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, and the band broke up without ever recording a second album. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide