To all Chaka wannabees--this is the album that the original "Sweet Thing" came from. Inasmuch, look to this as something on the order of Aretha's "Lady Soul" or Natalie Cole's "Collection" for the real thing in female soul sanging--not every pretty face in a new video can do it...and Gawd knows we've saturated the airwaves with them, lately. Chaka did most of her own vocals, overdubbing herself and mebbe vocalist/guitarist Tony Maiden on most of the tracks. We're talking before a lotta the one named hip-hop divas were even conceived. Claire Fischer strings and orchestration are prevalent on many tracks--check out Chaka's newest, "Come 2 My House", or, better yet, Chaka w/Rufus's "Ask Rufus" for how the orchestration help allow Chaka to develop that afro-gypsy-seductress thing she's maintained throughout the years. Rufus, in my estimation, has always been a great band and this CD illustrates that like many bands, they are more than the sum of their parts--there's some awesome bass and drumwork, here, baby. Great cuts are "Little Boy Blue" and the Bee Gee's "Jive Talkin'".