With the new single “Caught My Eye” making waves on R&B radio, Jeffrey Allen (keyboardist and saxophonist for Mint Condition) spoke with the AmNews about the group’s legacy, their future plans and what it was like to be on stage with artists they grew up admiring.
Mint Condition’s new album “7…” will be released on April 5 and according to Allen, the lyrics are a much more personal affair for previous Mint Condition albums. “The difference is that everyone is writing from a real life perspective,” he said. “So lyrically, what you hear can probably be attributed to more real life situations. As far as what we’re recording, it’s different in the respect of everybody is in a good place in terms of writing music. As musicians, you’re kind of inspired in different ways and sometimes, that inspiration isn’t readily available.”
The R&B band first made waves in the early 1990’s with the smash hit “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)” and have kept the flame alive for R&B music played by a traditional band instead of keyboards and auto-tune. When asked if they saw themselves as the last of the Mohicans of traditional R&B Allen spoke eloquently and honestly about Mint Condition’s place in the conversation.
“The state of R&B, ever since we came in, it’s always been influx,” said Allen. “Especially from our stand point, we have always been an anomaly. When we came in the singing group thing was huge. You had Boyz II Men, En Vogue, Brownstone. We have always been kind of the exception so nothing has every really changed for us. We still seem to be it. I don’t want to say we’re the only ones – because you have a bunch of old-school groups that are still doing it even though they have new members – but in terms of being viable for radio and still having an ear to the street. We’re probably the only ones still doing it.”
If anyone’s watched the cable station TV One recently, they’d notice that in honor of Black History Month, the network has broadcast a show titled “Way Black When.” The program pays homage to prominent figures in Black popular culture from the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s. Mint Condition served as the house band for the taping of these shows. Allen explained to the AmNews how the gig came to fruition.
“When they were developing the concept, they had meeting and from what I heard we were the unanimous pick to be the house band,” said Allen. “They had one of their talent coordinators reach our booking agent.” While Allen and his band mates paid close attention to house bands of late-night talk shows like Jimmy Fallon, the road was bumpy in when it came to practicing the songs for the “Way Black When” broadcasts. “When we got the song list for the show, we were in Iraq (performing) and it wasn’t the best time to go over stuff. We weren’t really in a position to go over things like we needed to. Many late nights and early morning were spent getting the songs right for guest performers but everything worked out for the band in the end. The even got to play alongside people they grew up listening to.
“To not only meet, but to backup and to play with and to be onstage with Shelia E.; to be onstage with the Tony! Toni! Tone! guys; to be on stage with Guy – and you run into these people at different times in your career and shake hands – but to play with these people was unreal,” said Allen. “Back in high school, I’m listening to ‘Glamorous Life’ and all of these songs and not even thinking that one day I’d share a stage with these people.”
While Mint Condition plans on touring during the upcoming summer, the group wouldn’t mind having a permanent gig similar to The Roots on Fallon. “We definitely would love to do something like that again on a regular basis,” said Allen. “Twenty years is great and we love what we do, but travel at this point can be a beat down. Whatever it takes.”