Description

Patrice Louise Rushen is an American composer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, music director and vocalist.

After recording three jazz-oriented albums for Prestige, Patrice Rushen switched to Elektra and gave herself a major R&B/pop makeover with Patrice (1978). This switch from jazz instrumentalist to R&B/pop vocalist was successfully made.

Patrice demonstrated that she could be an expressive, charming singer, and her writing or co-writing is solid on cuts that range from the funky Hang It Up and the lovely ballad Didnt You Know? to the socio-political Changes (In Your Life). With Patrice, she made it clear that she was as appealing as an R&B/pop singer as she had been as a jazz pianist/keyboardist.