In gratitude to Prince

13076853_10153381960676822_778285282396388391_nFollowing Maceo with Prince, transcendent even in death.  Dionysus will return in another form, but Prince will remain the Master of Funk. David Bowie might have loosed the bonds of gender, but Prince made it so very sexy. And he wasn’t stingy, sharing that sexiness with his crew, mostly women, much like Dionysus.  Tearing it up on the dance floor instead of in the forest, roving bands of high heeled men and women partook of the sacrament of sex, offered by his highness. Prince confronted the issues of the day, operating as a cultural icon, an oracle for a generation straddling Boomers and GenX.

Turning out the joint in Detroit with dance, sex, music, romance. From the Musicology Tour. School’s in people!

Prince’s managed his public persona like his stagecraft.  His reserve, the dignity and lack of pretense made him one of the locals in Minneapolis and gave him a measure of privacy few icons retain. Enigmatic, seductive, ageless and generous, not seeking anyone’s approval.

Deeply religious, Prince lived his faith rather than proselytizing, despite becoming a Jehovah’s witness.

UnknownOne of his hardest fought (and won) battles was for the rights to his music. Struggling over decades, he took back control of his catalogue and his image.  His decision to release his new album HitNRun on Tidal, Jay Z’s streaming service was a fresh start, one that other artists are pursuing.

 “Prince has always been a visionary, a free-thinker. We’re honored to offer his breadth of work, 1999, Purple Rain, etc., music that has inspired so many, on Tidal. We’re also excited to be the home for his new upcoming album, HitNRun. Both Prince and Tidal share the belief that all creatives should have the opportunity to speak directly to those that love and support them. This partnership with Prince represents Tidal’s philosophy in its truest form, a 1 to 1 connection and direct delivery of artistry to the world.” Jay Z

The artist, the lover, the soul of funk: Prince’s music will continue providing inspiration to musicians across genres – Don’t believe me just watch.

His funkiness Maceo Parker @Antone’s

Hornplayer My first trip to the new Antone’s was also my first live Maceo Parker experience. I’ve been a fan since his James Brown days, then ParliamentLife on Planet Groove and beyond.  He’s still 2% jazz and 98% funky.
Soul PowerThe band  featured in the video below  includes: Maceo Parker (sax/flute/vocals), Dennis Rollins (trombone), Will Boulware (keys), Bruno Speight (guitar), Rodney “Skeet” Curtis (bass), Marcus Parker (drums), Martha High (vocals) and Corey Parker (vocals).

Hard to keep the camera still when you gotta shake everything you got.  Happy music for him and all the fans getting their groove on.  I liked the new Antone’s location, next to Eddie V’s and the Russian House, which long since replaced Amdur gallery on 5th.  What’s old is new on a block where I worked and played for many years.