Artist of Various Genres: Multi-talented Jazz Player Patti Austin

Written By Sonny Akbar Sembada

Hi, my name is Sonny Akbar Sembada and I welcome you to my blog, The Uncle Jazz. The main topic of my blog is everything related to jazz music.. 

Patti Austin: Jamming Through Different Beats

Artist of various genres Patti Austin, this super cool artist who’s dipped her toes into all sorts of music. She’s dropped 17 solo albums and rocked the stage with songs that got nods at the GRAMMYs and even the Oscars.

Early Days and Rocking Beginnings

Born on August 10, 1948, Patti kicked off her career super early, like, at the ripe age of four. Crazy, right? Since then, she’s become a total crowd-pleaser, snagging a sweet spot on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.

Artist of Various Genres: Little Patti’s Big Inspiration

Artist of various genres Patti caught the performance bug crazy early, probably when she strutted onto the famous Apollo Theater stage in Harlem at four. Blame it on the legendary Dinah Washington. Raised by jazz trombonist Gordon Austin, Patti entered the recording scene during her teenage years, hitting her first chart jackpot in 1969 with “The Family Tree,” a groovy Top 50 R&B hit.

Dominating the ’70s

Fast forward to the ’70s, and Patti was the undisputed “Queen” of the New York music scene. Her voice backed up everyone from Paul Simon and Cat Stevens to James Brown and Diana Ross. Oh, and let’s not forget those catchy commercial jingles!


Youtube video by International Jazz Day 

Read also The Pianist with Two Hands: Mike Jones and Great American Songbook

Chilling with Quincy

After rocking some killer albums with CTI Records, artist of various genres Patti signed up with Qwest, owned by her godfather Quincy Jones. They cooked up hits like the GRAMMY-nominated “Baby Come To Me,” a timeless duet with James Ingram, and the Oscar contender “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” She also laid down some magic in Jones’s chart-toppers like “Stuff Like That” and the GRAMMY-winning classic “The Dude.”

Getting Jazzy and Doing Good

Patti’s GRAMMY-nominated album “For Ella” marked a turning point in her career as a performer. The jazz crowd totally vibed with her, and she bagged a GRAMMY for the classical jam “Avant Gershwin” with WDR Big Band.

Still Rocking and Spreading Good Vibes

Jump to today, and Patti’s still touring and getting those standing ovations all over the place. Plus, she’s not just about the tunes—she’s doing good with her gig at “The Over My Shoulder Foundation.” And guess what? As the pandemic eases up, she’s back on tour, spreading happiness to her fans worldwide. How cool is that?

Did you like the article Artist of Various Genres: Multi-talented Jazz Player Patti Austin? share it with friends.

Leave a Comment

The Uncle Jazz is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission.