In the late 1970s, a peculiar sound began bubbling up from the land of 10,000 lakes. Buried beneath 50 solid inches of annual snow, Minneapolis made a Sound quite different than what the pop world foresaw. It issued forth as a slick, black, technologically advanced fusion, poised to storm the charts. Never known for sizable African-American populations, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in fact harbored a tight-knit community of musicians working feverishly through the late ’70s and early ’80s toward a radical manipulation of American dance music, coating futuristic funk with the glamorous sheen of guitar rock. Synthetic ebony and ivory met electricity, with sexed-up results sent shockingly across the pop heavens like violet lightning.

On 4 LPs or 2 CDs, Purple Snow: Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound-the Numero Group‘s breathlessly anticipated 50th mainline release-chronicles the scene’s first steps, false starts, and follow-throughs, sourcing the life’s work of known quantities and shadowy figures alike. In the beginning, there was Purple Haze, whose billing as Haze on two obscure albums left the color purple to their city’s incipient sound. Pepé Willie’s 94 East project gave local prodigy Prince Rogers Nelson an early chance to row along with the crew. From there, the story courses past Jimmy Jam Harris’ extroverted Philly throwback Mind & Matter collective, to Terry Lewis and Flyte Tyme, flamboyant precursor to Morris Day’s The Time. Unearthing basement demos by Prince’s childhood sidekick/departed bassist André Cymone, plus deep cuts from legend-about-town Alexander O’Neal, Numero 050 gathers relentlessly as the sprawling, nonfiction prequel to Purple Rain‘s cultural takeover.

Side A

94 East – If You See Me

Aura – Taste Of Love

Herman Jones – I Love You

Orville Shannon – Oh Lover

Side  B

Mind & Matter – I’m Under Your Spell

Haze – Waiting For The Moment

Prophets Of Peace – Get It On

Cohesion – Expense

Mind & Matter – Sunshine Lady

Side C

The Lewis Connection – Higher

Flyte Tyme – It’s The Things That You Do

Herman Jones – Ladie

Michael A. Dixon and J.O.Y. – You’re All I Need

Side D

Music, Love & Funk – Stone Lover

Cohesion – Cohesion

Haze – I Do Love My Lady

The Lewis Connection – Got To Be Something Here

Side E

Walter Lewis & the Blue Stars – I Have Love at Home

Flyte Tyme – I’ve Got You On My Mind

Quiet Storm – Can You Deal With It

Steven – Quick

Side F

The Stylle Band – If You Love Me

The Girls – I’ve Got My Eyes On You

Sue Ann Carwell – Should I Or Should I Not?

Alexander O’Neal – Do You Dare

Side G

Ronnie Robbins – Contagious

Alexander O’Neal – Borrowed Time

Orville Shannon – One Life To Live

André Cymone – Somebody Said

Side H

Walter Lewis &the Blue Stars – Do It Baby Do It

Rockie Robbins – Together

Mind & Matter – No One Else Can Do It To Me Baby

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