Superstar Battles: CHAKA KHAN V BRENDA RUSSELL Soul Talkin’

A change of pace from the last upload, and depending on where you are in the world it might be a Fabulous Friday or a Sizzling Saturday (it’s a cold, rainy Winter’s day in Sydney) but made hotter by two of the very finest - Chaka Khan and Brenda Russell. ’Soul Talkin’’ penned by Brenda was first found on Chaka’s 1988 opus ’ck’. As with most albums from Chaka, there was a myriad of superstar writers on board - including Prince, Womack & Womack, Holly Knight & Billy Steinberg and of course Brenda Russell who also lent her sweet vocals to background on Chaka’s version of ’Soul Talkin’. My favourite selection on the ’ck’ long player is her version of the Stevie Wonder classic ’Signed, Sealed Delivered (I’m Yours)’ which opens the album. Chaka Khan is an absolute sonal freak of nature; that voice has the most incredible range, power, control and texture. I think she is the finest soul singer of her generation, and yes that includes Natalie Co