Is Rufus a group or is it Chaka Khan with a backup band? That's a tough one. Originally a rock/soul band in the Sly mold, the first incarnation of Rufus featured fuzz guitar, organ solos and a nonorganic looseness more redolent of a white bar band than any pro soul outfit. Two of the band's original members, guitarist Al Ciner and organist Kevin Murphy, were both veterans of the teeny-bop wars on AM, having survived the American Breed (whose "Bend Me, Shape Me" became a 1967 hit). Their presence insured the band's professionalism, but it also imparted an unmistakable anonymity to the proceedings, an anonymity only belied by the boisterous personality of their lead vocalist, one Chaka Khan, who was added a mere six months before Rufus, the group's first album, was cut.

Khan quickly took command of Rufus. She possesses an extraordinary voice capable of leaping long octaves in a single bound. After languishing in the nether realms of not-quite-success, Khan and the group last year enjoyed a Cinderella stroke that catapulted Rufus to riches, namely a visit from Stevie Wonder while recording Rags to Rufus, their second LP. As legend has it, Wonder, a fan of Khan's extraordinary voice, whipped off a tune in the studio, a quivering little ditty titled "Tell Me Something Good." Rufus recorded the track replete with grunts a la Blue Swede ("Hooked on a Feeling") and bingo — a Number One gold record, dragging the LP in tow.

This unexpected turnaround in fortunes caught Rufus napping, however, and suddenly the band's old nucleus—Ciner, keyboardist/songwriter Ron Stockert and bassist/songwriter Dennis Belfield—were out on their ear, replaced by a new trio, who fortunately didn't sound so much like psychedelic retreads. Thanks to their unobtrusive accompaniment, Rufusized, the band's third disc, is Chaka Khan's most listenable yet.

By now, Rufus has become a vehicle for showcasing Chaka Khan and her idiosyncratic voice, which is finally given free rein on Rufusized. "Rufusized," the album's sole instrumental, gives the group's game away: trite (but very à la mode) synthesizer, semiclassy horn charts, a funky rhythmic bass, all sleekly compacted and circumspectly deployed, but adding up to something less than compelling.

The new material on Rufusized suffers similarly. Most of it lacks the kind of creative spark that animated "Tell Me Something Good." Truth to tell, Khan and her new crew ape the veneer of Stevie Wonder's experimental manner without penetrating its essence, his flair for economy, innovation and memorable hook lines.

Chaka Khan herself sometimes exudes an ingratiating exuberance rare in soul; at other times she sounds as if someone were strangling Valerie Simpson in a shower. Although Khan boasts an impressive range and repertoire of effects, she is overly fond of histrionic displays. I sometimes wonder whether her contortions mask a lack of personal style.

Still, she does have an extraordinary voice. On several tracks—"Somebody's Watching You," "Pack'd My Bags"—Khan even seems to be evolving a distinctive approach, beyond borrowings from Aretha and startling effects. With an aggressive band, some more arresting material and a little self-discipline, who knows? Chaka Khan may yet become the Maria Muldaur of soul. (RS 183)

JIM MILLER