Aside from the piano, Rushen can also play numerous other instruments including the flute and the clarinet, as well as various kinds of percussion. Winning a competition at the 1972 Monterey Jazz Festival gained Rushen national attention, which earned her a recording contract with Prestige Records in 1973. After recording three albums and becoming an in-demand session player, with artists that included Jean-Luc Ponty, Rushen signed with Elektra Records in 1978. Her signature sound can be described as a sophisticated composition of R&B, jazz, and funk styles.