Prince: Piano & a microphone 1983

The album is a 35 minute recording of Prince alone at his piano, rehearsing / jamming through nine songs. It is thought to have been recorded in January 1983. The first section of 7 songs is a medley, while the last two tracks are stand-alone tracks. There are three previously unreleased tracks, plus three early versions of tracks that would be recorded and released in later years. “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,” said Prince Estate entertainment adviser Troy Carter. “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.” The private rehearsal provides a rare, intimate glimpse into Prince’s creative process as he worked through songs which include “17 Days” and “Purple Rain” (neither of which would be released until 1984), a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case Of You”, “Strange Relationship” (not released until 1987 on his critically acclaimed Sign O’ The Times album), and “International Lover”. The album also includes a rare recording of the 19th Century spiritual “Mary Don’t You Weep” which will be featured during the end credits of Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman in theaters August 2018. For fans of Prince’s spontaneous live medleys, tracks 1-7 of the album are presented in that same format as they were originally recorded. The album cover photo captures a rare view of Prince backstage during the 1999 tour. The photo was taken by Prince’s trusted photographer and creative collaborator Allen Beaulieu who worked closely with Prince between 1979-1984. Allen’s work with Prince includes the cover shots for the Dirty Mind and Controversy albums and iconic promotional photos for the 1999 album.