LP Review: Street Player
Released: 1978
LP Charts: #1 R&B; #14 pop
AS THE RUFUS TURNS (where we keep track of band members)
Kevin Murphy (keyboards)
Chaka Khan (vocals)
Tony Maiden (guitar and vocals)
Bobby Watson (bass)
Richard Calhoun replacing André Fischer (drums)
David “Hawk” Wolinski (keyboards and vocals)
Whatever my gripes about the previous slew of Rufus albums, they were ultimately minor complaints in the big scheme. Here on Street Player we actually have songs that are merely (slightly above) average and sound like they could have been churned out by any number of LA studio bands. And one is legit substandard.
Here are the songs that don’t impress…
“Turn” — competent horn-filled R&B
“Best Of Your Heart” — Adult contemporary ballads? On my Rufus albums? This is the substandard offender!
“Finale” — after a couple albums being influenced by jazz fusion, the band finally does straight up jazz fusion instrumental
“Stranger to Love” — more adult contemporary music, but at least it’s not sleepy
“Destiny” — Chaka gets to indulge her jazzy side again, this time with samba thrown in.
“Change Your Ways” — a harmless, bland duet between Maiden and Khan.
All this stuff sounds like it was pumped out by either Quincy Jones or the Wide World of Toto in their formulaic conquest of pop music. Don’t get me wrong, their formulas could be very good, but they were formulas and could feel perfunctory as these Rufus songs often sound.
The band did manage some distinctive tunes, though.
“Street Player” is the first Rufus song since their debut album where Chaka Khan was not the vocal focus. This is Tony Maiden’s feature as sings nearly all the lyrics and has prominent guitar solos. Khan merely pipes in as a backing vocalist.
Never fear, Khan barges in on “Stay” (#3 R&B, #38 pop). A powerful ballad she co-wrote with new drummer Richard Calhoun, Khan’s lead and backing vocals are what powers this song from start to finish. And one of the keyboardists (Kevin Murphy or Hawk Wolinski) also provides a short solo to alleviate Khan’s singing before the final minute or so gets rather funky as Khan just ad libs her heart out.
“Blue Love” (#34 R&B) splices the Quincy Jones vibe with the jazz fusion touches to create a pleasant little pop song.
“Take Time” is the one track that attempts to go all in on the funk. The instrumental is pretty groovy thanks to Watson’s bass and Maiden’s guitar.
ALBUM GRADE: C
Their weakest album in years plays it too safe ensuring that Street Player is only for the devoted fans of Rufus and Chaka Khan.
Song Scores
Street Player: 7/10
Stay: 7.5/10
Turn: 6.5/10
Best Of Your Heart: 4/10
Finale: 5/10
Blue Love: 7/10
Stranger to Love: 6/10
Take Time: 7/10
Destiny: 6/10
Change Your Ways: 5/10