Back in June, the Prince estate announced a new album of previously unreleased home recordings, dubbed Piano & A Microphone 1983, due out September 21, 2018. The nine-track LP includes cassette recordings that Prince made at his piano at his Kiowa Trail home studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. This extremely intimate musical snapshot of the artist is previewed in today’s newest release, “Why The Butterflies”. The six and a half minute ballad comes on the heels of prior singles “17 Days” and “Mary Don’t You Weep“, a cover of the 19th century spiritual. “Why The Butterflies” is one of three previously unreleased records set to be included on the new album.
According to the Prince Vault,
The version included on the Piano & A Microphone 1983 album is from a solo piano rehearsal at Prince’s Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA. No studio version of the track is known to exist, and the track was not intended for release on a studio album at any point. Indeed the track may simply be an improvisation, with no further work done following this performance.
Listen to “Why The Butterflies” below:
Prince – “Why The Butterflies”
Much of Piano and a Microphone 1983 will feature Prince in his most intimate form, working through future classics like “Purple Rain”, “17 Days”, “Strange Relationship” and “International Love”, as well as a cover of Joni Mitchell‘s “A Case of You.”
During the final year of his life, in 2016, Prince embarked on his now-legendary “Piano & A Microphone” tour, in which the Purple One performed as a one-man show. It was during this tour that his health complications started to become public, and that fans started to worry that the mystical musician was in danger. He died on April 21, 2016 from an accidental overdose of fentanyl at the age of 57.
“This raw, intimate recording, which took place at the start of Prince’s career right before he achieved international stardom, is similar in format to the Piano & A Microphone Tour that he ended his career with in 2016,” Prince Estate entertainment adviser Troy Carter said in a previous statement. “The Estate is excited to be able to give fans a glimpse of his evolution and show how his career ultimately came full circle with just him and his piano.”
According to Billboard, the album cover features a rare image of Prince backstage during the 1999 tour captured by Allen Beaulieu, who worked closely with Prince from 1979-1984.
The Deluxe version of Piano and a Microphone 1983 is set to include a 12″ booklet with new liner notes from Prince’s engineer, Don Batts, as well as never-before-seen candid photos of the Purple One.
At the fourth-annual Brooklyn Comes Alive, a number of our favorite artists will come together to pay tribute to Prince with Purple Party. The sensational former Prince bassist MonoNeon will join forces with Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy, Ghost Note), Steve Swatkins (Allen Stone), Ryan Jalbert and Lyle Divinsky (The Motet), Shira Elias and Sammi Garett (Turkuaz), Chris Bullock and Mike “Maz” Maher (Snarky Puppy), Will Trask (Great American Taxi), and Megan Letts (Mama Magnolia). Casey Russell (the Magic Beans) will play keys and act as musical director.
Brooklyn Comes Alive will return to Brooklyn’s beloved Williamsburg neighborhood on September 29th for an all-day music marathon at Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg, and Rough Trade. Inspired by the vibrant musical communities of Brooklyn and New Orleans, Brooklyn Comes Alive brings together more than 50 artists, allowing them to carry out passion projects, play with their musical heroes, and collaborate in never-before-seen formations. For more information, ticketing, and to see the full list of performers scheduled for Brooklyn Comes Alive 2018, head to the festival’s website here.
Brooklyn Comes Alive is sponsored by Denver-based company, Pure CBD Exchange, which creates and sells a number of CBD/cannabidiol products (What is CBD?) from concentrates, tinctures, extracts, lotions, creams, and more. The use of CBD has gained much notoriety as of late, for use as both a health and wellness supplement and to treat conditions such as epilepsy, PTSD, cancer, and a number of mental disorders and is also used for anti-inflammation, nausea reduction, sleep aid, and more. Pure CBD Exchange was co-founded by Gregg Allman Band organist/keyboardist and Brooklyn Comes Alive musician Peter Levin back in 2017.
Pure CBD Exchange focuses on low-THC cannabis products with high CBD content. They work within the Colorado Industrial Hemp pilot program to distribute non-psychoactive tinctures, extracts, lotions, and more all over the world. The company has featured by companies like VICE, High Times, Leafly, and more.
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