PATRICE RUSHEN — Prelusion (review)

PATRICE RUSHEN — Prelusion album cover Album · 1974 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
Patrice Rushen is known to many as a singer for her early 80s R'n'B and disco hits. Possibly her just reissued debut album from 1974 will surprise a lot - she is an inventive and capable jazz pianist/keyboardist here.

"Prelusion", originally released on Prestige label, is a product of its time. It contains five pieces that vary stylistically from post-bop to groovy jazz fusion. Rushen's octet is of the highest class and includes such stars as tenor Joe Henderson and drummer Ndugu (member of Santana at the time) among others.

Patrice plays piano and electric keys/synth with energy and precision. In contrast with some popular jazz fusion artists of the time, her roots are obviously in mainstream jazz, not rock music.

The opener, "Shortie's Portion", contains heavy brass arrangements and in moments sounds just like a progressive big band piece. Bassist Tony Dumas builds a groovy background, sax solos come right from the better post-bop albums of the time. Percussive "7/73", the album's longest song, recalls the grace of Return To Forever's debut album, just scented with rich brass arrangements. Both above-mentioned compositions (which complete side A of the vinyl album) are quite complex compositionally.

Side B opener "Haw-Right Now" is a funky piece very much in a key of Hancock's Headhunters. "Traverse" is a percussive mid-tempo post-bop ballad. The closer "Puttered Bopcorn" is full of electric keys and synths anchored by a rich bass line.

"Prelusion" demonstrates a less-known side of Patrice Rushen as a jazz fusion pianist/keyboardist. There were not many female band leaders in the early fusion era, the album itself is a strong work for the fans of classic fusion from the 70s.
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