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Mazarati Biography by Alex Henderson

Mazarati

Heavily influenced by Prince and the Time, Mazarati was among the many acts that came out of the Minneapolis funk-rock scene of the 1980s--a scene that also gave us Jesse Johnson's Revue, the Family, Ta Mara & the Seen, Vanity 6 and Apollonia 6. Mazarati never became well known nationally, although the interracial band acquired a small following in Minneapolis. Mazarati members Sir Casey Terry (vocals) and Romeo (bass) were students at a Minneapolis' high school when they met bassist and fellow student Brown Mark, who gave them a lot of encouragement and went on to become famous after joining Prince's band, the Revolution. With Brown Mark giving them a lot of guidance, Terry and Romeo ended up calling their band Mazarati and hired several more Minneapolis-based musicians, including lead guitarist Craig "Screamer" Powell, drummer Kevin "Blondie" Patricks, rhythm guitarist Tony Christian and keyboardists Marr Starr and Aaron Paul Keith. Mazarati's association with Brown Mark led to a deal with Prince's Paisley Park label, which released the Midwesterners' self-titled debut album in 1986. Surprisingly, Mazarati wasn't a big seller, but the group returned with Mazarati 2 on Motown three years later, although the album was released only as a promotional item in Canada.

Mazarati Review by Alex Henderson

Mazarati is a perfect example of a band that was expected to be huge but never enjoyed the commercial success it was supposed to. When Brown Mark of the Revolution produced this self-titled debut album in 1986, the Minneapolis funk-rock sound was tremendously popular. Prince was a superstar, and disciples like the Time, Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, Ta Mara and Jesse Johnson had enjoyed major hits as well. But for whatever reason, Mazarati wasn't the blockbuster that many R&B experts predicted it would be. Although not in a class with Prince's Purple Rain or the Time's Ice Cream Castle, Mazarati is decent and respectable, if derivative. Driving funk-rock items like "Suzy," "100 MPH" and "Player's Ball" aren't breathtaking, but they aren't anything to be ashamed of either. Also noteworthy are the psychedelic-influenced "Strawberry Lover" and the melancholy soul ballad "I Guess It's All Over." An LP that shouldn't have fallen between the cracks, Mazarati been out of print since the 1980s but is worth picking up if you come across a copy somewhere.

Mazarati – Mazarati

Mazarati - Mazarati album cover

Label: Paisley Park – 9 25368-1, Paisley Park – 1-25368

Format:

Vinyl, LP, Album, Misprint, Specialty Records Corporation Pressing

Country: US

Released: 1986

Genre: Funk / Soul

Style: Minneapolis Sound, Funk

A1 Players' Ball 4:40

A2 Lonely Girl On Bourbon Street 4:46

A3 100 MPH

Written-By – Prince

7:23

A4 She's Just That Kind Of Lady 4:31

B1 Stroke 4:30

B2 Suzy 4:28

B3 Strawberry Lover

Backing Vocals – J.J.*

5:30

B4 I Guess It's All Over

Backing Vocals – J.J.*

4:56

Published By – Mazarati Music

Published By – Controversy Music

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Warner Bros. Records Inc.

Recorded At – Sunset Sound

Pressed By – Specialty Records Corporation

Manufactured By – Warner Bros. Records Inc.

Distributed By – Warner Bros. Records Inc.

Art Direction – Brown Mark*, Nancy Bundt

Co-producer – David Z.

Design [LP Design And Assembly] – Laura LiPuma

Design [Logo Design] – Margo Chase

Engineer [Engineers] – Brown Mark*, Coke Johnson, David Z.

Mastered By [Originally Mastered By] – Bernie Grundman

Performer, Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals – Romeo (10)

Performer, Drums, Percussion – Kevin Patricks

Performer, Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Aaron Paul Keith, Marr Starr

Performer, Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals – Craig Powell

Performer, Lead Vocals – Sir Casey Terry

Performer, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Tony Christian

Photography By – Nancy Bundt

Producer, Arranged By – Brown Mark*

Written-By – Brown Mark* (tracks: A1, A2, A4 to B4)

Cover:

['She's Just That Kind Of Lady' is absent]

Paisley Park. Manufactured and distributed by Warner Bros. Records Inc. [...] © 1986 Warner Bros. Records Inc. ℗ 1986 Warner Bros. Records Inc. for the U.S. & WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the U.S. Made in U.S.A.

9 25368-1 [...] Printed in U.S.A. [Spine]

Dust sleeve:

Recorded at Sunset Sound, Los Angeles

Labels:

1-25368

℗ 1986 Warner Bros Records Inc.

Similar editions:

Mazarati (full tracklist printed on the cover, Allied Record Company pressing)

Mazarati ('She's Just That Kind Of Lady' is not printed on the cover, Specialty Records Corporation pressing) [this release]

Barcode: 07599-25368-1

GRADING

MINT ---- It should appear to be perfect. No scuffs or scratches, blotches or stains, labels or writing, tears or splits. Mint means perfect.

NEAR MINT ---- Otherwise mint but has one or two tiny inconsequential flaws that do not affect play. Covers should be close to perfect with minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident: slight ring-wear, minor denting to a corner, or writing on the cover should all be noted properly.
VERY GOOD PLUS ---- The record has been handled and played infrequently or very carefully. Not too far from perfect. On a disc, there may be light paper scuffs from sliding in and out of a sleeve or the vinyl or some of the original luster may be lost. A slight scratch that did not affect play would be acceptably VG+ for most collectors.
VERY GOOD ---- Record displays visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear and spindle trails. Some audible surface noise, but should not overwhelm the musical experience. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc.
GOOD ---- Well played with little luster and significant surface noise. Despite defects, record should still play all the way through without skipping. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork.
POOR ---- Any record or cover that does not qualify for the above "Good" grading should be seen as Poor. Several cover flaws.