Posted on Fri, Jun. 21, 2002

A Princely some
BY JOHN NEMO
Special to the Pioneer Press

He may have turned 44 earlier this month, but Prince still knows how to throw a party.

The Purple One is at it again, putting together a weeklong bash of private and public concerts, workshops and parties he calls "Xenophobia," which means "an intense fear or dislike of foreign people, their customs and culture, or foreign things."

One thing Prince isn't doing is interviews, so we'll get an explanation from Maceo Parker, who is opening the event today by sharing a show with Prince at the Orpheum Theatre.

"These shows are something that nobody else is doing, at least not on the ability or the scale he's capable of doing it on," Parker said in a telephone interview.

"Everybody is just in awe of Prince's abilities. What comes to mind a little bit, maybe, is Elvis. Everybody loved Elvis — you couldn't say no to him. And Prince has that same kind of thing. People really enjoy being around him, being a part of whatever he's doing."

Elvis was beloved, but he probably never held a weeklong festival filled with intimate performances, musician workshops, daily discussions and special listening sessions for his new music. That's what members of Prince's NPG Music Club, who forked over $250 for a weeklong pass, will experience today through Thursday.

Besides seeing shows at Prince's Paisley Park complex and the Orpheum, they'll have a hands-on opportunity to meet, listen to and learn from performers like Parker, Sheila E., Victor Wooten, Norah Jones, Bernard Allison, Musiq and Rachelle Ferrell.

"My plan is to get to town a day early and stay a day afterward," said Wooten, who has never met or performed with Prince, during an interview. "I think the overall experience, not knowing what's going to happen... just to be a part of this week is overwhelming for us. Our whole band is really excited. It could turn out to be the highlight of the year for us."

One of Prince's highlights in 2001 was coming home to play a pair of shows at the Xcel Energy Center in June, then spending the rest of the week jamming with different acts and mingling with fans at Paisley Park. Last year's guest performers included Erykah Badu, Common, Amel Larrieux, the Time, Alicia Keys, Fonky Baldheads and Nikka Costa.

This year's "Xenophobia" lineup is a mix of faces new and old — familiar ones, like sax veteran Parker and percussion specialist Sheila E., and rising singing star Norah Jones and bassist Wooten.

"I'm like a little kid standing on the sideline to see who and what happens," said Parker, who plans to stick around for as many of the shows as he can. "Just to be there for whatever happens, to be a part of it, is very exciting for me."

Wooten was quick to point out that "Xenophobia" is a rare opportunity for musicians to not only jam and collaborate with their peers in the midst of a tour, but also to catch up-and-coming acts and mingle with fans in an informal setting.

"I'm going to get to meet a lot of people," he said. "It's great when you can get together with other musicians. All the ideas start flowing. I'm also excited to see Norah Jones. I've heard a lot about her but never seen her perform. So the opportunity to meet her and maybe even play with her is a treat. The whole thing just seems like a positive vibe."

Nobody knew the exact vibe in Prince's head when he decided another weeklong celebration was in order this summer, but Wooten was asked to venture his best guess.

"Well, it was his birthday (June 7). And what would be the most exciting thing is to have a bunch of bands playing for a week, and then you play after each band," Wooten said.

"That's the best way to learn. It's going to be a great experience for him, and he's going to provide his fans with something never before seen. Each band can inspire Prince in a different way and vice versa. And for the fans to be able to see and her that, it's an amazing thing."

I would luv 2 b there!