Sean McPherson is an in-demand bassist, bandleader and songwriter from St. Paul, Minnesota. He plays bass with Heiruspecs, Dessa and his solo project, the Twinkie Jiggles Broken Orchestra. McPherson graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007 with an Individualized Degree in Music, African-American Studies and Cultural Studies. Sean is an instructor at McNally Smith College of Music, teaching courses in Composition, Liberal Arts and Hip-Hop Studies. In addition to his performance and teaching career, McPherson is an active entrepreneur in the Twin Cities media community. He is the co-owner of Trivia Mafia, the largest trivia company in Minnesota. McPherson is also a freelance food writer for City Pages.
As the hip-hop and R&B show for The Current, The Message aims to bring our listeners great music and celebrate fixtures of the hip-hop and R&B world in the Twin Cities and beyond. There is a stunning and omnipresent connection between these genres and poetry.
The Louisville, Ky., five-piece will release their new album, 'You Deserve Love,' on October 18. White Reaper frontman Tony Esposito credits producer Jay Joyce with helping the band maintain their lively, fun sound on the album. 'His whole m.o. was making sure we stayed sounding like a rock band,' Esposito says. Listen to the full session hosted by Sean McPherson.
Touring in support of his highly acclaimed debut album, 'Para Mi,' Cuco and his band visited The Current for a session hosted by Sean McPherson. 'I think we have a really sick set right now,' Cuco says. 'I think we're the best we've sounded.'
Touring in support of their latest album, 'Living Mirage,' three members of Seattle-based six-piece The Head and the Heart visited The Current to play an acoustic set of songs and to talk music with host Sean McPherson.
Acclaimed musical 'The Last Ship,' starring and featuring music by Sting, will make its regional premiere at the Ordway in St. Paul in April 2020. In the run-up to those dates, The Current's Sean McPherson had a chance to speak with the Grammy-winning singer and songwriter.
Hear Taja Sevelle, singer and urban farming activist talk about her work with Prince and Paisley Park records in the 1980s.
While in the Twin Cities for a show in Minneapolis, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes stopped at The Current to host an hour of tunes with Sean McPherson.
This week on The Message, hosts Sanni Brown and Sean McPherson shared music by five artists to watch who are all under the age of 25.
If you want to hear Prince laying down the coos that would guide Appollonia, the grooves that Sheila E would make famous, and even the song that Kenny Rogers got a piece - look no further.
The year 2019 has been anything but short of hot releases in the Hip-Hop and R&B world! And that's why this week's episode of The Message celebrates the best releases of 2019 thus far. Hosts Sanni Brown and Sean McPherson each shared their picks for the first half of 2019.
Prince was born on June 7, 1958 and though he did not celebrate his birthday for part of his life, many fans in the Prince world tend to gear celebrations to that date. Here's what we're doing on Purple Current.
Before playing a sold-out show at the Palace Theatre, Lizzo stopped by The Current studio to talk about her new album, how she's grown as an artist, and what it's been like to take a more positive spin on her music. Lizzo also performs two songs from the album -- accompanied only by acoustic guitar -- showcasing her stunning vocals.
The record is a master class is making good musical choices, Anderson .Paak created a modern soul masterpiece.
Marvin Gaye tapped the biggest names of the day for 'You're The Man,' including Larry Mizell, Willie Hutch, and Smokey Robinson to make this highly anticipated follow-up. The studio sessions were prolific and the writers brought their A-game.
The work Prince released in 2001 speaks for itself, but it also speaks for the band-oriented funk sound Prince would home in on so deeply in the coming years.
Coming off of the work of the 'Graffiti Bridge' movie and soundtrack and a 1991 that was heavy on releases by other artists, 1992 brought us the 'Love Symbol' album and some incredible work with other artists. Take a look and let us know your favorites for music Prince released, written or recorded in 1992!
Cherry Glazerr's latest album, 'Stuffed and Ready,' released on February 1 of this year, and the Los Angeles three-piece stopped at The Current to talk about and play songs from the record. 'I feel like it's always the most exciting to play the things you've written most recently, and so it feels really fresh and very exciting,' says Cherry Glazerr songwriter and frontperson Clementine Creevy.
Thirty years ago, Prince was in a particularly prolific period. What are his best tracks as producer, collaborator, or musician from 1989?
We have revved up the Purple Current time machine for 1981, here are the results.
From the early 1960s to this very day, Stax recording artist William Bell has crafted soul classics with a clarity, passion and grit that is truly unparalleled. Last week Sean McPherson sat in the backstage of the Dakota with the soul legend and discussed soul music with him.