MASTERJAM has got to be the worse CD from Rufus/Chaka....

Quincy Jones made them sound like a lounge band with his slick over producing...."Love What U Feel" and "Heaven Bound" are the top songs here and "What Am I Missing" and "Live In Me" are decent(way too overprodcued)but the rest is DREK!! Especially "Body Heat" and "I'm Dancong For Your Love." Pure C R A P! I see why Chaka left after this farce of an album....CAMOUFLAGE is better than this MASTERJAM mess...now I see why of all of Rufus' albums, this is the one that I have played the least over the yrs


btw..if this vent catches anyone off guard...it was because I was going through my records and I hadnt played this one in about 7 yrs...I decided to play it and remembered the horror of my initial listen of this album way back when

Funny you should mention this.Just yesterday,I was listening to another Rufus and Chaka Khan album---1978's 'Street Player'---and I was contemplating starting a thread about it.

But back to your topic...yes,'Masterjam' is a surprisingly lackluster album.The opening track "Do You Love What You Feel" is my all-time favorite Rufus/Chaka song.It has an incredible hook,and it's one of their funkiest party jams ever.But the rest of the album is uneventful,bland and lifeless.You keep waiting to hear another killer jam,but all that's left are vapid songs that don't really go anywhere,musically or lyrically.It's hard to believe that Quincy Jones produced this album,especially when the other album that he produced that year (Michael Jackson's landmark 'Off The Wall') is so amazing.

These are the reasons why I think 'Masterjam' was such a creative disaster...

***A year earlier,Chaka released her first solo album and she had a huge hit single "I'm Every Woman".As far as she was concerned,her Rufus days were over,and I think she did this album just to fulfill her contractual obligations.She was more focused on her solo career and vocally,she seems to be going through the motions on 'Masterjam'.

***Quincy Jones spent a good portion of 1979 producing Michael's 'Off The Wall' and it's obvious that he was more focused and inspired by that project.He was determined to tranform Michael into a huge solo star.So,when it came time to work with Chaka and Rufus,perhaps he just wasn't as motivated? Most of the songs on 'Masterjam' sound anonymous and faceless.

DavidEye said:[quote]Funny you should mention this.Just yesterday,I was listening to another Rufus and Chaka Khan album---1978's 'Street Player'---and I was contemplating starting a thread about it.

But back to your topic...yes,'Masterjam' is a surprisingly lackluster album.The opening track "Do You Love What You Feel" is my all-time favorite Rufus/Chaka song.It has an incredible hook,and it's one of their funkiest party jams ever.But the rest of the album is uneventful,bland and lifeless.You keep waiting to hear another killer jam,but all that's left are vapid songs that don't really go anywhere,musically or lyrically.It's hard to believe that Quincy Jones produced this album,especially when the other album that he produced that year (Michael Jackson's landmark 'Off The Wall') is so amazing.

These are the reasons why I think 'Masterjam' was such a creative disaster...

***A year earlier,Chaka released her first solo album and she had a huge hit single "I'm Every Woman".As far as she was concerned,her Rufus days were over,and I think she did this album just to fulfill her contractual obligations.She was more focused on her solo career and vocally,she seems to be going through the motions on 'Masterjam'.

***Quincy Jones spent a good portion of 1979 producing Michael's 'Off The Wall' and it's obvious that he was more focused and inspired by that project.He was determined to tranform Michael into a huge solo star.So,when it came time to work with Chaka and Rufus,perhaps he just wasn't as motivated? Most of the songs on 'Masterjam' sound anonymous and faceless.[/q



DAVIDEYE..I feel u..STREET PLAYER isnt that much better...I cant remember the last time I played that album...I know it has to have been over 10 years ago...the only songs I can recall off that album is the title tack(booo) , "Stay" ,"Best Of My Heart"(a decent song), "Blue Love"(boooo) and "Destiny"

MASTERJAM really sucks big time! I was listening to it again today and it sucks sucks sucks....I think "Live In Me" has potential though but Quincy didnt do Rufus justice with that album....its so strange because that is one of Rufus' biggest selling albums too

MasterJam sounds like it was done in a rush, it is a Quincy Jones reject production like ya'll.

But fall back of "Street Player" I love that album(I always call it the sequel of Ask Rufus. Its depressing/dark too but lighter than Ask Rufus).

Harlepolis said:

I agree,'Street Player' is a strong album.Every song is great.

It's funny,I really can't pick my favorite Rufus/Chaka album! It would probably be a tie between 'Rufusized' and the 1975 self-titled album.

DavidEye said:

I think Ask Rufus is my favorite , but second place would be a slug-out between
Street Player and Rufusized! I dunno, tough decision....have to come back to that one....
I agree that Masterjam is pretty uneven....but so is Camouflage...but I guess Chaka was pretty much through with them by that time, anyway...

My FAVE Rufus album is "Ask Rufus". That is the MOST tense product that they eva delievered and it was unpredictable coming in 1977 in the midst of Saturday Night's Fever and the whole damn disco madness. They were a FUNK band and they came up with this mellow stuff, Chaka said it was eye-raising at that time. But the reason why I love it is hear the Chaka that people don't know much about "The Vulnerable Chaka Khan". I could tell that she was going through some thick rock bottom by listening to that album, it has a deep pain to it that I can't explain. Plus, you could sense the Joni Mitchell influence in that album(I.E. Egyption Song & Earth Song).

As for my FAVE Chaka's solo, it would be a tie between Whatcha Gonna Do For Me & CK mainly becoz of the jazz connection.

Harlepolis said:

The songs "Everlasting Love" and "Hollywood" are incredible!! I go crazy over this album.

paligap said:

Yeah,by the late 70s,Chaka was already done with Rufus and she was ready to focus on her solo career.When you listen to those last few albums that she did with them,you can tell that she was just "going through the motions".But oddly enough,her last hit single with them---"1983's "Ain't Nobody"----became a HUGE smash and even won a Grammy!

I'm surprised that so many people like the STREET PLAYERS album..I thought that was crap.....but I guess I will have to listen to it again..coming off the heels of ASK RUFUS...I just thought that album woulda been better and a more cohesive effort.....how do yall feel about Chaka's 1982 solo self titled album? Thats my FAV by her!


singing:"And I am tied to your strings and twisteddddd!!"

LoveAlive said:

Listen to the tracks "Stay" and "Best Of Your Heart".Those two songs alone make 'Street Player' the masterpiece that it is.

DavidEye said:

i agree that STAY is a masterpeice..Best of My Heart is ok....I think DESTINY is better than "Heart" but when you listen to the rest of the CD...The title track, Blue Love, that instrumental song on there.....the CD is just WHEW filler..IMO...

LoveAlive said:

I admit,I never heard this album in it's entirety.Isn't this the album with the Rick James duet "Slow Dancin"? That song is hot!

LoveAlive said:

"Stay" is such a nice song,isn't it? Really breezy and soulful.

DavidEye said:

O MY!! U have never heard the CHAKA KHAN CD in its entirety???WOW!!! "Slow Dancin" featuring Rick James is on that album..as is the Be Bop Medley and Got To Be There..I LOOOOOVE that album!!

LoveAlive said:

My favorite solo album by her is 1980's 'Naughty'.Did you like that one?

DavidEye said:

at first when I bought NAUGHTY back in 1994, I couldnt appreciate it...I was like 14 then so go figure..but that album has such a rawness to it....a non commercial element to it.....I LOVE that album!! "Papilon", "Move Me no Mountain" and ALL of side 2(except for that vapid OUR LOVE IS IN DANGER ) is HOT!!

I love NAUGHTY!!!!Its so funny cuz I read somewhere that Chaka proclaimed that CD to be a disaster

LoveAlive said:

I love the song "Our Love Is In Danger"!

Chaka called this album a disaster,huh? LOL