''Pizzazz'' is the fifth album by American singer
Patrice Rushen
Patrice Louise Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American jazz pianist and R&B singer. She is also a composer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and music director.
Her 1982 single "Forget Me Nots" received a Grammy Awar ...
.
Reception
While she was attacked for leaving the jazz genre, Rushen was able to get a good fan base with an R&B/Pop audience. Rushen's profile in the R&B world continued to increase with ''Pizzazz'', her second album for
Elektra Records and fifth overall.
''Pizzazz'' was her second highest-charting album, reaching #39 in 1979. It features the hit single "
Haven't You Heard." The single soared to the top of R&B radio playlists and is among Rushen's biggest hits.
With this album Rushen drew on such influences as
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million reco ...
,
Minnie Riperton
Minnie Julia Riperton Rudolph (November 8, 1947 – July 12, 1979)
was an American singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single " Lovin' You" and her four octave D3 to F7 coloratura soprano range. She is also widely known for her use ...
,
Stevie Wonder, and
The Emotions
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
. Rushen was able get the R&B lover's attention with songs such as the funky opener "Let the Music Take Me," the soulful ballad "Settle for My Love," and the perky "Keepin' Faith in Love." ''Pizzazz'' received plenty of attacks from jazz critics, who accused Rushen of being a traitor, but from an R&B/Pop perspective the album is considered one of Rushen's most rewarding and essential albums.
Track listing
Personnel
* Patrice Rushen – lead vocals (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7), backing vocals (1-7), electric piano (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7), synth solo (1), percussion (1, 3, 5, 6, 7), acoustic piano (2, 4, 5, 7, 8), drums (3, 6), tambourine (4, 8),
clavinet (6); horn, string and vocal arrangements
*
Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (1, 4, 8)
*
Marlo Henderson – guitar (1, 2, 7)
*
Al McKay
AL, Al, Ål or al may stand for:
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Al (''Aladdin'') or Aladdin, the main character in Disney's ''Aladdin'' media
* Al (''EastEnders''), a minor character in the British soap opera
* Al (''Fullmetal ...
– guitar (2)
*
Wah Wah Watson
Melvin M. Ragin (December 8, 1950 – October 24, 2018), known professionally as "Wah Wah Watson", was an American guitarist who was a member of The Funk Brothers, the studio band for Motown Records.
Career
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Melvi ...
– guitar (4, 6, 8), backing vocals (6)
* Wali Ali – guitar (5, 7)
*
Freddie Washington – bass (1-8), acoustic guitar (3), drums (6), percussion (6)
*
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler ( ; July 1, 1952 – February 3, 2018) was an American pop, funk, and jazz drummer. He was also a composer, producer, and university professor.
Biography Early life
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on July 1, 1952, Leon ...
– drums (1, 4, 8)
*
James Gadson
James Gadson ( James Edward Gadson; born June 17, 1939) is an American drummer and session musician. Beginning his career in the late 1960s, Gadson has since become one of the most-recorded drummers in the history of R&B. He is also a singer and ...
– drums (2)
* Melvin Webb – congas (1), drums (5, 7)
*
Bill Summers Bill Summers may refer to:
* Bill Summers (car builder) (1935–2011), American car builder and longtime speed record holder
* Bill Summers (musician) (born 1948), American jazz percussionist
*Bill Summers (umpire)
William Reed Summers (November ...
– percussion (2)
*
Lynn Davis – backing vocals (1, 3-8)
* Roy Galloway – backing vocals (1, 3, 6, 7)
* Josie James – backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 7, 8)
* Pauline Wilson – backing vocals (2)
*
Syreeta Wright
Syreeta Wright (February 28, 1946 – July 6, 2004), who recorded professionally under the single name Syreeta, was an American singer-songwriter, best known for her music during the early 1970s through the early 1980s. Wright's career heights we ...
– backing vocals (2)
*
Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (4, 6, 8)
*
D. J. Rogers – lead vocals (6)
Handclaps
* Tony Lewis
* Charles Mims Jr.
* Phil Moores
* Chip Orlando
* Larry Robinson
* Patrice Rushen
* Freddie Washington
Horns / Horn Contractors
*
Gerald Albright
Gerald Albright is an American jazz saxophonist. He earned Grammys for 24/7 in 2012 and Slam Dunk in 2014 and has been nominated for New Beginnings in 2008 and for Sax for Stax in 2009.
Biography
Born in Los Angeles, Albright grew up in its ...
– reeds
* William Green – reeds
* Clay Lawrey – trombone,
baritone
* Maurice Spears – bass trombone
*
Oscar Brashear – trumpet, flugelhorn
*
Raymond Lee Brown – trumpet, flugelhorn
Strings
* Charles Veal Jr. – concertmaster (1, 3-8)
* Gerald Vinci – concertmaster (2)
* Rosemary McLean – contractor
* Marilyn Baker, Harry Bluestone, Ronald Cooper,
Endre Granat, William Henderson, Carl LaMagna,
Robert Lipsett, Nils Oliver, Jerome Reisler, Art Royval, Terudo Shoenbrun, Robert Sushell, Barbara Thomason, Charles Veal Jr. and Kenneth Yerke – string performers
Production
* Patrice Rushen – producer, executive producer
* Reggie Andrews – producer
* Charles Mims Jr. – producer
* Peter Chaikin – engineer
* Chris Gordon – assistant engineer
* Phil Moores – assistant engineer
* Chip Orlando – assistant engineer
* F. Byron Clark – remixing
* Chris Bellman – mastering
* Allen Zentz Mastering (San Clemente, California) – mastering location
* Ron Coro – art direction, design
*
Norman Seeff
Norman Seeff (born March 5, 1939, in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a photographer and filmmaker. Since moving to the United States in 1969, his work has been focused on the exploration of human creativity and the inner dynamics of the creative ...
– front cover and sleeve photography
* Moshe Brakha – back cover photography
Charts
Singles
References
External links
Patrice Rushen-Pizzazz at Discogs
{{Authority control
1979 albums
Patrice Rushen albums
Elektra Records albums