Funky R&B / American Reggae
New Primitives was founded in Minneapolis in 2003 by drummer, singer, and songwriter Stanley Kipper. When he lived in southern California, Stan played, toured, or recorded with Minnie Riperton, The Bee Gees, Joe Walsh, Bill Withers, former Eagle Randy Meisner, Jay Ferguson, Andrew Gold, Karla Bonoff, Melanie, and Gypsy. The hits these artists made influenced Stan in making his own music: funky R&B/American Reggae with world music influences.
The band's first two records, New Primitives and American Nomads, received nationwide airplay, including top ten chart positions across America and Canada. Stan holds a 2020 Midwest Rock and Country Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award, and he and Chico were inducted into the St. Louis Classic Rock Hall of Fame for the band Gypsy.
In 2018, New Primitives recorded their third album, a live offering recorded at A440 studios in New Hope, a suburb of Minneapolis. This latest record, Primitive Road, is out on November 8, 2024.
meet the Band: Minnesota's best-kept secret
New Primitives musicians come from a variety of strong musical backgrounds. Stan is on drums, Chico Perez on congas and percussion, Tom Peterson on bass, Andrew Wozniak on lead guitar, “Lightnin” Joe Peterson on B3 and Brian “Snowman” Powers on saxophone. They are four-time Minnesota Music Award recipients and have played with Taj Mahal, Ziggy Marley, Mickey Hart, and the Neville Brothers, among others.
Press
STAR TRIBUNE
Scene Makers Q+A: New Primitives singer Stanley Kipper balances music and playwrighting
The groovy band is celebrating its new album and Kipper’s play opens Sept. 21 at the History Theatre.
MINNESOTA DRUMMER
Stanley and Chico: Creating a World of Rhythms in Minnesota
Make no mistake, New Primitives are a drum-forward band, both musically and visually. Whether you want to come out and dance, get a crash course in Afro-Cuban rhythms, or just sit back and be completely entertained, this band delivers the goods.
MOSTLY MN MUSIC With New Primitives – Theme J
How many drums can we fit into the WMCN studio? Two more than I thought with Stanley Kipper and Chico Perez from The New Primitives. But it was worth it to watch brothers in music connect and bring so much joy to that small space. Their music is like a stew of many genres – rock, funk, reggae, ska – that hits all of the right notes.
KBEM
New Primitives Celebrates New CD with State Fair Shows
The group known as the New Primitives has been playing its brand of American Reggae for over twenty years. It’s new CD is called Primitive Road, and it embodies the evolution of the band. When Phil Nusbaum talked to New Primitives percussionist Stanley Kipper about the project, Stanley told Phil about the New Primitives style and the vibe of the new CD.
Music
The New Primitives have released one single, California (2019), and three albums: New Primitives (2003), American Nomad (2012), and Primitive Road (2024). The tracks here are a selection of their music. All songs are available on your favorite streaming services. To buy a digital copy, visit our Bandcamp page.
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Primitive Road
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Primitive Road
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American Nomad
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New Primitives
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American Nomad
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American Nomad
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Contact Us
For booking information, please fill out the form below or send an email to our manager, Laura Drake, at lauraanndrake@gmail.com.