Billboard's
charts would lead you to believe that the R&B band was a thing
of the past. Bands like Earth With & Fire, the Ohio Players,
and the Gap Band are currently chart toppers but only through
samples, loops and other technical means of production.
The last and perhaps one of the most successful bands of this era
was The Time. Ten years after The Time's closure, Super Producers
and founding members Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis brought the
spirit of R&B back when they first signed Mint Condition.
"Mint Condition is a band of world class musicians",
says "Terry Lewis. "They can play a diverse range of
music from rock, to jazz, or alternative R&B."
The mixture of funk, soul, rock, jazz, Caribbean, and African
rhythms is a style that Mint Condition refers to as
"Gumbo." This style is present on their latest album
"DEFINITION OF A BAND. "We're very musical and that
hasn't changes since the first album" (Meant To Be Mint) says
keyboard player Keri Lewis. Second keyboard player, Larry Waddell,
wrote the first single "What Kind of Man Would I Be"
which was certified GOLD in December of 1996.
One of two GOLD singles earned by the ensemble (the first was
"Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes) What Kind of Man Would
I Be", a passionate serenade, makes reference to a romantic
interlude that was never meant to be. Over the smooth melody, lead
singer Stokely sentimentally sings, "What kind of man would I
be/If I lived unfaithfully/and what kind of girl would you be if
you did the same?" Waddell explains, "too many
songwriters use the concept of hooking up with someone other than
their significant other. I decided to go a different route on the
song and not have them get together with that person, but actually
do the right thing for a change."
The album consists of 18 versatile tracks, 5 of which are jazz
inspired interludes. The ultra sexy tune "Gettin It On"
follows the Minneapolis Sound into the nineties. This sound
surfaces throughout the album, especially on the track "Ain't
Hookin' Me Up Enough" an ode to a mates waning sexual
appetite. The most cutting edge song is "Sometimes", a
rock inspired piece that is the epitome of alternative R&B.
About "Sometimes", Vibe magazine called it: "A
Sting meets Prince meets Hendrix track that concludes with
blistering solos by O'Dell on guitar and Chris "Daddy"
Dave on drums. Nowadays, that ain't something you're going to hear
on just anybody's record." Definition of A Band, is just that
special.
The subtle blend of harmony and charisma is Mint Condition's
trademark. This trademark is evident on the ballad "You Don't
Have To Hurt No More", the second single from the current
album. In this song, written by Keri Lewis, Stokely pleads with a
woman to leave an abusive relationship. "I don't like the way
he treats you/that's not the way that I would do you/ What gives
him the right to think it's you that he owns." Once again,
it's heavy stuff from the guys the St. Paul Dispatch called
"the thinking mans band". This time, however it's
wrapped up in a steady groove fit for romantic cool-downs on the
dance-floor. The MTV friendly video was lensed by Gerald Casale,
an original member of "New Wave" outfit DEVO known best
for his work with Soundgarden and the Foo Fighters.
With exception of Chicago reared Ricky Kinchen, these Minnesota
natives believe it was their quiet upbringing that kept them
grounded and enabled them to stay focused on what was really
important. "We're not in New York or LA. Minnesota is real
conservative. It's real laid back here, but we're still able to
keep in touch with what's going on out there in the word."
Longevity is an important aspect of the business to Mint
Condition. "This is our third album and a lot of people we
came out with in 89 are not here now," says Stokley. "To
me that's more successful than selling a million albums."
"We haven't won a Grammy but we kind of have when you get
Stevie Wonder calling you saying he likes your stuff," Rocky
adds. "It keeps you going when you have the support of your
peers, and musicians who have paved the way for you."
Mint Condition have been nominated for two 1997 Soul Train Music
Awards: Best R&B/Soul Album by a Group, Band or Duo for
Definition of A Band. & Best R&B/Soul Single by a Group,
Band or Duo for "What Kind Of Man Would I Be."
Billboard's
charts would lead you to believe that the R&B band was a thing
of the past. Bands like Earth With & Fire, the Ohio Players,
and the Gap Band are currently chart toppers but only through
samples, loops and other technical means of production.
