The only Chaka album I don't own is The Woman I Am.

Is it any good? I heard the 30 second clips on iTunes and it sounds pretty dated... that wouldn't necessarily put me off, but I know Chaka is pretty hit or miss with her solo albums.

I have this album somewhere I think I honestly don't know if it's any good

this album although not a solid set does have some nice cuts on it.

production comes from Marcus Miller, David Gamson, & Arif Mardin amongst others

in comparison to say the "Destiny" album its a good listen.

Chaka's last great released album. The voice was back. She was taking an active role in the writing process (6 of the 13 songs). It's an adult record. Maybe a little heavy in the AC and ballads department for my tastes. But a strong, albeit safe, album. Chaka seemed very focused around this time. The highlight is "Love You All My Lifetime". You can listen the album in its entirety on Rhapsody:
http://www.rhapsody.com/c...woman-i-am
[Edited 12/13/09 11:58am]

hey, i dug it out and popped it in. i really liked it you need it in your collection. There was only like one song i wasn't into until she started yelling/pleading and it was absolutly beautiful to me.

Facts of love
[Edited 12/13/09 12:08pm]

I have it and it is a pretty good, CD.

I really love that cd. Every song is not GREAT or GOOD, but overall, it is a really good piece of work. Here are my favs from the album.

I Want (this is a live version)
http://www.youtube.com/wa...1-Ktg9o0JY

You Can Make The Story Right (live version)
http://www.youtube.com/wa...NR_Lthq1ZQ

Love You All My Life Time
http://www.youtube.com/wa...LK_J7PJn5U

"You Can Make the Story Right" is a favorite of mine.

Chaka at her angriest, most powerful and most confident its a shame it fell between the cracks because its truly a solid per4mance from start to finish.

Don't let anyone tell you "The Woman I Am" or "Destiny" aren't worth owning or even listening to. They are both very good albums (especially TWIA), just not necessarily the same style as some of her previous efforts. TWIA has an pop/adult contemporary feel to it. Some great tunes on it -- Love You All My Lifetime should have been a bigger hit and there were multiple others that could have been great singles. Never understood why C.K. gets so much praise, but TWIA is never mentioned. I've always thought C.K. was a weak album. I agree with Harlepolis -- it IS a shame TWIA fell between the cracks, because it's a great album and definitely worth owning.

Destiny (in my opinion) is the great misunderstood pop/rock album in Chaka's catalog. It is the one Chaka album I hear the most negative comments about. Coming off of the pop success of I Feel For You, it definitely seems like a calculated move further to the pop/rock market. BUT I ultimately don't think that was such a bad thing. To me it just proved that Chaka could sing just about anything in any genre (obviously Echoes of an Era is icing on the cake, when it comes to proof of her abilities). In my opinion "Love of a Lifetime" is pure pop bliss -- just a great single. Destiny is one of my favorite Chaka albums... and I have no problem admitting that.

pzlyprk said:

I'd say the weakest links in that album are the 2 "rejected" Prince songs.

Give it another objective listen and you'll be surprised I used to think it was a weak album,,,,,far from it turns out. Its personal, HIGHLY personal,,,,,esp when you consider her reading of the 2 Billie Holidays songs, she really put her foot down.

Everything else was as enjoyable, from the Stevie Wonder cover to the Womack & Womack song to the Brenda Ressull pinned song(featuring Bobby McFerrin scatting) and George Benson's guitar solo on End Of A Love Affair,,,,most of all her vocall delivery throughout was on the money, you could tell she recorded the material for herself without "alienating" the few segments of her fans who don't like jazz as much.
[Edited 12/14/09 7:41am]

Harlepolis said:

Good point. It's been a while since I've given it much time. I'll give it another spin. What's the story behind the "rejected" P tunes? Eternity and Sticky Wicked? Who rejected them? Sheena had the first version of Eternity, didn't she?

I wanna get deeper, Deeper than Skin
I wanna be more than just another friend...

Uh, yeah don't let nobody lie this gem out of your collection!

pzlyprk said:

I think the C.K. album, is her most experimental album to date...not a bad album, from that point of you.

MattyJam said:

"The Woman I Am" is by far Chaka's strongest vocal performance to date. Rolling Stone wrote in a review of the album that it was the first time Chaka has sung in a clear voice in over 10 years! And it's the truth! "Woman I Am" is my favorite Chaka CD. I very highly recommend it. It is absolute essential listening.

I bought the Woman I Am cd for my 16th birthday when it came out. I liked it then and still do.

She also won a best female R&B vocal Grammy for it in 93.
[Edited 12/17/09 21:41pm]