Kirk Johnson—drummer, percussionist, dancer, and longtime collaborator of Prince—joins Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley for a deep dive into his work with The New Power Generation and the Minneapolis music scene.

In this conversation, Kirk shares stories from Paisley Park, studio sessions, and live performances, offering insight into Prince’s relentless creativity and work ethic .

He also discusses:

• Performing and recording with Prince and the NPG
• The energy of live shows vs. intimate club performances
• His work as a producer and founder of Kitchen Records
• The Minneapolis music scene and supporting independent artists

From major tours to local stages, Kirk reflects on the journey of staying creative, independent, and rooted in the music.

About Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley:

A long-running interview platform (est. 1982) featuring legendary and emerging artists from funk, R&B, soul, and beyond. The show was spotlighted by Prince in 2004.

And this is the Upper Room with Joe Kelly right here on WVOF in Fairfield, Connecticut, Mondays 4 to 8.

And as you're probably well aware, for the month of March, we've been featuring the music from the twin cities, Minneapolis, St. Paul.

And we just listened to a song from one of the great musicians out of there, Walter Chancellor Jr. From his CD called Saxophone Man.

And the song is called Vibe to this, which was produced by Kirk Johnson and also released on his independent record label, Kitchen Records.

And you know, we're in for a real treat because this is the second time he stopped by the show.

Producer, percussionist, vocalist, all around musician.

His name is Kirk Johnson, and we welcome him again to the Upper Room.

How you doing, Kirk?

The Upper Room.

What's going on, man?

Doing fine.

And what's it like?

I know you've been working in the studio.

You got even got some music in the background, right?

Oh, yes, Just check it out for me.

Always getting funky in the kitchen.

Wow.

That's me and Chance Howard right there.

Yeah, you know, I spoke with him today.

He's coming on the show a little later on tonight.

And.

And he said, you Saturday, you guys were working up some stuff in the kitchen, right?

Oh, yeah, we was down in the kitchen just brewing it up as usual.

You know, me and him been playing live for the last year down at Jasmine's every Wednesday night with a band called Conversation Piece.

We put together with me and him, Walter Chancellor, Todd Brayle on keys and George Scott on guitar.

And we always have, you know, vocalists come down, sit in, but we've been having a ball and every night we make up a new groove.

So now we're just going to start recording them, just start putting them on out.

Oh, you can record the Jasmine's performances?

Oh, yeah, we've been doing it live, straight to disc, but a lot of those performances haven't been coming out like we want them to.

So we're just going to keep on doing them and eventually we'll piece it all together and do a live one.

Then we'll do a studio one also.

So when you're recording live and you said things don't necessarily come out perfect the way you want, what.

What would be some of the things that need to be?

Well, you know, sometimes it's technical, sometimes it's just performance.

You know, you go back home, you listen to it, and it's just unnecessary things that don't click right, Right.

So you're like, we ain't putting that out right, but we're getting it Together, we're getting it together.

So, you know, we should talk about Conversation Piece because our listeners out there, if they want to head on over to Jasmine's assistant, you play live, talk about some of the guys in the band and the venue and what time and place.

Like I said, it's neon drums, Chance Howard on bass and vocals.

Chance, you know, is in the time.

Right.

And we have also on sax and vocals, Walter Chancellor and Todd Burrell on keyboards.

And another great guitar player, his name is George Scott on guitar.

No relation to Mike.

No relation to Mike.

But they're both just as funky.

We're down there every, every Single Wednesday from 9:30 to 1 and we play a little jazz, lots of R and B and lots of funk.

So it's the nice thing about that venue is it has good food, good atmosphere and we're able to play what we want, you know, which is very rare being in Minnesota, you know, for an all black band, let me tell you.

Oh, they don't, they don't give you a sound, excuse me, like a set list.

And so you gotta play these, right?

I mean, what we want to do and.

Right.

And being able to be somewhere every Wednesday is a blessing.

Every, you know, one day of the week.

So it's a blessing, man.

And we're having a lot of fun.

You know, we're starting to get a nice little following coming down there, hanging out.

So folks want to come down there and check it out because it gets pretty funky sometimes.

A lot of times Prince will come down there and in with us, hang out with us.

That's real cool.

And when you have Prince sit in with you and step on the stage, any instructions you give them or let

him, when it's funky, you know, it leads him to the stage.

If it's working, you know he's going to come in.

If it ain't working, he'll just sit on back.

Right?

Because for the past few weeks we've had musicians come on and no joke, like three or four of them are just saying, yeah, you got to check out Jasmine's.

And they mention you guys out there and you know, that's gotta be a great tribute to how talented you guys have been going.

Yeah, we really appreciate it.

We let folks come in and do their thing too.

You know, we just try to have it make it fun for musicians and for, you know, everybody else.

Just come on down and listen to hear music that's not played by most of the bands around that, you know, you don't hear on the radio.

You don't hear anywhere.

You know, it's a lot of older stuff that's just straight live and funky, you know, it's not all processed.

So, I mean, you.

You've toured, you know, big stadiums with Prince and the MPG and all the different groups you've been in.

Going back to a smaller set.

What goes through your mind and do you enjoy it?

Even more so.

Even more so, yeah, even more so

because, for one, I'm doing what I want to do.

That's a blessing in itself.

Whether it's a big stage or on a small stage, I'm playing drums and you know, for.

If there's two or three people and they really appreciate what you do, it's a good feeling, let me tell you.

Right?

I mean, when you're in such a.

On such a big.

In a big stadium, it's just a sea of people.

It's like water, you know?

But when you're close and intimate in this nice small setting, people are dancing, having fun.

That's when it really feels good, you know, Especially when you're doing what you want to do and what you created, you know, it doesn't matter if it's, you know, real big or real small.

It's.

It's all in the music itself and performing.

Well, I wanted to talk a little bit about your drum setup and what you've added and maybe some of the stuff you were working in the past when you were working at Paisley park on tour.

What kind of drum.

Drum setup and things for the song

live were you working with in the beginning?

I kind of started out with a kind of electronic.

I was using the Roland V drums, but a live kick and a live snare.

I had those as toms and some samples and then kind of got out of that and now I'm using a Pearl Master custom.

I've kind of been with them since day one, which is, let's see, I use an 8, 10, 12 rack tom, 16 inch floor tom, 22 inch base, and I switch back and forth between a 13 inch snare and a 14 inch snare.

And then all Pisces simples.

Okay, so it's.

And that's what I'm using now.

I got a.

Another set that I use, which is kind of a maple drum set, which is.

I just use the 8 and a 10 inch tom and a 16 inch floor with the 22.

And a free floating snare, 14 inch snare, which is really cracking.

Yeah.

And what, what.

Also you have your own home studio kitchen records, which you've Been really busy.

I mean, I got.

I gotta say, on air.

I gotta give special thanks to Mona.

Oh, yeah.

Who's been really working hard for everybody.

And you've been really helpful, you know, Mona, which is my sister.

And we just finished her record, her and her husband, Tim Moore, which is Heart, Mind and soul.

Yeah, he's gonna be on next week.

Yeah.

You guys check that record out.

Inspirational record, dance record.

We did that here just recently, last couple weeks.

And we're working on a new one, actually, which will be out pretty soon.

And you can always go to K A J Us, KAJ Us, to check out anything new.

Yeah, and you got online ordering.

Yeah, just kind of put that site up.

It's really in.

In construction right now.

But I want to put something up so people can, you know, get back to, you know, getting my music.

I had a lot of stuff on kitchen records and funkyballheads.com but I took it down after a while just to kind of, you know, rehab, change stuff around.

But Funky Ball Heads still available for order?

Yep.

Yeah.

Okay.

You can always go to kaj.com nobstone.

You know, everything is basically coming, you know, from here, from Kitchen Records.

I just wanted to make one site, which is just my initials, U.S. sorry, K A J U.S. and everything will be under there from, you know, all the new music where I'll be playing at, you know, who I'm playing with.

And I also, the last couple years, I've kind of, you know, got real deep into, you know, just fitness.

So I have my own company called Power Fitness also, and I teach and teach my own class called Kirk's Power Hour, which is cardio boxing strength training.

People can go and sign up and go.

You can sign up because I'm, you know, certified personal trainer in group fitness, you know, trainer knowledge too.

So, you know, just to keep myself in shape and, you know, help others kind of keep in shape and.

Yeah, because you.

Last time I had you on, you were talking about that.

Yeah, I kind of just, you know, went on in and took.

Took a little time to where I got off the road and some friends and family members had really got sick.

And it just kind of woke me up, saying, you got to take care of yourself and try to help others get in shape.

So what better than to get certified to know exactly how to do things?

I got little kids that I want to try to be healthy, to be able to run and play with them too.

So I use my music in both realms and in my fitness and, you know, playing live.

So It's a good thing.

So you can always go to KAJ US and check out, see what's going down.

Right.

And you listen to the interview right now.

You can go to KAJ US and get the credit card and put in the orders and they'll get it right out to you.

So, you know, speaking of one of the projects on Kitchen Records, Funky Bald Heads and let's see, we're going to visit that record came out about a year and a half, two years ago, right?

Yep.

And we'll go up with the title track.

Oh, actually, we'll go out with a Funky Laika.

Yeah.

And this one Smokes.

I will go with the remix.

Go with the remix.

All right, we'll come back and talk with Kirk John, another great project produced by my special guest this afternoon, Kirk Johnson.

And how's the.

The Kitchen Records roster?

You got a lot of folks on there.

You want to talk about some Kirk?

Yeah, man.

I just finished my Sister Mona is record, Heart Minded Soul.

Before that, my other sister, Mocha Yaya, which is a record that's not on Kitchen Records.

But I did the whole, you know, the whole project will be available.

She lives down south, right?

She's in Minneapolis.

She's doing a small promotional tour down south right now.

Oh, okay.

Kind of promote her record.

And, you know, I have three sisters, so I told them all I finished a record on them and then that's it.

I'm done.

So I did them.

And then Kathleen, which is in Best Kept Secret, which involves her and Mocha, which is Kim, we just finished another record on them, which is Roots and Influences, which is kind of some of the COVID stuff that they like to sing live.

And they did one of the celebrations two years ago.

People really liked Best Kept Secret.

Played that right up at Paisley Park.

At Paisley Park.

And then also I just finished a gospel jazz record which is called 4tl, which was released in all the Target stores, which is kind of a just a jazz gospel record.

Of course.

Then we have both Funky Ball Hit Records, which is the bootleg record, and then the self titled record.

And then we had Troy Williams, which is another kind of inspirational gospel record.

Horn player here in town.

Yeah.

Got some deep lyrics on there.

Yeah, yeah, right.

And then of course, Walter Chancellor's record we had finished a couple years ago.

And then both TKO Records.

And I also did this.

This other gospel South African group called Ambition.

They just went.

I did that this summer and they just went back to Africa.

And their.

Their record is like in the top 10.

You know, in Africa right now, which is really cool.

And I think you can go to ambition sa.com if their records, like, really cool, man.

He's real talented.

Like, they're like a young.

Take six.

Okay.

But they all play, right?

Right.

And the keyboard player, I would always play with Michael Jackson when Michael would go over to South Africa.

Young guy, like 27 years old, you know.

But, yeah, man, just a lot of music, man.

And now just, you know, I took a little break for a while, and I've been on the road with this piano player.

Her name is Lori Line.

Okay.

Real popular piano player from Minnesota.

I went on a row with her through November.

December, I go back out with her.

I've been playing a lot lately.

I go back out with her for, like, two weeks in April and then August.

I've been, you know, really just playing a little bit more than being in the studio.

But when I'm home, I'm just trying to finish as much music as I can.

And how about for the Conversation piece, you guys get a bunch of time to rehearse?

Yeah, we actually try to rehearse every Monday.

Oh, okay.

Tonight we try to keep that thing fresh.

Or every other Monday, so we can kind of keep our thing fresh and tight down at Jasmine.

And, you know, we'll be working on that record also.

So either that's going to be live, you know, straight from the board, or we might just do some stuff from the studio.

You'll be able to, you know, like I said, everybody will be able to go right to KAJ us and just get the update, you know, on what's going on, you know, with me and my music.

I really appreciate the folks out there supporting what I do, and I really appreciate what you've done for, you know, folks here in Minneapolis, man, because there ain't too much outlet for radio for us.

Right, Right.

Especially independents, you know, so, you know, being heard by anybody is a blessing.

So I appreciate what you're doing.

Oh, yeah.

For everybody here in Minneapolis.

Oh, thanks, Kirk.

I appreciate, you know, all the kind words and plug the music, you know.

Yeah.

Kitchen Records.

Wow.

I got a stack of your stuff.

Yeah, we try to send it all, man.

I mean, you know, anybody who's going to support.

I don't care who it is, man.

Right.

You know, when you get folks like that, you just try to give them what you can and, you know, keep your thing rolling.

So.

So.

So what do you.

I mean, you talk.

You know, I could say the same thing about Connecticut here, is that it's you know, tough to support local musicians that, you know, that's what we try to do year round.

But what.

What do you think needs to be changed or, you know, do you think?

I mean, the club owners need to let folks in, right?

Right.

It's up to them.

Let folks in and pay us, man.

Shoot.

Right.

You know, I mean, I understand that, you know, radio dictates what's going on these days, and, you know, that goes to the labels.

The labels, major labels, you know, give the radio stations, you know, this kind of same thing, do the same kind of music.

I mean, that's what, you know, the kids want to hear.

But there's a whole group of people, you know, 25, 30 and over.

They ain't got nowhere to go.

Right, right.

Nothing to do, you know, because the club owners just want to keep, you know, getting that same thing and getting that riff raff in there.

Yeah.

And I'm not against it.

I like a lot of the stuff that's out there, you know, I'm not against it.

But it'd be nice to go and hear some, you know, new musicians, you know, playing some good music.

And you still occasionally run with the Paisley Park Crew.

I know, I know.

You did the Jay Leno performance with Prince.

Oh, yeah, still over there.

Still got, you know, just.

Actually was over there not a couple days ago, just laying down some drum tracks for a new thing.

He's doing all his program stuff for him, so he's always busy, always cooking up some new things over there.

I heard some things over there.

It's just like.

Yeah, I think it's good.

You know, I love to see him live, Prince, but just know he's back in the studio, still working, you know, those long hours.

That's gotta be exciting for what's going to come out.

Yeah, yeah.

Got some real exciting things coming.

So y' all be ready for that, right?

I mean, as usual, you know, we've got some nice stuff coming out.

Right.

So we're always looking for that outlet, man, that.

Right?

Outlet.

You know, as long as we have folks like you helping us out, man, it's gonna be a beautiful thing, you know.

Yeah, it's gonna change.

That's right.

And when.

When they come to jump back out on the bandwagon, we'll give them a little seat, maybe.

Yeah.

You know, give them a little something, you know.

Right.

We'll let them take the ride, you know.

Yeah.

Help them out a little bit.

So the Minneapolis music scene, just talk briefly about, you know, you growing up, you Grew up in Minnesota.

Yep.

And the musicians from way back that people haven't heard from a long time, do some just drop out of music or.

Well, I mean, you know.

Yeah, because, you know, they didn't have anywhere to play.

Right.

And if they weren't really, you know, if their hearts weren't really into it, you know, who knows where they ended up?

But, you know, the folks that, you know, was really committed to honing in on their craft and really wanting to do something, they're still playing.

You know, it's actually getting better around here.

There's starting to be a little more clubs that are, you know, realizing that people want to hear, you know, live music.

And I think some of the club owners are, you know, changing, so they're becoming a little bit younger to, you know, our age group, and so they're letting folks back in to play.

Right, right.

Because the music that they're playing is just so kiddie, and they don't want the kids coming in there because most of them don't know how to act.

So they're getting back to where they, you know, have folks in there playing and bringing the right crowd into their clubs these days.

So it's getting a little better.

You know, there's always a lot of great musicians around here, but the problem, like I said, is just there's nowhere to play.

How about as a producer and can you talk a little bit about your style as a producer?

And, you know that you took maybe from some producers.

Have you taken a little bit from some people you worked with before?

Well, I mean, I've been greatly influenced by being around Prince because just he's always been so versatile and just funky, you know, so that's just where I live, you know?

But I've just always.

I've never trained.

I just trained myself, you know, So I just play whatever I feel, what I hear.

You know, I just sit down and just come out with the drum beat first, of course, and then, you know, find the best musicians I can to collaborate with.

That's really what it's about, is bringing other folks in on what you're doing.

Because, you know, I don't know everything.

If you get the right folks like me and Chance working together, I'd never be able to play the bass like that.

Right.

So, you know, just do my thing.

Let him do his thing and bring other people in and, you know, just cook it on up.

Yeah.

Well, that little snippet you played in the beginning.

Whoo.

Yeah.

That sounded incredible.

So, yeah, I mean, that's that's really the idea is musicians working together, you know, coming up with stuff that's cool, you know, because everybody.

I mean, technology allows you to do it all yourself these days.

But, you know, when you.

When you get the right few folks together and make it simple.

Right, right.

That's all you need.

Everybody stop being so greedy.

That's right.

Yeah.

Because it'd be greedy.

They'll be just left outside.

Well, they're limited.

It's just like the same old stuff.

Like they listen to the radio.

I'm gonna do something like that, Put a loop together and you know, they're out.

Right.

But like I said, it's all good.

A lot of folks is getting paid, so.

So all the groups that Kirk Johnson has produced and worked with on Kitchen Records, our listeners can go to the website K A J Us.

Yep.

And easy order form right there.

And you know, you can get it.

Get it in your homes very shortly.

And man, I want to thank you again, Kirk, for.

And you know, I got to make it out there.

I'm G. And I are going to come up and do.

Do a.

Come on out.

It's like a 40, 50 degrees now.

Sun's out, you know, it's not too cold.

So come on here before it gets cold again.

That's right.

Yeah.

Well, we got 65 today.

People are wearing shorts.

It's crazy.

No, but no, it's been nice.

I mean, we're blessed.

Like a week ago it was 10 below.

So.

Yeah, go figure that.

So, so you guys are hearing tonight?

What are you guys going to work on?

You know, I'm not really sure.

We're just gonna tighten some stuff up, listen to some more older stuff, you know, put some more things into the set, you know, just kind of see what we come up with.

You gotta come see.

I ain't gonna tell nobody.

You gotta come down here and check it out.

Yeah, jasmine's.

Jasmine's A1, 23 3rd street, right around the corner from the Fine line, downtown Minneapolis.

Come on down Wednesday nights.

We're there.

Yeah.

And you guys have been been recording the performances for Possible live?

Yeah, we're recording live.

So we're put a.

You know, put that together.

That'll be available soon too, on the website, so be watching out for that.

So why don't we get into a recent production just came out, New Christian power music featuring Timothy D. Moore and your sister.

Mona's on this as well.

Heart, mind and soul.

Let's see.

I got queued up.

Trust in him.

Okay, so this is also available at KAJ us.

Yes.

So thanks, Kirk.

Really appreciate it.

Appreciate you, man.

Yeah.

And hope to see you this summer.

Got to make it up there.

Come on out.

All right.