Flashback Friday – Patrice Rushen – Straight from the Heart
“Sending you “forget me nots”
To help you to remember
Baby please forget me not
I want you to remember.”
I am sure you were starting to wonder what happened to Flashback Friday’s. Me too! I actually had a hard time selecting a Patrice “Baby Fingers” Rushen because there are so many great ones including Patrice, Posh, Pizzazz, Now, Watch Out!, and Signature. I chose the first Patrice that I owned, Straight from the Heart. It was one of the early purchases in my burgeoning record collection back in 1982. It got a lot of play in my household and I even think my Dad liked it or got used to hearing it. “Forget Me Nots” was, of course, the summer jam heating up the streets and dance floors and is still being sampled today. It had an infectious hook like “Haven’t You Heard” from a few years before. My personal jam was the instrumental “Number One” which had a soulful funk groove. “Remind Me” and “Where There is Love” were quiet storm favorites. “Break Out” featured lyrics and background vocals from Brenda Russell and “If Only” featured lyrics from Syreeta Wright. “(She Will) Take You Down to Love” had a Brazilian flavor with sounds of the rain forest and featured Patrice on guitar and Paulihno Da Costa on percussion. “All We Need” and “I Was Tired of Being Alone” were soulful and funky with catchy hooks as well. It was a solid album continuing her fine tradition of music which we had come to know and love. In addition to her outstanding vocals and songwriting, Patrice played piano, electric piano, synthesizers, clavinet, percussion, and guitar on the album. There were also a wonderful cast of musicians and vocalists contributing to this musical melting pot including Charles Mims, Jr., Paul Jackson, Jr., “Ready” Freddie Washington, Roy Galloway, and Lynn Davis (the powerhouse vocalist featured on “This All I Really Now” on the Posh album).
I had the pleasure of seeing Patrice in concert last year in a jazz setting with Buster Williams on bass and Lenny White on drums. Part of me wanted to hear some of her old soulful jams but I was mesmerized by her piano playing. Her touch and her control were amazing. I will have to check for new recordings from Patrice. I really think we need a Patrice Rushen box set. In the meantime, enjoy your music and have a great weekend!
On a rainy day during my senior year, a friend and I were having an intense discussion about music as we made the long, wet trek across campus between classes. He asked me to describe my favourite kind of music. I started to cite some examples (by Slave, Earth Wind & Fire, Chic) while trying not to step in another puddle, then proceeded to explain the elements I liked in those songs: strong instrumentation, a good groove, etc. when someone opened a car door and I heard a song that matched my descriptions. I nodded by head toward the car and said “Like this song here.”
I only heard a portion of “Forget Me Nots” (the breakdown where the bass and sax are featured), but was determined to identify the song. A few days later, I described the song to a couple friends and one of them told me it was Patrice Rushen and played a tape of the song (she took it off the radio). I was in musical heaven because Miss Rushen’s previous album, 1980’s Posh, was still one my most played albums. “Forget Me Nots” and Straight From the Heart became instant favourites.
Twenty-one years later, “Forget Me Nots” sounds as fresh as it did on that wet, rainy day in high school.
Thanks JBK!
-js
“forget me nots”
wow. haven’t even thought about that song in ages!
thanks for the flashback!
classic, classic material! Way to come back from the F.F. hiatus.
Ah, memories of my first boyfriend and my first “real” kiss. But the best memory is of my twins (before they really became aware of sampling) hearing “Forget Me Nots” and exclaiming, “she stole the Men In Black song!” I still tease them about it now that they are such experts in music and music sampling. LOL
Remind Me and Breakout were other tracks that were instant favorites down in Alabama, which is where I was living when this album came out. It was a welcome refuge from country and I enjoyed the heck out of it.
Glad you’re back. We’ll be hearing from you more often, yes?
You picked a great one — as usual.
OMG, I was in my mid twenties…drving around LA trying to break into entertainment in a rented Hertz Ford Escort…. And was blown away by fresh and breezy sound. The song has held up well over time.
I was looking for news on Patrice Rushen & Don Blackman, when I found this website and I’m glad to see that there’s still real music lovers in the new world despite what we can see on TV nowdays.
I was 8 years old when Stevie Wonder’s masterpiece album “Songs In The Key Of Life” came out and became N° 1 hit for weeks in Paris.
My father offered me the album for my birthday and that was the beginning of a huge “Soul-Funk-Jazz”record collection.
I finally found people to talk with. I’m a Guadeloupean (west Indies) raised in Paris and now living in (funkless) Mali (west Africa).
I”ll definitly stay in touch with you folks.
See ya,
Dave
I never heard miusc like that, what make your soul vibrate with a sweet funk like she does. I like that kind of music, cause the music of this time is to much violent and heartless. I’m from Puerto Rico, and in this time we need more of that feelings. Thanks for your music.
Thank you for highlighting Patrice Rushen on your Flashback Friday. My Uncle Roy Galloway sang/wrote/produced music with her for several years. I’m sure that you do not mean to post incorrect information but your link to “Roy Galloway” is an incorrect one… The link is to a caucasion man – my Uncle is African-American. Thank you for your attention to this matter.