Madhouse (Prince’s Jazz-Funk Side Project)

Prince’s mysterious instrumental jazz-funk fusion project, presented as a fictional band to explore his jazz roots away from the spotlight of his pop-funk persona.nfluenced the Lovesexy era and resulted in a unique Paisley Park release.

OVERVIEW

Madhouse was a side project created by Prince in 1986–1987 as an outlet for his jazz influences. The group was marketed as a mysterious Atlanta-based jazz outfit led by saxophonist Eric Leeds, with a completely fabricated backstory involving fictional members. In reality, it was primarily Prince and Eric Leeds on the first album, expanding for the second.

ORIGIN & CONCEPT

The project evolved from earlier instrumental sessions (including the shelved The Flesh concept). Prince wanted to release jazzier material without it being judged as a “Prince album.” All tracks were numbered sequentially across releases, starting from “1” to “16.”

KEY RELEASES

8 Released: January 21, 1987 Label: Paisley Park Records Notes: Entirely instrumental. Prince played all instruments except Eric Leeds’ saxophones and flute. Standout tracks include “6,” “7,” and “8.” Presented anonymously with a fictional band bio.

16 Released: November 18, 1987 Label: Paisley Park Records Notes: Expanded sound with contributions from Levi Seacer Jr., Matt “Dr.” Fink, and Sheila E. on select tracks. Continued the numbered track format (9 through 16).

A planned third album (24) was started but never completed/released.

PRINCE CONNECTION

Prince created, produced, and played the majority of instruments on both albums (often under the pseudonym “Austra Chanel” for keyboards). Eric Leeds was the featured soloist and public face. Madhouse performed as an opening act (in hooded monk disguises) during parts of the Sign o’ the Times tour in Europe.

STAGE WORK & LATER CAREER

Live performances were limited and theatrical. After 1987, the project went dormant, though some material from later sessions appeared on compilations or Eric Leeds’ solo work (Times Squared). In the years since, the albums have gained cult status among Prince fans for showcasing his jazz-funk fusion side.

WHY THEY MATTER TO THE PRINCE UNIVERSE 

Madhouse allowed Prince to indulge his love of jazz (influenced by his father) and experiment freely. It demonstrated his desire to create music beyond his superstar image and gave Eric Leeds a prominent creative platform. The project remains one of the most intriguing and underappreciated chapters in Prince’s vast catalog of side projects.

SOURCES Prince Vault, Wikipedia, JazzTimes, Prince official discography, Goldies Parade, Discogs.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE 

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