Patrice (album)

Reception

This was also Patrice's first album with Elektra Records after making three jazz-oriented albums with Prestige Records. With this album Rushen changes genre from jazz to a more R&B/pop music style. The album was heavily criticized by jazz's hardcore audience. Rushen found herself accused of being a sellout. While others vilified her in the jazz media due to her transition as Jazz lovers believed that the reason for her transition was due for commercial reasons.

In this album 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 "Didn't You Know?" to the socio-political "Changes (In Your Life)." With Patrice, the Los Angeles native made it clear that she has the talent that is appealing as an R&B/pop singer as she had been as a jazz pianist/keyboardist. Her next album to be released would be Pizzazz.

The album got re-released on CD in 2003 by Wounded Bird Records.

Track listing

1. "Music of the Earth" (Patrice Rushen, Angela Rushen)
2. "When I Found You" (Patrice Rushen, Tony Coleman, Angela Rushen)
3. "Changes (In Your Life)" (Patrice Rushen, Angela Rushen)
4. "Wishful Thinking" (Patrice Rushen)
5. "Let's Sing a Song of Love" (Patrice Rushen, Reggie Andrews)
6. "Hang It Up" (Patrice Rushen)
7. "Cha-Cha" (Patrice Rushen, Sheree North, Angela Rushen)
8. "It's Just a Natural Thing" (Patrice Rushen, Freddie Washington)
9. "Didn't You Know?" (Patrice Rushen, Sheree Brown)
10. "Play!" (Patrice Rushen, Charles Mims, Jr.)

Personnel

Samples & Covers