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. Despite having the hit single "I'm Every Woman," Chaka was often a stilted and unfocused affair. Naughty presents the two in a more centered working relationship. The big hit here, "Papillion (aka Hot Butterfly)," projects an effortlessness that didn't come as easy during Khan's concurrent run with Rufus. The tough, Latinized rock/funk of "Too Much Love" has one of Khan's most visceral performances. For Naughty Khan also does one of the better versions of Aaron Schroeder and Jerry Ragovoy's "Move Me No Mountain" that's made even better by Anthony Jackson's steady bass and Steve Ferrone's tough drumming. Despite the high points, other songs like "What You Did," "Our Love's in Danger," and even Ashford & Simpson's "Clouds" come off underdone. Recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York, 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. ~ Jason Elias, All Music Guide
Frederick Zlotkin (Strings), Arthur Jenkins (Keyboards), Kevin Tong (Reissue Producer), Willie Weeks (Bass), Luther Vandross (Vocals), Anahid Ajemian (Strings), Pat Kraus (Digital Remastering), Cissy Houston (Vocals (Background)), Phil Upchurch (Bass), Peter Dimitriades (Strings), Mary Ann Dibs (Design), Richard Tee (Synthesizer), Hiram Bullock (Guitar), Dave Bargeron (Horn), Harvey Estrin (Sax (Tenor)), Arif Mardin (Producer), Gene Orloff (Concert Master), Howard Johnson (Horn), Louis del Gatto (Saxophone), Sammy Figueroa (Conductor), Luther Vandross (Vocals (Background)), Ronnie Cuber (Sax (Baritone)), Arthur Jenkins (Percussion), Peter Gordon (French Horn), Randy Brecker (Trumpet), Don Grolnick (Piano), Leo Kahn (Strings), Ullanda McCullough (Vocals (Background)), Steve Khan (Guitar), Barry Rogers (Trombone), Richard Tee (Keyboards), Gerald Tarack (Strings), Kevin Tong (Liner Notes), Joseph Daley (Tuba), Michael Brecker (Sax (Tenor)), Homer Mensch (Strings), Marcus Miller (Bass), John Clark (French Horn), Mitsue Takayama (Strings), Arif Mardin (String Arrangements), Chaka Khan (Vocals (Background)), Richard Seireeni (Art Direction), Al Brown (Strings), Leon Pendarvis (Piano), Charlotte Crossley (Vocals), Alan Shulman (Strings), Arif Mardin (Strings), Richard Maximoff (Strings), Marilyn Wright (Strings), Joseph Daley (Horn), Hamish Stuart (Bass), Hamish Stuart (Guitar), Howard Johnson (Tuba), Jeff Mironov (Sitar), Ted Hoyle (Strings), Peter Gordon (Horn), Lewis Eley (Strings), Phil Upchurch (Guitar), Robert Stewart (Horn), Mark Stevens (Vocals (Background)), Naná Vasconcelos (Percussion), Mark Stevens (Vocals), Ronnie Cuber (Saxophone), David Tofani (Saxophone), Pat Kraus (Engineer), Paul Gershman (Strings), Ullanda McCullough (Vocals), Steve Ferrone (Drums), Charlotte Crossley (Vocals (Background)), Jeff Mironov (Guitar), Harold Kohon (Strings), Eddie Daniels (Sax (Alto)), Lew DelGatto (Sax (Baritone)), Jim Pugh (Trombone), Eddie Daniels (Flute), John Clark (Horn), Noel Pointer (Violin), Whitney Houston (Vocals (Background)), Lewis Hahn (Engineer), Hugh McCracken (Harmonica), Noel Pointer (Violin (Electric)), Jonathan Abramowitz (Strings), Marvin Stamm (Trumpet), Harvey Estrin (Saxophone), Chaka Khan (Vocals), Kermit Moore (Strings), Whitney Houston (Vocals), Glenn Wexler (Photography), Robert Stewart (Tuba), Lewis Hahn (Mixing), Anthony Jackson (Bass), Mark Stevens (Bass), James Pugh (Trombone), Michael Brecker (Saxophone), Sammy Figueroa (Percussion), Arif Mardin (Horn (Alto)), Kenneth Bichel (Synthesizer), Hamish Stuart (Vocals), Frederick Buldrini (Strings), Cissy Houston (Vocals), David Tofani (Sax (Alto)), Don Grolnick (Piano (Electric))
