"Whenever New Primitives do a show with me, the crowd is blown away. This is one of my favorite bands!"

-TAJ MAHAL

Announcing New Primitives Third Album: Primitive Road

SK’s New Primitives was founded in Minneapolis in 2003 by drummer, singer, and songwriter Stanley Kipper, who has 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 New Primitives are four-time Minnesota Music Award recipients and have played with Taj Mahal, Ziggy Marley, Mickey Hart, and the Neville Brothers, among others.

Stan and New Primitives recently signed a three-record deal with Loud Folk Records. The band’s third album on this label, Primitive Road, will be released on November 8, 2024. The music is funky R&B/American reggae with influences from world music.

The band's first two albums, New Primitives (2002) and American Nomads (2012) received nationwide airplay, including top ten chart positions. Their third album, Primitive Road, features two songs written by Stan, three songs Stan co-wrote, one by Chico Perez, and one cover. All songs were expertly mixed by long-time friend and lead guitarist for Bonnie Raitt, George Marinelli, who also lends his talent and voice to the tracks “Crazy from the Heat’ and “Our Home Now.”

In addition to Marinelli, Primitive Road showcases the talents of seasoned personnel who come from a variety of solid musical backgrounds:

Stan Kipper - drums, vocals
Chico Perez - congas, percussion
Patrick Nelson - bass
Jesse Kiel - bass on Our Home Now
Andrew Wozniak - lead guitar
“Lightnin” Joe Peterson - B3
Brian “Snowman” Powers - saxophone

download ALBUM lyrics

Accomplishments

Notable accomplishments include:

New Primitives are four-time Minnesota Music Award recipients.
Stan’s California band, Stanley Kipper, was chosen to open for The Wailers on their first West Coast Tour after Marley’s death in the early 1980’s.
While living in southern California, Stan played, toured or recorded with Minnie Riperton, The Bee Gees, Joe Walsh, Bill Withers, former Eagle Randy Meisner, Jay Ferguson, Little Richard, Andrew Gold, Karla Bonoff, Melanie, and Gypsy. The hits these artists made influenced Stan in making his own music.
Stanley Kipper and Mark ‘Chico” Perez were inducted into the St. Louis Classic Rock Hall of Fame for the band Gypsy.
In 2020, Stanley received the Midwest Rock and Country Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award

MEET THE BAND

Listen to the Album

Praise

““The New Primitives signed a three-album deal last year with Loud Folk Records out of North Carolina. The first release, “Primitive Road” - a delectable mix of rock, jazz, Latin, reggae and hippie grooves - will be celebrated Friday at the Hook & Ladder Theater in Minneapolis.””

— Jon Bream, Minnesota Star Tribune, 8/11/24

““If Bob Marley, Santana and the Neville Brothers threw a party, they’d hire New Primitives!””

— Mickey Hart / Grateful Dead

““When you see New Primitives, you’re seeing a band that is a master at creating and maintaining a great vibe.””

— NPR Minnesota Music Profiles, KBEM radio, Phil Nusbaum interviewer, 01/14/2017

““Make no mistake, New Primitives are a drum-forward band, both musically and visually.””

— Minnesota Drummer, “Stanley and Chico: Creating a World of Rhythms in Minnesota,” 12/16/2019.

““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.””

— Minnesota Drummer, "Stanley and Chico: Creating a World of Rhythms in Minnesota" by Mike Jueneman, 12/16/2019

“With music as their vehicle, New Primitives awakens the commonality of all people and creates an environment in which everyone is welcome and anything is possible.

The music is a mixture of Reggae/Ska, R&B, Afro Cuban, World Music, deep Funk and American Rock and Roll. Sometimes all played at the same time.
New Primitives live shows are legendary, big fun, hypnotic, dance-filled events where the music is designed to bring the performers and the audiences into greater focus and deep into the groove, all day or night long! Prim’s bring a unique vibe unmatched by any of their contemporaries!
”

— The Ice House Club/Minneapolis, 2022