Chaka Khan - Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Vol. 1 (CD)

All Music Guide

Chaka Khan's career is a rich one. As part of Rufus, she brought the funk home through the 1970s, across a staggering nine albums recorded with the band. She then repeated her success across a stronger solo career that spanned three decades. Epiphany is a chunky compilation that showcases the full range of Khan's work, embracing ballads, deep funkers, and jazzy groovers. Kicking off the proceedings is the blissful "Ain't Nobody" -- probably the song most closely associated with Khan -- and one of the last things she recorded with Rufus. It originally appeared on 1983's live Stompin' at the Savoy, and Khan's Rufus-era output is completed here with another Savoy track, the Stevie Wonder-penned "Tell Me Something Good." But there are other gems too, from chart-toppers to less-remembered nuggets. Khan's treatment of Prince's "I Feel for You," which features guest musicians Melle Mel and Stevie Wonder, is still a treat. Ashford Simpson gifted "I'm Every Woman" to Khan, and gave her a numbe...r one hit upon its initial release; "The End of a Love Affair," meanwhile, takes its cue from Ella Fitzgerald -- to whom the song is dedicated, and which allows Khan to utilize her voice in an entirely different way. There's more versatility in the funky jazz of "And the Melody Still Lingers On (A Night in Tunisia)" and, while the brash "Papillon (aka Hot Butterfly)" is a weak link, this is still a wonderful compilation, packed with a fair representation of Khan's far-reaching canon. The perfect armchair companion. - Amy Hanson, All Music Guide Read more Less