Quincy Jones' crisp, elegant production is as flattering to Rufus and Chaka on Masterjam as it was to Michael Jackson on Off the Wall, though the raw material is, of course, very different. Jackson is an ever-improving pop-soul stylist, while Rufus is essentially a commercial funk band that plays party music.

It would be unfair to say that Rufus is nothing without singer Chaka Khan–they share the honors, Khan trading lead vocals with guitarist Tony Maiden in the album's hottest cuts, "Do You Love What You Feel" and "Walk the Rockway"–but she's certainly the group's most attractive feature. And unlike Arif Mardin's somewhat overdressed production on Khan's solo Chaka last year, Jones' musical settings suit the singer simply and smartly, highlighting her figure, so to speak: a few strands of celestial strings, some sunbursts of brass and many neon-precise handclaps. All Khan has to do is lean on the rhythm section's bulging biceps, throw back her head and wail. When she does this in "Any Love" and "Heaven Bound," she's terrific.

Unfortunately, on Masterjam's second side, the songs aren't so good. Chaka Khan's not in top form and neither is Rufus. So all Quincy Jones can do is make everyone sound slick and dull. Which, I suppose, is better than just plain dull. (RS 313)

DON SHEWEY