The Rufus and Chaka Khan journey came to an end with these two albums. Looking back it had been a thrilling ride for both of them. Rufus, the masters of humping funk rock groove and Chaka Khan, a powerhouse mezzo soprano, over their decade long partnership creating something truly magical and rewarded with huge success.

Four US R&B Number 1 albums, a further three which made the US R&B Top Five including ‘Stompin’ At The Savoy Live’, packaged here in its entirety with its predecessor ‘Seal In Red’; five US R&B Number 1 singles, including ‘Ain’t Nobody’, ‘Stompin’s lead single, a classic piece of electro funk which saw them go out with a bang with their biggest UK hit and their second of two Grammy Awards.

This release also contains three bonus tracks including the 12” Hallucinogenic Version of ‘Ain’t Nobody’ along with including fabulous sleeve notes by Lois Wilson of MOJO Magazine.

Disc One: Stompin’ at the Savoy - Live (1983)
1. You Got The Love
2. Once You Get Started
3. Dance Wit Me
4. Sweet Thing
5. Tell Me Something Good
6. Stop On By
7. Pack’d My Bags
8. I’m A Woman (I’m A Backbone)
9. At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up)
10. Ain’t That Peculiar
11. Stay
12. What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me
13. Do You Love What You Feel
14. Ain’t Nobody
15. One Million Kisses
16. Try A Little Understanding
17. Don’t Go To Strangers

With Chaka Khan temporarily back in the fold, the band came back together with a set on fire and chock full of old favorites alongside new material, even as a second Khan reunion album, Camouflage, foundered on the chart rocks.

The idea for this set, and what ultimately became the group’s last album, grew out of those live shows. Recorded over three nights in January at the fabled New York venue, Stompin’ At the Savoy (Live) is a jam-packed live show that captured the effervescent spirit that infused the band whenever Khan added her phenomenal soul vocals to the funk-rock vibes.

Brightly shone moments include tracks such as Tell Me Something Good and What Cha’ Gonna Do for Me - truly powerhouse numbers - while Dance Wit Me and Sweet Thing follow closely behind. It is includes what were to be known as the studio side of the original live release, and which itself features the stone wall gem Ain’t Nobody.

Completely fresh, and shunting the latter day band from lukewarm to white hot, Ain’t Nobody scored the band their 5th R&B #1 when it debuted at the top of the charts in July 1983. And although Rufus disbanded not long after, both Stompin’ at the Savoy (Live) and Ain’t Nobody ensured that the band would exit the scene on a note as high ... actually, if not higher, than they entered it.

Seal In Red (1983)
1. Take It To The Top
2. The Time Is Right
3. When I Get Over You
4. You Turn Me All Around
5. You, The Night And The Music
6. Blinded By The Boogie
7. I’m Saving This Love Song
8. You’re Really Out Of Line
9. Distant Lovers
10. No Regrets
11. Take It To The Top (7” Version) [Bonus Tracks]
12. Ain’t Nobody (7” Version) [Bonus Tracks]
13. Ain’t Nobody (Hallucinogenic Version) [Bonus Tracks]

All of the Rufus releases without the presence of its revered lead singer Chaka Khan have taken a continually bad rap over the years. And of course the reason always come down to the same basic thing; sometimes no matter how musically able a band is they need a particularly magical singer to make the entire concept work.

This finale for Rufus was released during a time where many of the members, in particular drummer John Robinson had largely moved onto becoming session aces and came out towards the end of 1983. The band turned to the production of jazz-funk/pop producer George Duke for this album and despite the fact that this album was so commercially unsuccessful that many people to this day don’t know it even exists - let alone how very creatively rewarding it actually is.

It features a variety of different types of songs that will work for just about every type of audience, from urban contemporary ballads to funk/pop and even some lightly pop/rock material. Of course, the main reason for all of this are the strong instrumental and songwriting of Chaka group members Tony Maiden and Hawk Wolinkski who really go out of their way on this album to make a musically satisfying recording.

As noted, for the most part the album comprises mostly of very slickly recorded pop/funk somewhat in the manner of Michael Jackson and songs such the ballad When I Get Over You and the mid-tempo groove The Time Is Right are not only good, but also feature the vocals of Aaron Neville’s son Ivan.

Hawk gives extremely credible performances on You Turn Me All Around and especially Blinded By The Boogie, a slippery electro funk type tune with a slinky bass/guitar line and great harmonies between Hawk and Toni on the chorus. A mixture of horn style and electro grooves show up on Take It To The Top and Your Really Out Of Line, both featuring a lot of vocoders and a few Minneapolis style synth affectations now and again.

The most similar to Rufus’s late 70’s style dance/funk is the guitar vamp of You, The Night And The Music, again a showcase for Maiden, but easily the most electrified number is the brilliant closer No Regrets where Hawks’ high, raspy vocals are wrapped around some heavily layered synthesizer riffs.

Official Purchase Link