Search - The Jazz Channel Presents Chaka Khan (BET on Jazz) on DVD

Timeless Performance, So-So Delivery

01/30/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This was a good concert. Chaka's in great voice, the backing band is hot,and the song selection / arrangements have high
creative value. However,(and I hate to say this) the one missing
ingredient I felt when watching this was Khan's little rapport with her audience. She seems shy,hiding behind all that hair. You can see the faces in the audience-she's got them eating out of the palm of her hand yet she seems oblivious to it or not engaging it. Maybe this was done when she wasn't feeling jovial or maybe she's not that emotionally involved with her audience-which is her choice . But the fire between performer and audience that makes performances really warm seems lost without that to me. In other words, it just feels like she's going through the motions. I can imagine that she still performs many dates per year and that can probably become tedious. I would still go to her live. Highlights are her reading of "Man From Mars", her mean scat on "Them Their Eyes" and her touching performance of "Love Me Still". The last song sounded sincere as if she were asking the question from her heart. And the answer is yes! Yes, Chaka we love you still!"

Pretty Good until She fades

mistermaxxx@yahoo.com | usa | 10/04/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"the show started off good&then around the middle of the show Chaka Khan just kinda went down from there.the Band was on point but Her vocals strayed&after a while it felt like She was just going through the Motions.if this Performance had have stopped early after a few songs then it would have been tight but it goes a bit to long.the Musicianship was tight throughout nevertheless."

Chaka Rocks Jazz!

Cat Call | New York, NY United States | 10/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Chaka Khan flexes her amazing vocal chops and proves she can sing jazz with the best of them. Yes, Chaka even scats (quite well I might add) on several of the numbers on this live recording. Although this video is probably not for the jazz purist, it's definitely a must-have for any Chaka fan! Chaka handles herself well on the jazz front, but don't expect a traditional jazz performance a la Ella Fitzgerald. Some of the arrangements are a bit hokey and the band isn't exactly tight. But I bought this for Chaka and she is in top form. She sings in the low and middle tones with enough subtlety and nuance to counterbalance her incredible bursts of trademark belting when she sings in the higher registers. The video shows that, at this point in her career, Chaka Khan has become a seasoned vocal performer with few rivals and one who can tackle almost any musical genre with aplomb."

Great Funk-Jazz from a great singer/expert band!

mistermaxxx@yahoo.com | 01/08/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A mellower set from Ms.Khan than some fans are used to but no less emotionally gripping! This project is an interesting & pleasing fusion of jazz standards filtered through a funky musical contraption. I quite enjoyed it! Expertly executed by a band of top LA studio musicians and funkstress, Khan. Of greatest interest to disciples of Chaka Khan, Vinnie Colaiuta, & Melvin Davies (etc.) than to jazz purists. Comparison to Ella Fitzgerald is stretching- but Chaka's funky arrangements & delivery are no less engaging. The original tunes are well crafted instrumentally, though the lyrics are at times sophomoric. Make no mistake, this is a improv-skilled rock band & singer interpreting jazz standards, not straight-ahead jazz. This is along the same pop/funk/jazz blend as Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, or "DeJohnette, Hancock, Holland, Metheny in Concert". The band kicks (EVERY member plays stirring solos)! They include:
Chaka Khan - Vocals, Melvin Davies - Bass, Vincent (Vinnie) Colaiuta - Drums (playing a lovely Gretsch Burnt Orange kit!), Mark Stephens - Piano, Andy Weiner - Trumpet. Enjoy!"