Patrice Rushen

Grammy Award-winning American R&B, Disco and Jazz vocalist, composer, classically trained pianist, keyboards player, producer, music director, and educator. Aside from the piano, Rushen can also play numerous other instruments including the flute and the clarinet, as well as various kinds of percussion. Born 30 September 1954 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Her signature sound can be described as a sophisticated composition of R&B, jazz, and funk styles. When she was 17, Ms. Rushen and her band won a competition that earned them a spot at the Monterey Jazz Festival, which earned her a recording contract with Prestige Records in 1973. After recording three albums and becoming an in-demand session player, with artists that included [a=Jean-Luc Ponty], Rushen signed with Elektra Records in 1978.