Stokley on The Minneapolis Sound (article)
http://wcco.com/findingmi...48933.html
Finding Minnesota: The Minneapolis Sound Reporting
Angela Davis GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (WCCO) ―
Minneapolis may be known for some of its more noteworthy musical residents, but the city is making a bigger impact on the music scene.
A concert at Epic Nightclub in downtown Minneapolis is celebrating that magical "Minneapolis Sound" Sunday night – a sound that's defined a generation and is still alive today.
The members of "Mint Condition" grew up in the Twin Cities and still live here.
They were discovered by producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in the late 80s and went on to kick out a string of R&B hits.
Stokley Williams is the lead singer. He has his own way of describing "The Minneapolis Sound."
"I will take a cue from Jimmy Jam. He would say that it's basically the sound of Prince, and then just extensions of that, but now it has become much more to me," Williams said. "He is definitely an integral part of starting that whole Minneapolis Sound – R&B mix of rock and roll and all these different world musics mixed together."
Pete Rhodes is the founder of the Minnesota Black Music Awards. He said it's definitely a unique sound.
"The keyboards, not a lot of bass and it had just a new, upbeat sound," he said. "When you look at Minneapolis Sound, you look at an upbeat airy, fresh sound unlike any of the other rhythm and blues sounds out there during the day."
The annual ceremony is returning to the Twin Cities this summer for the first time in 11 years.
A big part of it will be a 30th anniversary celebration of the Minneapolis Sound, with many of the artists who made it famous performing that night.
"It kind of crossed over immediately with age groups as well as ethnic groups being that they could hear a little bit of the rock in there as well as the R&B and gospel influences in there," Rhodes said. "It truly was and is a unique sound unlike any of the others."
Did you know that June is National Black Music Month? It has been, ever since 1979 when President Jimmy Carter issued a proclamation, and then held a celebration. Today, events still take place each summer recognizing the contributions African Americans have made to the music industry.
Purple Rain has long passed its heyday, but the Minneapolis Sound is still very much alive with groups like Heiruspecs.
They met as students at St. Paul's Central High School and now regularly perform around the state.
Some say Heiruspecs will be the next group to put Minnesota in the national spotlight. Meanwhile, veterans like Mint Condition's Stokley, are on the lookout for up-and-coming talent.
"We have a lot of people that know, and we just kind of been keeping an eye on," he said. "They don't know this, but once we get the right distribution company, the right home, I think that's going to be a launching pad for them."
Mint Condition will be opening for Prince as he launches his latest European tour later this summer.
The Minnesota Black Music Awards program is Friday, July 16 at the Pantages Theatre in downtown Minneapolis.
The celebration of the Minneapolis Sound that night features performances by Mint Condition and Heiruspecs, as well as the Sounds of Blackness.
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with their upbeat funky sound