Before the Dawn (Patrice Rushen album)
| Before the Dawn | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1975 | |||
| Recorded | August 1975 | |||
| Studio | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 36:58 | |||
| Label | Prestige | |||
| Producer | Reggie Andrews | |||
| Patrice Rushen chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [1] |
Before the Dawn was the second album by jazz/R&B singer Patrice Rushen. While 1974's Prelusion was essentially a straight-ahead record with fusion references, 1975's Before the Dawn album was essentially a fusion album. With this album Rushen brings a fusion of R&B, pop, and rock elements to her jazz foundation.
The album included the song "What's the Story," which was the only song that did not have a jazz artist's sound; it has a more funk tune which features singer Josie James. This would later be compared with songs from her follow-up albums as it showed great resemblance to her work as an R&B singer with Elektra Records. Everything else on the album, however, is instrumental jazz — although instrumental jazz that is mindful of R&B, pop, and rock. The album was a clear step for Rushen as it showed her entrance to R&B music and exit from jazz music.
Her next album was Shout It Out, which would be her last with Prestige Records.
Track listing
All tracks composed and arranged by Patrice Rushen.
- "Kickin' Back" - 7:27
- "Jubilation" - 6:05
- "What's the Story" – 5:15
- "Before the Dawn" - 8:30
- "Razzia" - 9:41
Personnel
- Patrice Rushen – acoustic piano, electric piano, synthesizer, clavinet, tambourine, cabasa
- Lee Ritenour – guitar
- Charles Meeks – bass (1, 2, 4, 5)
- Tony Dumas – bass (3)
- Harvey Mason – drums (3, 4, 5)
- Leon "Ndugu" Chancler – drums (1, 2)
- Kenneth Nash – percussion (3, 4)
- Nate Alfred – percussion (1, 2, 5)
- Hadley Caliman – tenor saxophone (1, 2)
- Oscar Brashear – trumpet, flugelhorn (1, 2, 4)
- Hubert Laws – flute, alto flute (3, 4)
- George Bohanon – trombone (1, 2, 4)
- Josie James – vocals on "What's the Story"
- Handclaps on "What's the Story" – Nate Alfred, Reggie Andrews, Thelette Bennett, Josie James, Charles Meeks, Charles Mims, Patrice Rushen, Evelyn Wesley, Jimmie Lee Wesley, Brenda White and Martha Young
Production
- Producer – Reggie Andrews
- Special Production Assistance – Charles Mims
- Engineer and Remix – Skip Shimmin
- Mastering – David Turner
- Art Direction and Design – Phil Carroll
- Photography – Phil Bray
References
- ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 173. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.