Live from the 9:30 Club

Mint Condition | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 7, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Image Entertainment
• ASIN: B000A2GTX0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #129,253 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Mint Condition stands for excellence in music; this is LIVE music at its very best. "We gonna do some new stuff, we gonna do some old stuff. Y'all down with it, right?," Stokley Williams, the magnificent lead singer of Mint Condition, the quintessential R&B band of the `90s, teasingly asks an audience that lets him know the answer. Now back with this slammin' live CD, Mint Condition proves the band's bigger and better than ever as the quintet (lead vocalist Stokley, guitarist Homer O'Dell, keyboardist Larry Waddell, saxophonist Jeff Allen and bassist Rick Kinchen) takes its incomparable grooves to the next level on stage at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. Growing stronger over the band's ten years together, Mint Condition has developed a hot, seductive sound, irresistibly combining soul, jazz and gospel. The set features all of Mint Condition's top hits, including the blazing "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)," "What Kind of Man Would I Be?," "So Fine" and "Is This Pain Our Pleasure?," as well as songs from their latest album Livin' the Luxury Brown including "I'm Ready," and the summery smooth "Whoaa". For live music at its best, you've got to get it in Mint Condition!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real Music/Real Musicians, February 14, 2006

By 

Shanel Porter (Euless, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live from the 9:30 Club (Audio CD)

Just as the title states for this review, Mint Condition is the real deal. For those who have not experienced Mint live, this cd is a must have for your collection. It's the next best thing to being at a live performance. Tracks include a musical trip down memory lane from the "Meant to be Mint" release to their present "Livin' the Luxury Brown". It's wonderful to have Mint Condition back after such a long musical release hiatus. I look forward to more music from these real musicians.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars pretty good, March 18, 2006

By 

A customer "mistermaxxx" (usa) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Live from the 9:30 Club (Audio CD)

I have respected some of the things that Mint Condition has done over the years.I ain't feeling the past couple of albums too much&I feel they are just playing it safe.but Live they still pack a Mean Puch. Stokley Williams the Leader&Drummer of the Band is a talented cat,who just didn't have that right song to truly showcase all he could be. Mint Condition is One of those bands that should have been better than what they put out. this album shows there skills as Musicians. Hit&Miss Songwriting. but this is a cool Album.

5.0 out of 5 stars Mint Condition Right In Their Element, January 14, 2012

By 

Andre S. Grindle "Andre' Grindle" (Brewer Maine) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live from the 9:30 Club (Audio CD)

As with just about most of the classic self contained soul/funk bands in history from the JB's, Sly & The Family Stone,EWF all the way up through The Time there's always been a big difference in how they all respond in a live element. Whether it be a huge stadium or an intimate club setting songs that were shortened for radio airplay could be extended,unreleased material could be included and (especially with EWF) numbers presented as brief interludes could become musically involved instrumentals. I always felt,even at their best Mint Condition didn't always benefit from some of the glossier production and somewhat digitized rhythmic patterns on their studio albums. And one thing that had continually been said about them is what a spectacular live band they were. So they concert,recorded in 2004 at DC's 9:30 Club presents the band not only interacting with the audience but free of some of the more restrictive elements of the studio.

Now true be said something of a slogan people have made from the band is "real musicians playing real music". And truthfully there is a little sense of having that thrown in your face a bit here. On the other hand,it's something Mint Condition should be proud of. And it makes for the best moments here. A lot of numbers on this set such as "Is This Pain Or Pleasure","Whoaa" and "I'm Ready" are from their (then forthcoming) Livin' the Luxury Brown and are somewhat more jazzy and intimate than their studio counterparts though not by too much. The biggest differences come on versions of songs from their first two records such as "You Don't Have To Hurt No More" and "Breakin My Heart"-somehwat heavily produced new jack era ballads in the studio,heavily rhythm jazz-funk here with some incredible drum soloing on the latter. Same story with "Call Me",again very rhythmically stiff on Life's Aquarium but less constrained here. The tough rocking "Swole" is a heavy unreleased smoker along with "What You Bring To The Party",both potent jams along a version from 1996's "Funky Weekend" that,again brings out more of the JB's type vibe than the mildly processed studio take did.

Instrumental interludes such as "Th Tempest" and "Mintal" became longer jazz-funk numbers with some intense soloing. The only minor flaw of this album is,ironically that it does showcase how wonderful they are as musicians/instrumentalists. The trouble with that is it focuses equal attention to their occasionally weak songwriting and somewhat typical lyrical focus. Now sometimes the lyrics are deep romantic emotional swells. Other times? Basically the type of "street love" type themes of early period R.Kelly-more in a modern hip-hop setting. My personal opinion is when your presenting music like this,a little of the gospel/philosophically inspired takes on the subject matters of an EWF or James Brown usually has it's effect. Or the clever wordplay and wit of The Time. Aside of these little foibles for any doubters of the pure instrumental capabilities of Mint Condition this album is very likely to set any such thoughts to rest in a hurry.