Patrice Rushen - Patrice (1978) [2014 Fusion Best Collection 1000]

This marked Patrice's first album with Elektra Records after making three jazz-oriented albums with Prestige Records. With this album, Rushen makes a switch from jazz to a more R&B/pop music style. The album was heavily criticized by jazz's hardcore audience and Rushen was accused of being a sellout. She was vilified in the jazz media due to this transition, as many believed that the reason for her transition was due to commercial reasons.
In this album Patrice demonstrated that she could be an expressive, charming singer, and her writing on cuts range from the funky "Hang It Up" and the ballad "Didn't You Know?" to the socio-political "Changes (In Your Life)." With Patrice, the Los Angeles native made it clear that she could appeal to the R&B and pop markets, just as her success as a jazz pianist/keyboardist. Her next album to be released would be Pizzazz.

Tracks:

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