by Ed HoganFormed in the early 80s in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Mint Condition began as lead singer Stokley Williams, guitarist Homer ODell, keyboardist Larry Waddell, keyboardist/saxophonist Jeff Allen, keyboardist/guitarist Keri Lewis, and guitarist/bassist Rick Kinchen. The six talented musicians combine a variety of influences and experiences to shape their own sound. Williams began playing classic West African instruments at the age of four, while ODell grew up listening to his father play blues bass and singing with him in a family group. Waddell played in a recording arts band at school and mastered keyboards by listening to jazz greats Oscar Peterson and Herbie Hancock. Exposed to his fathers extensive jazz collection, Allen played keyboards and sax in local bands throughout his high school years, as Lewis was mastering keyboards, percussion, and guitar while attending school. Kinchens first and strongest influence was his family, all of whom played instruments and encouraged his interest in music. He developed his skills as a bass player by listening to records by Stanley Clarke and Louis Johnson of the Brothers Johnson. Kinchen played in various bands in his native Chicago and performed at several productions at Kennedy-King College before moving to the Twin Cities. The band was featured at the 1986 Minnesota Black Musician Awards program and built a strong core following for themselves in a five-state area (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Dakota, and Nebraska) as a result of their dazzling, highly energetic live shows. Mint Condition came to the attention of Minneapolis soul producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis as a result of a showcase performance in 1989. The band had steady success beginning with the hits (Breaking My Heart) Pretty Brown Eyes and Forever in Your Eyes from their debut Meant to Be Mint, and with Nobody Does It Betta and (U Send Me) Swinging from their second album From the Mint Factory; they continued with the platinum success of the single What Kind of Man Would I Be from their gold album Definition of a Band. Going into the 21st century, Mint Condition was the only high profile R&B/pop band with a major-label recording represented by their excellent Lifes Aquarium, issued in November 1999.