New Primitives / Stanley Kipper [Pilot Knob Music]

New Primitives is an award-winning, Minneapolis-based rhythm-driven band founded in 2003 by veteran drummer, singer, and songwriter Stan Kipper, whose deep musical roots include collaborations with legendary artists such as Joe Walsh, The Bee Gees, Bill Withers, and Minnie Riperton. Blending funk, R&B, American reggae, ska, Afro-Cuban rhythms, world music, and rock and roll – often all at once – the band delivers hypnotic, high-energy live shows designed to pull audiences deep into the groove.

Co-founded with longtime collaborator and percussionist Chico Perez, the group reflects a true “Great American Melting Pot,” drawing on the diverse backgrounds of its members from across the country, including New Orleans funk, Southern California pop and R&B, Latin influences, and Midwest soul. The lineup features accomplished musicians such as saxophonist Brian “Snowman” Powers, who has performed with Blues Traveler and Dave Matthews and produced Grammy-winning artists, alongside some of Minnesota’s most respected players.

New Primitives’ first two albums received nationwide airplay and top-ten chart placements in the U.S. and Canada, followed by a celebrated live album recorded in 2018. Widely featured in major publications, winners of four Minnesota Music Awards, and sharing stages with icons like Taj Mahal, Ziggy Marley, and the Neville Brothers, New Primitives have built a reputation as one of Minnesota’s best-kept musical secrets – one poised for wider recognition.