The record in context

Khan’s official album page dates What Cha’ Gonna Do for Me to 1981 and credits Arif Mardin as producer. Its track list includes We Can Work It Out and And the Melody Still Lingers On (Night in Tunisia).

Listen closely

The variety of material invites attention to how a singer adapts her movement. A voice does not have to use the same rhythmic gestures in every song to remain recognisable. Khan’s identity can be heard in her attack, texture and ability to make a phrase travel across the accompaniment.

Listen to the preparation for a sustained note. The singer may gather force gradually or arrive with a sharper burst of energy. In either case, what happens before the note helps determine its emotional weight. The band’s continuing pulse gives the listener a measure against which to hear that movement.

The album is also an invitation to hear the full sequence rather than isolate the title. Changing musical settings reveal different aspects of the same instrument. The vocal’s range becomes an expressive resource, not merely a display of technical capacity.