Stompin' at the Savoy – Live is an album by American R&B/funk band Rufus with singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1983.
Stompin' at the Savoy was a double-record set featuring three sides of live material recorded at The Savoy in New York which sees the band reunited with Khan and performing all their biggest hits such as "Tell Me Something Good", "You Got the Love", "Sweet Thing", "At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up)", and "Do You Love What You Feel" as well as "What Cha' Gonna Do for Me" from Khan's 1981 solo album of the same name.
The fourth side of the album included four new studio recordings of which two were released as singles, "Ain't Nobody" and "One Million Kisses". "Ain't Nobody", written by the band's keyboardist David "Hawk" Wolinski, became Rufus' final number-one R&B hit, reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, also won them a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1984 and has since come to be regarded as one of Khan's own signature tunes – although it in fact was recorded with Rufus. Both "Ain't Nobody" and "One Million Kisses" were included on her 1989 remix compilation Life Is a Dance – The Remix Project. Additionally, "Ain't Nobody" was featured in the movie Breakin' and its soundtrack.
The Stompin' at the Savoy – Live album which was a major commercial success, reaching number 4 on Billboards R&B Albums Chart as well as number 50 on Pop, became Khan's final collaboration with Rufus and the band dissolved shortly after its release. Quincy Jones wrote the liner notes for the album.
Track listing
Personnel Chaka Khan – vocals
Rufus Tony Maiden – vocals, guitar Kevin Murphy – keyboards David "Hawk" Wolinski – keyboards John Robinson – drums, percussion Bobby Watson – bass guitar
Additional live musicians Lenny Castro – percussion David Williams – rhythm guitar Stephanie Spruill – additional tambourine
Background vocals Stephanie Spruill Lee Maiden Julia Tillman Horn Section Jerry Hey – trumpet Ernie Watts – tenor saxophone, flute and all saxophone solos Larry Williams – alto saxophone, flute Gary Herbig – tenor saxophone, flute
Additional studio musicians Joe Sample – piano on "Don't go to Strangers" James Newton Howard – additional synthesizer Paulinho da Costa – percussion Greg Phillinganes – synthesizer bass on "Try a Little Understanding"
Horn arrangements: Jerry Hey
String and horn arrangement on "Don't Go to Strangers" by Ralph Burns
Trivia Warner Bros. also filmed the performance for a documentary and the album was to be the soundtrack, but, for unknown reasons, decided to shelve the documentary, but still release the album.
Production Russ Titelman - record producer Mark Linett - engineer Track 1–13 recorded at the Savoy Theatre, NY
Later samples "Ain't Nobody" "I Know You Got Soul" by Eric B. & Rakim from the album Paid in Full "Last Night" by Kid 'n Play from the album 2 Hype "Beat Blaster" by Rodney O & Joe Cooley from the album Three the Hard Way "Ain't Nobody Better" by Yo-Yo from the album Make Way for the Motherlode "Ain't Nobody" by LL Cool J from the soundtrack of Beavis and Butt-Head Do America "Ain't Nobody" by Faith Evans from the album Faith "Rollin'" by Lil' Troy from the album Sittin' Fat Down South
Charts Album Chart (1983)PeakU.S. Billboard Top LPs50U.S. Billboard Top Black LPs4
Singles Year Single Peak chart positions US USR&B USDance1983 "Ain't Nobody" 22 1 61984 "One Million Kisses" 102 37 67
References
External links