Naughty (album)

Naughty is the second solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1980.

Biography
By the early '80s Chaka Khan and producer Arif Mardin had a great working relationship that was responsible for her hit solo debut, 1979's Chaka... Naughty presents the two in a more centered working relationship... most of Naughty represents Khan in a holding pattern, without much material to accommodate her widening range. That being said, Naughty is only a few songs away from being a bona fide classic.

Three singles were released from Naughty: the club hit "Clouds" (penned by Ashford & Simpson who also wrote Chaka's "I'm Every Woman"). "Clouds" features background vocals performed by a 16-year-old Whitney Houston and her mother Cissy Houston (US R&B #10), "Get Ready, Get Set" (#48) and the big hit "Papillon (a.k.a. Hot Butterfly)" (#22). The album track "Our Love's in Danger" featured prominent background vocals from Luther Vandross and Whitney Houston. On Billboard's charts, the album reached #6 on Black Albums, #43 on Pop Albums. Naughty garnered Khan her first American Music Award nomination for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist at the 8th American Music Awards in 1981.

Following the release of Naughty Khan reunited with Rufus for the recording of 1981's Camouflage. Her third solo album What Cha' Gonna Do For Me followed later that same year. Naughty finally saw a United States CD re-release in 1998 as part of the Warner Bros. Black Music Ol' Skool series.

Personnel

 * Chaka Khan - lead vocals, backing vocals
 * Mark Stevens - backing vocals, bass guitar
 * Cissy Houston - backing vocals
 * Whitney Houston - backing vocals
 * Charlotte Crossley - backing vocals
 * Luther Vandross - backing vocals
 * Ullanda McCullough - backing vocals
 * Anthony Jackson - bass guitar
 * Willie Weeks - bass
 * Marcus Miller - bass
 * Jeff Mironov - guitar, sitar solo track 3
 * Hamish Stuart - guitar, backing vocals
 * Hiram Bullock - guitar solo track 1, 2, 6
 * Phil Upchurch - guitar, guitar solo track 3
 * Steve Khan - guitar
 * Arthur Jerkins - percussion, clavinet, electric piano
 * Sammy Figueroa - percussion
 * Naná Vasconcelos - percussion
 * Steve Ferrone - drums
 * Leon Pendarvis - piano, electric piano, synthesizer
 * Don Grolnick - electric piano
 * Ken Bichel - synthesizer
 * Richard Tee - synthesizer
 * Howard Johnson - tuba
 * David Bargeron - tuba
 * Robert Stewart - tuba
 * Joseph Daley - tuba
 * Peter Gordon - French horn
 * John Trevor Clark - French horn
 * Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone
 * Harvey Estrin - tenor saxophone
 * David Tofani - alto saxophone
 * Harvey Estrin - alto saxophone
 * Eddie Daniels - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
 * Lewis Delgatto - baritone saxophone
 * Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone
 * Randy Brecker - trumpet
 * Marvin Stamm - trumpet
 * Barry Rogers - trombone
 * James E. Pugh - trombone
 * Noel Pointer - electric violin
 * Hugh McCracken - harmonica solo track 9
 * Gene Orloff - concertmaster
 * Alan Shulman - strings
 * Al Brown - strings
 * Anahid Ajemian - strings
 * Frederick Zlotkin - strings
 * Frederick Buldrini - strings
 * Gerald Tarack - strings
 * Harold Kohon - strings
 * Harry Lookofsky - strings
 * Homer Mensch - strings
 * Jonathon Abramowitz - strings
 * Kermit Moore - strings
 * Leo Kahn - strings
 * Lewis Eley - strings
 * Marilyn Wright - strings
 * Matthew Raimindi - strings
 * Mitsue Takayama - strings
 * Paul Gershman - strings
 * Peter Dimitriades - strings
 * Richard Maximoff - strings
 * Ted Hoyle - strings

Production

 * Arif Mardin - record producer, musical arranger (horns, strings)
 * Lew Hawn - recording, mix
 * Michael O'Reilly - assistant engineer
 * George Marino - mastering
 * Photography: Glen Wexler