The fourth-annual Brooklyn Comes Alive will return to Williamsburg, Brooklyn on September 29th for an all-day music marathon at Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg and Rough Trade. Inspired by the vibrant musical communities of Brooklyn and New Orleans, Brooklyn Comes Alive brings together more than 50 artists, allowing them to carry out passion projects, play with their musical heroes, and collaborate in never-before-seen formations. Each attendee receives a wristband that grants them access to every venue, which makes getting from set to set a breeze, recreating and paying homage to the club-hopping atmosphere of Jazz Fest by night.

One set we’re particularly excited for is The Purple Party, a tribute to Minnesota’s favorite son, Prince. After an instant-classic, sold-out late-night performance in New Orleans during this year’s Jazz Fest, the Purple Party is coming together once more to pay their respects to The Purple One. For this special tribute, an all-star cast of incredible funk players will assemble, including MonoNeon, Robert “Sput” Searight (Snarky Puppy, Ghost Note), Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy, Ghost Note), Steve Swatkins (Allen Stone), Ryan Jalbert (The Motet), Lyle Divinsky (The Motet), Shira Elias (Turkuaz), Sammi Garett (Turkuaz), Chris Bullock (Snarky Puppy), Mike “Maz” Maher (Snarky Puppy), Will Trask (Great American Taxi), Megan Letts (Mama Magnolia), and Casey Russell (the Magic Beans).

Casey Russell, firebrand keyboard player for Colorado’s Magic Beans, will once again serve as the musical director for the Purple Party set. As Russell told us ahead of the band’s debut Prince tribute in New Orleans,

I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, land of the purple funk, which also happens to be the home of Bob Dylan. Prince and Bob are two of the most influential musicians of all time. I grew up about five minutes from Loring Park, where Prince recorded the infamous Loring Park Sessions at the age of 19, and 15 minutes from his famous Paisley Park Studios. In Minneapolis, we show unconditional love for Prince. It’s an honor for me to be able to pay tribute to his music in such a capacity.

He continued, adding:

[Prince’s] music has always been a huge inspiration. If you know me, you know I love funk. Prince’s inspirations were all the old school funk cats, like Sly and the Family Stone, Earth Wind & Fire, James Brown, etc. He was able to expand upon their music, creating a sound of his own that would influence generations to follow. I’m a part of one of those generations. Prince has played a huge part in informing my decision on what’s funky or dope. Also, shout out to my dad, Jimmy Russell, who had the incredible opportunity to play with Prince in 1999 (and on the song “1999”) on New Year’s Eve in Minneapolis alongside George Clinton, Morris Day, and The New Power Generation. I was just a kid, but Prince has been on my radar ever since that night.

For the upcoming Purple Party set at Brooklyn Comes Alive 2018, Russell has brought together a truly all-star group of performers, recruiting members of Snarky Puppy, The Motet, Allen Stone, Turkuaz, Great American Taxi, and Mama Magnolia.

Notably, the eccentric fan-favorite bassist, MonoNeon, will also be on hand to pay his respects to Prince—a particularly special addition to the lineup, given that MonoNeon served as Prince’s final bassist before the legendary music icon’s untimely death in April of 2016. You can check out footage from the Purple Party’s NOLA debut in May below, and head here for more information on Brooklyn Comes Alive 2018.

Purple Party – “Purple Rain” – Maison – New Orleans, LA – 5/6/2018

[Video: RexAVision]

The fourth-annual Brooklyn Comes Alive will return to Brooklyn’s beloved Williamsburg neighborhood on September 29th for an all-day music marathon at Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg and Rough Trade. Inspired by the vibrant musical communities of Brooklyn and New Orleans, Brooklyn Comes Alive brings together more than 50 artists, allowing them to carry out passion projects, play with their musical heroes, and collaborate in never-before-seen formations. For more information, ticketing, and to see the full list of performers scheduled for Brooklyn Comes Alive 2018, head to the festival’s website here.