Patti Austin

Patti Austin

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 14, 2007)
• Original Release Date: March 1984
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mosaic
• ASIN: B000PAAI6G
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,536 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Featuring Marcus Miller, Nile Rodgers, Hiram Bullock, Steve Jordan, Richard Tee, etc.
It is common knowledge among music industry insiders that Patti Austin is, along with Natalie Cole, one of the two most supremely gifted and versatile vocalists in the business today. In Patti's case, she has attained this position through hundreds of background vocal and jingle sessions, high-profile duets (with James Ingram, George Benson, Michael Jackson, and others) and of course her own genre-busting recordings.

1984's Patti Austin, her follow-up to her pop breakthrough Every Home Should Have One, teamed Patti with some of the most accomplished producers in the business, including her Godfather and label head Quincy Jones. With the singles It's Gonna Be Special and Shoot the Moon enjoying significant airplay, she was able to establish herself as a force in the R&B world. Austin embraced this world-class material with uncommon passion and grace, showing once again that she is a consummate and supremely gifted artist.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars About Time !, September 18, 2007

By	Armando M. Mesa (Chandler, AZ) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I got tired of holding my breath about three years ago waiting for years for this Patti Austin title to be issued on cd stateside;I ended up purchasing my Japanese copy on eBay for an amount that I could have bought several cd's with. However, this was Patti's most difficult to obtain self titled cd and I had to have it ! ...No regrets.

Over the years, I've collected most of Patti Austin's albums and cd's and have yet to be disappointed(though, I did avoid her early 90's GRP catalog output).The Quincy Jones/Qwest 80's era catalog that Patti Recorded under showcases what an outstanding and fantastic artist she was/is.The lady is awesome to the nth degree.

This Patti Austin album is absolutley top notch in both terms of production and performance.Not a single misstep.I remember this type of R&B back in the 80's being called urban-pop soul.This was mature, adult, urban pop soul that could compete and survive and excel beyond what teens or kids my age were also listening to---Patti was able to reach a younger market as well! Whatever category or name this style was given it is some of the most slick and smooth music to come from the 80's (in the midst of a lot of cold synthesized artists);Patti exhudes pure and sheer vocal finesse(she can take on the color of each song and it becomes hers).I remember seeing this Austin title in the 80's in cut out bargain bins and avoided buying it thinking there had to be a reason why it didn't sell well.I'm just glad to own both the vinyl and cd version of this underrated gem(the vinyl version I have hanging in an album frame to display what has been lost to the cd and MP3 formats---album PHOTOGRAPHY and album jacket cover ART!)...

A couple of tracks on the Japanese cd oop issue only differs from the vinyl and cassette American version in that Rhythm of the Streets is extended towards the end;A sort of funky breakdown and Patti somewhat scattin' and ad libbin' at the end along with another track.

From the opening island partying and infectious Gonna Be Special track, to the toe tappin' Rhythm of the Streets (Santana's percussion player worked on this one), the fast paced and frenetic Hot! In The Flames of Love, an almost clone sounding Patti LaBelle New Attitude sounding track with the title Change Your Attitude, THEN all the way to the closer sentimental ballad, Any Way You Can, this album is phenomenal...In fact, I'm not one to get all mushy about ballads, but Any Way You Can can really strike a chord with even the toughest of the tough.This is the Patti Austin I remember growing up as a teen---This is the Patti Austin sound I remember and has stayed with me even into adulthood.

For Patti Austin fans, there is an actual music video for Rhythm Of The Streets on the site YouTube that shows Patti in a sort of 30's-40's jazz club setting. The lady dances,high kicks,and even acts in the video--shows that she has a great sense of humor! She could have been an actress.

I am happy to see this title re-issued in the states (FINALLY). Another title I would like to see re-issued of hers is the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced album Gettin' Away With Murder (contained the smoldering single Heat of Heat and Honey For The Bees---Alison Moyet did this song as well, but Patti's cover sizzles---she adds the R&B funk to it). The title track (some trivia here) Gettin' Away With Murder was a Meatloaf tune (his version pales in comparison to Patti's)!...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glad to see this one reissued, September 13, 2007

By	Timothy B. Mustaine (Wichita, KS United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I don't buy the previous reviewer's categorization of Patti Austin's newest (I assume he refers to Avant Gershwin) as "mediocre." But I certainly agree that this is a first rate album that very much deserves reissue. Personally, this genre of material is not my cup of tea, but Ms. Austin does it so very well that it almost makes me nostalgic for the Reagan Era R & B of which this is a truly stellar example. Buy this album, but don't neglect Avant Gershwin or For Ella.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun pop and R&B album with solid tracks, February 9, 2008

By	Berni in NY (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

Classic jazz vocalist + well produced pop and R&B songs = a highly enjoyable album. Patti Austin's self titled album is a fun album that will primarily appeal to fans of 80's style pop and R&B. Every song on this album is good. In fact, this is my favorite album by Patti Austin. It is one of the few albums that I own in which I actually like every song. This album also borders on being campy (in a good way though, as many 80s albums are). Just listen to "Shoot The Moon" or "Change Your Attitude" and you'll see what I mean. Overall, hard core jazz fans that that do not like pop and R&B will probably not like this album, however, music fans who appreciate pop and R&B will enjoy this album.