Patrice Rushen

Named 2026 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master

Artist Links

“The festival culminated in a euphoric stand by Patrice Rushen, who peppered her set with hits but also radiant musicianship… [her] keytar solo formed a delirious coda to “Forget My Nots,” the inevitable encore. The radiant extroversion in her show made for a perfect culmination to the weekend, as a packed house cheered, sang and swayed in time.”

– SF Jazz Review

Highlights

Recently Sold Out The Disney Concert Hall at 1,700 Tickets

Over 30M – YouTube Views

3x – Grammy Award Nominee

3x – Hit Songs on Billboard Hot 100

Found success in the 70’s and 80’s with her signature fusion of jazz, pop and R&B

Has performed with Artists like Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Prince, Nancy Wilson, Ndugu Chancier, Carlos Santana, Christian McBride, and Lee Ritenour

First female musical director for many of the entertainment industry’s top award shows: Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, People’s Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards and HBO’s “Comic Relief V”

Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 – California Jazz Foundation NICA

Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 – Black Music Honors

Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 – Roland

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master 2026

Notable Venues

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Artist Bio

Patrice Rushen is a pianist, composer, producer, and music director whose pioneering career bridges jazz, R&B, classical, and pop genres. A classically trained pianist, she emerged in the 1970s with a distinctive sound blending melodic sophistication and instrumental prowess.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Rushen attended the University of Southern California, where she majored in music education with a minor in piano performance. In 1974, while still at USC, she signed with Prestige Records, where she recorded two albums, Prelusion and Before the Dawn.

She has recorded 14 solo albums and performed with artists such as George Benson, Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Prince, Dianne Reeves, Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter, Nancy Wilson, and Stevie Wonder. In 1997, Rhino Records released her greatest hits album, Haven’t You Heard: The Best of Patrice Rushen. Rushen has also collaborated with Ndugu Chancler, Alphonso Johnson, and Ernie Watts on two albums.