Last night, legendary songwriter-producer Giorgio Moroder made his Minnesota debut with a DJ set at First Avenue. After a few humble words of tribute to Prince, Moroder started spinning the hits. For perspectives from gen X (Jay) and gen Y (Cecilia), two of our staffers saw the show together and shared their thoughts afterward. Cecilia…

If you had a band and a full symphony orchestra to work with, which instrument would you choose to stand in for Prince’s voice? Does your brain reach for a guitar? A saxophone? Or would you rather leave the singing to your favorite recording? New Yorkers might have been asking themselves that last night as…

astralblak – Wanna Be Saved MMYYKK, Greg Grease, Proper T, Just Nine, and ∆RT P∆RTÉ reemerge as astralblak on upcoming album Seeds. This video for single “Wanna Be Saved” will steer you right toward that title. Meanwhile, the band says: We all need each other. The strong need the weak. The young need the old. As…

Morris Hayes has it all: candor, a sense of humor, and musical chops that earned him the title of keyboardist, then musical director in Prince's band. He sat down with Purple Current host Sean McPherson for a marathon interview about Prince albums from 1995-2010, plus miscellaneous other stories he remembered as they went. Due to overwhelming demand, we're publishing the full interview album by album.

It's been raining all week and the rain doesn't look like it's going to let up for another day or two, so for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what rain songs do you want to hear?

In 1983 he was on the precipice of his greatest success, but he's still our Prince, singing and playing in his home studio in Chanhassen, into a cassette, for himself. And now, for all of us.

Jessica Hopper just released Night Moves, a love letter to friends, bikes, and Chicago night air. In advance of her Sept. 23 event at Milkweed Books in Minneapolis, she shared a conversation with The Current's Cecilia Johnson.

Morris Hayes has it all: candor, a sense of humor, and musical chops that earned him the title of keyboardist, then musical director in Prince's band. He sat down with Purple Current host Sean McPherson for a marathon interview about Prince albums from 1995-2010, plus miscellaneous other stories he remembered as they went. Due to overwhelming demand, we're publishing the full interview album by album.

Charles Bradley, aka 'the Screaming Eagle of Soul,' passed away in September 2017. One year on, The Current's Production Manager, Derrick Stevens, reflects on the life and music of the late soul singer and remembers the friendship he and Bradley shared.

Saxophonist Big Jay McNeely has died of prostate cancer at age 91. McNeely inspired not only sax stars like Clarence Clemons, but rock guitarists like Jimi Hendrix, who adapted some of his crowd-pleasing moves. So for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear that feature any sort of impressive horns?