http://www.startribune.co...73557.html

Jimmy Jam takes Flyte to L.A.

Jon Bream, Star Tribune

May 13, 2004


The Timberwolves' most visible fan, Grammy-winning producer Jimmy Jam, won't be visible much longer.

This week, Jam invited Twin Cities friends to a "good-bye party" May 22 as he prepares to move to Los Angeles this summer with his wife, Lisa Harris, and their three children. He and his business partner, Terry Lewis -- who have produced more No. 1 hits than anyone except Beatles producer George Martin -- have put their Flyte Tyme Studios in Edina up for sale and are building a new studio in L.A.

"Whether people got to work at Flyte Tyme or not, just knowing they were here made us more of a big city," Twin Cities producer Bobby Z said. "It's a sad loss."

A spokeswoman said Jam was unavailable Wednesday to comment; he was in Sacramento to attend the Wolves playoff game.

"I've spent 44 winters here," Jam told the Star Tribune in January. "Lisa told me two or three years ago, 'If it wasn't for the Wolves, you know you'd get out of here.' I said, 'You're probably right.' I love my Wolves. That's the thing that makes winter tolerable."

For several years, Jam has divided his time between the Twin Cities and Los Angeles, maintaining homes in both cities. His family has spent the past few summers in L.A., his wife's hometown; their home on Lake Minnetonka is now for sale. Lewis moved to Malibu, Calif., in November 2002 but maintains a Twin Cities residence.

After recording 16 No. 1 pop hits and 25 No. 1 R & B hits in the Twin Cities with Janet Jackson, Usher, Boyz II Men and others, Jam and Lewis have shifted their base to the West Coast. Since February 2003, they have rented space at Village Recorders, a legendary studio in Santa Monica, Calif., where they recorded Jackson's new CD, "Damita Jo." Meanwhile, construction continues on a new studio in Santa Monica called Flyte Tyme West, which is expected to open this summer.

In a recent interview, Lewis said a changing climate in the music industry prompted the move. Flyte Tyme has focused more on film soundtracks -- including last year's hit "The Fighting Temptations" -- and advertising jingles.

"In those industries, it's out of sight, out of mind," Lewis said. "You have to be available to people."

Moreover, he said, being in the Twin Cities had become a liability, especially after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when many companies curtailed discretionary travel. "What became a very good mystique for us, being in Minneapolis, actually started to work against us because we were off the beaten path," Lewis said. "Most artists and music people come [to L.A.] once a month anyway."

Although a private studio, Flyte Tyme has been a major force in the Twin Cities music business, and the studio's closing will take some shine off the scene's stature.

Jam and Lewis won musical credibility for Minneapolis and prompted people from all over the country to move here, said Bobby Z, the former drummer for Prince who produces recordings regularly at Echo Bay Studio in New Hope.

The loss of Flyte Tyme will have "a big impact artistically and financially," said Sounds of Blackness leader Gary Hines, who was on the Flyte Tyme staff in the early 1990s and whose group recorded there. "The good news is the quality and direction of the legacy they established will be a positive ripple effect for years to come."

Jon Bream is at 612-673-1719 or popmusic@startribune.com.

i guess change is good...but man, that sucks for minneapolis.
seems like all the city's music pioneers are leaving.

I agree, first Prince lives Minneapolis, then Jam and Lewis? But the change probably is good, Jam and Lewis undoubtedly feel that there will be more opportunities for them to work with various artists in LA. I wish them the best of luck.

"its so cold it keeps the warm people out"

Sell outs.

"The cold keeps the bad people away."

Pussies.

That's really unfortunate.

It's not all bad. They could have moved to Toronto.

They haven't been using the Minneapolis studio for around a year. Putting it for sale just makes it official.

Damn. This is the end of the Minneapolis Sound. I understand it is a business move, but it sure feels bad. I guess if I were in their shoes, I would see where there coming from with more clarity. This brings up a question--- Who is left in Minneapolis that can represent the histiorical heritage of music that the world jammed off of?

Hometown pride is not such a bad thing. And Prince, with his Toronto two step. He chose the JW's over his own town.

Blake282 said:

What are you talking about? The typical Minneapolis Sound died about a decade and a half ago. I doubt folks in the Twin Cities really care.

2freaky4church1 said:

That's BS! If it was'nt 4 P Minny would have no rep at all. P hasbeen in Minny his whole life and it might b time 2 move on or just experience something different. Besides Paisley Park is still there. And he is rich enough 2 have 2 residences don't chya think? Everything must change and will change so wake the fuck up!!!!!

ELBOOGY said:

P may have come up with the Minneapolis Sound, but Jam and Lewis took it to another level. In a lot of ways, Jam and Lewis outdid Prince. How many P songs do u think the average person can name? I'm sure the average person can list more Jam and Lewis songs than P songs. Especially from the R&B arena.

daPrettyman said:

The Minny sound is more than R&B, it's very diverse but in the end funky as heck. Jam and Lewis definitely helped along the tradition but 2 say they out did P is an overstatement and untrue. As producers they have recorded with great commercial artist such as JJ,MJ,New Edition that helped their rep and vice-versa. And they definitely stayed more on the R&B tip more so than P did but even Alexander O'Neal said that P is the alpha & omega of the Minny sound! After every1 started imatating P he flipped the script and revamped his sound. And if the average person that u speak of grew up in the early 80's P would win hands down.

daPrettyman said:

Prince didn't even come up with the MPLS Sound. Though J&L may have written more songs that people might remember, J&L have never been in the media as much as Prince has. There has never been a J&L craze that got fans from all over the country, all over the world even to go over to MPLS and see what it's like over there. In fact I think there are more people who associate MPLS with Prince than they do with J&L.

J&L outdid Prince as producers, not as songwriters or musicians.

Honestly, WHO CARES!! They bastardnized The Minneapolis Sound by selling their DNA to the highest bidder.

How many non-musicans did they sell too ANYONE

LA is perfect for them!! Plastic & Fake!!

2freaky4church1 said:

I'm so sorry for the peeps in Minnie City, however, their lost is our gain.....

I'm still stunned that Lake Minnetonka actually exists.

analbolic said:

Prince produced himself so that has 2 count so P still wins the Producer catagory in my eyes. And P did or is accepted in his hometown as creating the Minny sound> Just ask the Musicians in the city! Hell, ask Jimmy & Terry or MD!