I've been into Prince since 1987. Sign O the Times!! I was 14 years old I spent all my money checking out his back catalogue. U know the albums I'd missed, Purple Rain, Parade, Dirty Mind, and on and on.
However I cannot remember being more excited about his music than right now. I've just got NEWS and I think it's a classic. A stone cold classic.
It's Princes In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew rolled into one. I love it.
I listened 2 TRC loads and I think that album was his best in years and paved the way 4 the stuff he's doing now. ONA piano, ONA live, Xpectation, NEWS!
What next?
I don't know but I can't wait.

Jamademus said:

It's certainly more Herbie than Miles. And doesn't really have a lot in common with the albums you site. Though, Miles and Prince have a lot in common.

Supernova said:

As the owner of over 100 Miles Davis records, I would beg to differ. There is definitely an influence from those albums on Prince's jazz excursions.

LaMont said:

As an owner of a ton of Miles recordings that I stopped counting long ago, I never said there wasn't.

I'd agree it's more Herbie Hancock than Miles Davis. That mid-70s Herbie Hancock period is in there several times. I guess the Miles Davis reference was made because the album has elements of rock in it, but some of it really reminds me of Headhunters and Thrust, with the clavi and rhodes.

Having said that, the album shows lots of other influences too. That little synth part which noodles around and then fades out is pure Stevie Wonder.

Jamademus said:

it's actually more like Herbie Hancock's Chameleon.

I like to think of it as Prince's Purple Jazz.

nickandmon said:

You got it.