PATTI AUSTIN ~ Gettin' Away With Murder

PATTI DOES FUNK, PATTI SINGS SWEETLY & PATTI ROCKS! Review

Patti Austin really can sing anything . . . and this record, her third of four for QWEST RECORDS, is a pretty diverse showcase of her prowess. The minor hit "The Heat of Heat" (written and produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, later of Janet Jackson fame) is included here, and it is lovingly performed in warm, knowing tones by Ms Austin. Michael Bolton's slick "Talkin' 'Bout My Baby" offers some retro-feeling rock and roll, featuring Billy Joel (among others) on back-up, while "Big Bad World" features the creme de la creme of R&B/soul in the 80s: Chaka Khan, Jocelyn Brown, and the crooner himself, Luther Vandross!

There are many shades of pop, funk, soul and . . . .you name it . . . but one thing is clear: IT'S ALL GOOD! Austin always delivers, and again, it is a shame that these mostly solid tunes weren't the huge hits they should have been. The funky "Only A Breath Away," and a soulful cover of "Honey For The Bees" (Alison Moyet) are testaments of the singer's ability to swing.

For a sample of an artist in complete command of her instrument, check out Austin's "If I Believed" (from Randy Goodrum's pen) or "Summer Is The Coldest Time of Year" (a Jam-Lewis opus with tasteful classical undertones).

These days there seems to be more recording artists than actual vocalists. Patti Austin is the rare gem: both.