My question is this?

Does anyone have information about "The Prince Rogers Trio"?

What were they like as a band?
What did they perform?

I ask this because since Prince's dad John L Nelson's passing, I think the releases like NEWS and Xpectation are dedications or tributes to his dad.

Did the Prince Rogers Trio perform with vocals? (I ask this as im not too sure, because didn't his dad meet his mother, and she was a singer? Was that with the Prince Rogers Trio?)

If not, Is the music that Prince is performing / releasing 2day a reflection of the music his dad use to perform?


Im just trying to see what motivated Prince to go this instrumental route. Was it because of this father? Or was Prince diging something like John Blackwell's instrumental band "The Matrix" and wanted to do something similar?

Anyone else have any ideas? Please Share?

All of this might be true, but I think what he does now is just something like a natural progression. IMO, it was clear that he would turn away from technology and contemporary beats and all that and try out more traditional music.
But we all know Prince... who knows what's next?

I honestly don't know, but those are all very good questions. Personally, I've always wanted to hear music from Prince's father only because I've always been interested in hearing how John L. Nelson's music and style may have influenced Prince's playing and writing.

For instance, when I hear a song like "Scandolous" or "Under the Cherry Moon" with music credits given to John L., I'm wondering what was his father's actual contribution to those songs. Right off the bat, the first thing that comes to my mind is the deep rich chord structures. But that is something that has become a trademark for many of Prince's songs, so it's hard to say for sure.

But as far as the jazz/instrumental work is concerned, it would definitely be very interesting to hear how his father's band sounded. And I wouldn't doubt for a second that N.E.W.S is some kind of tribute to his father or even his mother for that matter. When I hear the beginning of "West", I'm thinking that Prince is expressing something deeply personal. It's a very moving and touching part of the song. And that is the thing that I like most about N.E.W.S, it is the feelings and emotions conveyed without the use of lyrics.

A lot of fans may not be able to "hear it" or "feel" N.E.W.S the way that I do, but I strongly believe that the creative force behind N.E.W.S is very deep and personal for Prince and that's what makes it special.

Interesting theory, but P has always done instrumentals. Remember Madhouse? Remember the long jams he does in concerts.

It's just now he's "free" he can release this stuff under his own name. WB would never have let him release NEWS or XPectation (or any of the Madhouse stuff) under the label "Prince" for fear of alienating the fans. Now that doesn't matter, 'cos it's only the hardcore left, he can do what he likes.

The next P album will have vocals, don't worry about that.
Especially since he's got plenty to say (JWs, war, racism etc).

dnaplaya said:

Ever since the creation (not necessarily the release) of TRC I've had the theory that Prince's more jazzy leanings of late were due in part to his father's influence. I can't remember what John L. passed away from, but it may have been that his father's condition had been getting worse prior to the making of TRC in the summer of 2001, and Prince wanted to infuse his music with much heavier jazz inflections than ever before. Having said that, I believe his mother had been sick for a while during that time too (both John L. and Matty died within about 6 months of each other). She passed in the spring during his 2002 US tour, when it had just gotten underway basically.

Of course, my theory could be off, and it could be that he was on his this path anyway. Only Prince knows for sure.

From all acounts that I know of Matty was indeed a singer, but whether or not she was in Prince's father's band I have no idea. I also don't have an inkling about what his father's music was like during his jazzman days.

And contrary to what some illogical fans may want people to believe, Prince did not need Eric Leeds or anyone else outside of his family to "introduce" Prince to jazz music.

abucah said:

Most people who have been in Prince's inner circle have stated that Prince never actually wrote anything with his father. He co-credited his father on a few compositions as a way of helping him financially. A few other songwriters have done this also (notably George Clinton crediting his son, George Jr., with writing 'Knee Deep' as a graduation present; Eddie Hazel from Funkadelic gave his mother, Grace Cook, credit for just about everything he ever wrote) so it is not unheard of.

-SWANGsteppedinsomething

What about "Uptown" magazine? Do u guys know much history of "The Prince Rogers Trio", musically?

I have his dad solo cd and it's very interesting. His playing is very off key and to do his solos, he uses the black keys. You would never guess that Prince picked up stuff from him, but I'm sure he did.