The 1983 Grammy Awards were dominated by Michael Jackson and Thriller. I feel like Mr. Jackson and the album have gotten enough press so I'm highlighting a couple of unrelated winners that year:
Diva: Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices - - Arif Mardin and Chaka Khan for "Be Bop Medley"
Mensch: Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) - - Nelson Riddle for the Linda Ronstadt album *What's New*
The Chaka Khan song is full of strut and snap. It sounds like a Manhattan Transfer tune done with the Chaka Khan band. Miss Khan, of course, is tremendous!
I was CRAZY for What's New when it came out, I listened to it over and over and over. That album and the two follow-up albums were my first exposure I had to many of those amazing songs. Can you believe that the first time I heard "Sophisticated Lady" and "Lush Life," it was in the Linda R recordings? She didn't exactly do those songs any harm but in retrospect they're much better served by other singers. The arrangements by the divine Riddle are sublime.
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