Dizzy Gillespie - Trumpet
* Gary Grant - Reeds, Trumpet, Brass, Overdubs
* Lewis Hahn - Engineer, Mixing
* Larry Hall - Reeds, Trumpet, Overdubs
* Herbie Hancock - Keyboards, Bells, Oberheim, Soloist, Breakdown, Clavitar
* Jerry Hey - Trumpet
* Kim Hutchcroft - Reeds, Saxophone, Brass, Overdubs
* David Leonard - Assistant Engineer
* Wayne Lewis - Assistant Engineer
* Arif Mardin - Strings, Arranger, Producer, Liner Notes, String Arrangements
* George Marino - Mastering, Mastering Engineer
* Michael O'Reilly - Assistant Engineer
* Gene Orloff - Concert Master
* Gary Panter - Photo Illustration
* Greg Phillinganes - Keyboards, Rhythm Arrangements, Mini Moog
* Bill Reichenbach Jr. - Reeds, Trombone, Brass, Overdubs
* David Richards - Synthesizer, Assistant Engineer
* Barry Rodgers - Reeds, Brass, Trombone
* Richard Seireeni - Art Direction
* Jeremy Smith - Engineer
* Lew Soloff - Reeds, Trumpet, Brass
* Mark Stevens - Bass, Vocals
* Hamish Stuart - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
* Richard Tee - Keyboards, Clavinet
* Bobby Warner - Assistant Engineer
* Tim Wild - Illustrations
* Michael Sembello - Guitar
* David E. Williams - Guitar
* Larry E. Williams - Synthesizer, Flute, Reeds, Keyboards, Saxophone, Brass, Overdubs, Horn Arrangements
* Anthony Jackson - Bass
* Abraham Laboriel - Bass
* Drums by Steve Ferrone, Raymond Lee Pounds, Casey Schelierell
* Percussion by Errol "Crusher" Bennett, Paulinho Da Costa, Chaka Khan [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3xfwxqq5ldje~T2 Chaka Khan: "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" (Credits)] . All Music Guide]

Non-album tracks and remixes

* "Lover's Touch" (B-side of single "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" (WBS 49692)) (Taylor) - 4:31
* "Only Once" (B-side of single "We Can Work It Out" (WBS 49759)((Ruff, Ruff, Kaplan) - 3:55

References

External links

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