PRELUSION
released 1974
Well, here is 20-year-old Patrice Rushen’s debut album. Given her status as a Jazz Prodigy, Prelusion was mostly “pure jazz”. And that purity is the best stuff here.
“Shortie’s Portion” is some grand ole acoustic jazz reminiscent of late 1950s Blue Note Records. The spotlight here is on a variety of horn players getting great solos over the course of the song’s 8:45. Meanwhile, “Traverse” feels like the perfect music for a smoky jazz club at 10:30pm where dudes in zoot suits are getting a little liquored up but not completely piss drunk.
The best track, though, is “Haw Right Now”. This puts the action squarely on Rushen’s fantastic keyboard work and shows that she could merge the cool jazz of the ‘50s with the overall genre’s evolution since. The upright bass player ain’t messing around. The drummer has a little funky kick to his kit. The horn players still keep it jazzy, but have a tinge of J.B.’s in them.
And to reiterate, Patrice is going hard on the electric keyboard.
Despite also being of the “straight jazz” mold, “7/73” doesn’t measure up to the previous three offerings. It’s okay, though. Kinda drags at 12:33.
What’s not okay is “Puttered Bopcorn”. Rushen gets on an ARP synthesizer and the results are awful. But one awful piece of music on a debut album ain’t bad! Especially when the worst track here is mercifully the shortest.
ALBUM GRADE: C+
I think the good songs (and even the perfectly average one) outweigh the one dud. Good for any of you jazz fans out there.
Song Scores
Shortie’s Portion: 7.5/10
7/73: 5/10
Haw Right Now: 8/10
Traverse: 7.5/10
Puttered Bopcorn: 3/10
BEFORE THE DAWN
Released 1975
Well, it didn’t take for Rushen to already start making the jazz purists mad on her second album for Prestige Records.
“What’s the Story” is basically a funk song contemporary to the period. Even has standard R&B singing provided by Josie James. The song is merely average, though.
“Kickin’ Back” is a mellow funk-jazz piece. Although not “pure” jazz, it was within the realm of respectability in the 1970s.
Even more respectable was “Jubilation”. soulfinger favorite Hubert Laws, who worked copiously with the Rascals, graces the track with his marvelous flute. And the percussion and piano have a rather Latin feel to it, which of course goes to prove no jazz is “pure” and the genre is always flirting with other forms of music.
But that’s not what jazz snubs wanted to hear in 1975. They would have (rightfully) pointed out that this “pure” jazz song, despite its daliances, was the best track on the album. Well… damn. They win this one.
Anyways, I counter with “Before the Dawn” and “Razzia” (two jazz tracks) being worse than the adulterated jazz-funk of “Kickin’ It Back” and no better than the totally jazzless “What’s the Story”.
ALBUM GRADE: C-
Leaving aside all the fuss on what is and is not jazz, this album was definitely a step down from the previous LP. Only “Kickin’ It Back” and “Jubilation” merit intentional relistening while the other three tracks are okay for background music.
Song Scores
Kickin’ It Back: 7/10
Jubilation: 7.5/10
What’s the Story: 5/10
Before the Dawn: 5/10
Razzia: 5/10