When Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee CHAKA KHAN stepped on stage in London singing the 1953 jazz standard “Teach Me Tonight”, it was immediately obvious that she is much more than just the ‘Queen Of Funk’. And to the exciting contrary, those of us lucky enough to witness her 2024 Meltdown Festival grand finale performance soon became very willing music education students.
Following in the recent footsteps of Iconic Diva Legend Grace Jones, Professor Khan was the guest artist-curator of this year’s Meltdown 29th edition. She also opened and closed the Southbank Centre 10-day event with two unforgettable concerts. Chaka hand-picked an eclectic talent potpourri of diversity and inclusion that featured many of her personal favorites including Taka Boom, Tyler Max, Bruce Hornsby, Todrick Hall, Mica Paris, Rahsaan Patterson, Incognito featuring Maysa and War with Lonnie Jordan.
She chose a local children’s youth choir to sing Living Legend Dionne Warwick’s classic “I Say A Little Prayer” and also added popular new British artists Queer C*ntry, Morcheeba, Sisters In Dub, Big Joanie, Lady Blackbird and others to perform on multiple indoor and outdoor stages.
Accompanied by the brilliant Nu Civilasation Orchestra, Chaka was greeted with the first of several standing ovations during a night dedicated to the 20th anniversary release of “ClassiKhan” – an ambitious project she recorded mostly at London’s Abbey Road Studio (made famous by The Beatles among others) with the London Symphony Orchestra. The critically-acclaimed CD is a diverse mix of songs she grew up listening to in Chicago with her late father who was an accomplished musician and her mother who sang opera.
While, ‘ClassiKhan’ focuses heavily on jazz standards including Billy Eckstine’s “I’m In The Mood For Love”, and Lena Horne’s “Stormy Weather”, it includes James Bond 007 Hollywood movie theme songs, the ‘Sweet Charity’ show tune (“Hey Big Spender”), Frank Sinatra’s (“The Best Is Yet To Come”) and Patsy Cline’s country western classic (“Crazy).
At age 71, Chaka Khan brilliantly performed each selection with an irresistible vocal delivery that sounded as melodic and powerful as it did when she began her career (over 50 years ago) as the 17-year-old front woman of the funk band Rufus.
My personal favorite of the evening was the poignant spiritual, “Roll Me Through The Rushes” from her 1978 debut solo album, ‘Chaka’. It has been a long-awaited live concert request by ‘Chakaholic fans’ for almost three decades.
But it was the remarkable staging of “Through The Fire” and “I Believe” (unveiling the Chaka Khan Meltdown Choir singing high above her background singers and musicians) that clearly stopped the show.
The 21-voice ensemble of local female singers (featuring an emotional ‘thank you’ solo by London independent artist Tawiah) was created especially for Chaka’s amazing closing night.
Skillfully executed by her long-time musical director / bass player Melvin Lee Davis, the first encore, “Ain’t Nobody” (with local female dancers gracing every aisle) was received with another thunderous standing ovation highlighted by a joyous call and response audience participation sing-along. Chaka was joined onstage by several fellow Meltdown performers to help sing her second encore finale, “I’m Every Woman” which culminated in a colorful firework burst of paper confetti streamers flying through the cheering foot-stomping crowd.
Meltdown Festival 2024 was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacular that celebrated Chaka Khan’s 10X Grammy-winning career legacy … not only as a beloved enduring singer-songwriter and timeless beauty; but also as an influential activist and global change maker.
Darrell Hill
Freelance Music Journalist
Black Entertainment Historian-Archivist
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