Transcripts

SPEAKER: Last night, the fourth annual Minnesota Black Musicians Award ceremony was conducted, and Martin Keller, a freelance music critic, attended the event. He's with us now this morning to tell us what happened. First of all, Martin, was Prince there?

MARTIN KELLER: No, Prince wasn't there. He was very much there in spirit. His entire entourage was there, but Prince himself is working, as usual, this time in France on a new film.

SPEAKER: Were people disappointed?

MARTIN KELLER: I don't think so. The show ran so smoothly and there was so much recognition for the community, and the musicians, and the people involved in the music industry here that I don't think he was really missed.

SPEAKER: Who were the big winners?

MARTIN KELLER: They weren't so much winners as they were recognized artists. In a number of categories people were honored. Contemporary, urban, jazz, blues, third world music, classical, from composers to players. And special recognition, awards for people that work right in the music business itself.

SPEAKER: Well, whose recognition at last night's ceremony was received especially warmly by the audience?

MARTIN KELLER: Jesse Johnson, who is currently one of five musicians that are making records and on the charts, Billboard charts, and so on. And a number of other people, Doctor Reginald Buckner from the University of Minnesota. And Ipso Facto, a reggae band that's been here for a few years, and gospel groups. It was all pretty well received pretty evenly across the board.

SPEAKER: We've been hearing lately about the so-called Minneapolis Sound, the Mini Motown, what have you. Was that recognized last night at all?

MARTIN KELLER: That was probably the motif of the evening. There was a lot of back slapping over it, but it was all done very good naturedly. And it reflects what is going on here and I think turned out to be a good celebration of that fact.

SPEAKER: Well, how significant is the Minneapolis Sound to the big picture nationwide?

MARTIN KELLER: I think when you said Mini Motown, I think you hit it right on the head. It is a Mini Motown, but it's also a music scene, you know, from the classical community to the, I guess, broader spectrum. Minnesota is really being recognized as a musical Mecca. And the Black Music Awards acknowledges that fact.

SPEAKER: Well, Motown has been around for decades. Do Black musicians or Minnesota musicians in general think that this kind of momentum, this Minneapolis Sound, this Mini Motown, can it be carried out, carried on?

MARTIN KELLER: Well, the infrastructure is here to really establish a music industry. And the talent is certainly here, and that's been proven through the years. The rest of the country is just beginning to realize it. So I think, yes.

SPEAKER: What are the implications in terms of business in the Twin Cities, all this recording going on and distribution of records?

MARTIN KELLER: There's a lot of money to be made. Twin Cities can develop the industry as well as it can develop its film industry. The two are very compatible. And I think in Nashville, the revenues down there annually are $35 million just for the music business alone.

SPEAKER: Thanks for joining us. Martin Keller, a freelance music critic.

PRINCE (SINGING): She wore a raspberry beret. The kind you find in a second-hand store. Raspberry beret. And if it was warm, she wouldn't wore it much more. Raspberry beret. I think I love her. The rain sounds so cool.