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Summer Walker: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert Hotney 5 Streams • 4 years ago

Watch Summer Walker play"Session 32", "Wasted", "Girls Need Love", "Riot" and "Playing Games" at the Tiny Desk.

Watch Tiny Desk Concerts ONE WEEK before they go on YouTube at https://www.npr.org/tinydesk

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Oct. 21, 2019 | Rodney Carmichael -- Seconds before the cameras started to roll, Summer Walker showed just how much she was willing to sacrifice for her day at the Tiny Desk: She clipped her nails. It wasn't an aesthetic choice but a pragmatic one. Not even her love for a fresh set of bedazzled acrylics would get in the way of her strumming the soul out of her six-string Fender electric. The guitar wasn't the only thing she'd brought with her from Atlanta. In her lap sat "Friend," the pink stuffed animal who no doubt provided a bit of emotional support during a five-song set that forced the shy enigma out of her creative shell.

"Look, I'm really freaking excited to be here but I have social anxiety like a mother******," Walker told the NPR crowd at the end of her set, barely mumbling the expletive in an attempt to censor herself. "I'm freaked the hell out, I'm sweating, but this is so exciting for me."

A 23-year old singer-songwriter with an uncensored pen and brown-liquor vocals, Walker has become something of a patron saint for colored girls who've considered bossing up when heartbreak is too much. With the release of her official studio debut Over It, she made history last week by racking up the biggest streaming week of any female R&B artist ever. Meanwhile, the first lady of upstart label Love Renaissance (LVRN) is lowkey leading a sonic revolution in Atlanta that's turning the trap capital back into an R&B town. Her team was equally insistent on tricking out the Tiny Desk space by hanging lights that brought a diffuse glow to Walker's creative set.

For an artist who rarely grants interviews and admittedly dreads the public spotlight — despite an Instagram feed that clearly shows off her humorous, exhibitionist flair — Walker's Tiny Desk is revealing. In the span of 15 minutes, she performs fan favorites ("Session 32," "Wasted," "Riot") and the song that made Drake hop in her DMs, "Girls Need Love," before ending with current single "Playing Games." Even behind the bright lights and oversized eyeglass frames, her unadorned soul shines through.

SET LIST
"Session 32"
"Wasted"
"Girls Need Love"
"Riot"
"Playing Games"

MUSICIANS
Summer Walker: vocals, guitar; Elijah Whittingham: guitar; Angel White: vocals; Autumn Tuesdae: vocals; Slim.wav: keys; Stox: bass; Remey Williams: drums

CREDITS
Producers: Rodney Carmichael, Bobby Carter, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineers: Josh Rogosin, Patrick Boyd; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Niki Walker, Maia Stern, Beck Harlan, Jack Corbett; Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Laura Beltran Villamizar/NPR

The Isley Brothers: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert Hotney 3 Streams • 4 years ago

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

Bobby Carter | Aug. 18, 2021
Before the Isley Brothers played "That Lady" during this Tiny Desk (at Home) concert, lead singer and founding member Ronald Isley shared two stories about the song that perfectly encapsulates the scope of their nearly seven-decade career. "It reminds me of going way back, when we had Jimi Hendrix living at the house and playing. We went on to meet a young fellow by the name of Kendrick Lamar who sampled the record and we got a Grammy award for it." At the Tiny Desk, we've hosted shows from superstars and legends – but our home concert series has now officially reached new heights.

Shot at their home studio in St. Louis, Mo., Ronald and his brother Ernie stand front and center, performing just a slice from a catalog overstuffed with classic anthems. (These four songs alone have been sampled or covered by over three hundred artists.) They kick things off with 1983's quiet storm essential, "Between the Sheets." As a nod to the late Notorious B.I.G., Mr. Biggs opens with, "I like it when you call me Big Poppa" – from there, they fire off three more hits, including the immortal "Footsteps in the Dark" and "For the Love of You." The Isley Brothers have eclipsed legendary status – their music is an intrinsic, indelible part of American culture. Watching Ron and Ernie play with as much enthusiasm as they did 30, 40, 50 years ago is an awe-inspiring sight to cherish.

SET LIST
"Between the Sheets"
"Footsteps in the Dark"
"For the Love of You"
"That Lady"

MUSICIANS
Ronald Isley: vocals
Ernest Isley: guitar
Kandy Isley: vocals
Kimberly Johnson: vocals
Calvin Rodgers: drums
Chris Payton: guitar
Quintin "Q" Gulledge: keys
Maurice Fitzgerald: bass

CREDITS
Video: Morgan Glenn, Josh Brickey
Camera Operators: Brandon Brinkley, Isaac Sinason
Additional Production: Mary Meadows, Bryan Weddle, Jonathan Becker, Marcos Machado
Audio: Adam Edmonds, Quintin "Q" Gulledge
Guitar Tech: Sam Mays

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Video Producer: Kara Frame
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Maia Stern, Gabrielle Pierre
Executive Producer: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#isleybrothers #tinydesk #nprmusic

Ravyn Lenae: Tiny Desk Concert Hotney 5 Streams • 4 years ago

This year, NPR Music is celebrating Black Music Month with an array of brand new Tiny Desk concerts — both from home and from behind our beloved Desk. Together, these artists represent the past, present and future of Black music. This month of carefully curated shows is a celebration of Black artists expressing themselves in ways we've never seen before, and of the Tiny Desk's unique way of showcasing that talent.

Ashley Pointer | June 22, 2022
Hearing Ravyn Lenae’s voice resonate from behind the Tiny Desk for one of our first concerts back in the building had me entranced. With her voice raw and unamplified, Lenae and her dynamic band transformed our office into a funky, futuristic space where she was completely in her element.

Hailing from Chicago, Lenae dropped her first EP, Moon Shoes, in 2015. Since then, she’s released two more EPs, her sound permeating the world of contemporary R&B and blurring the lines between soul, funk and R&B. This year Lenae reemerged with the release of her debut full length, HYPNOS, already shaping up to be one of the best albums of 2022.

Her Tiny Desk concert commences with three songs off HYPNOS. Opening with “Venom,” an electro-funk song that seethes, Lenae sings: “Why do you play me for a fool?” Her signature falsetto descends over spacey synth melodies while her drummer keeps an insistent, metallicy groove. Then Lenae performs perhaps the most vulnerable songs from her new album, including “Skin Tight,” a melancholic guitar-led ballad that addresses a past romantic relationship and the energy that was once shared, and “Inside Out,” a love letter to herself that channels a ’90s R&B sound with dramatic piano harmonies, a soulful lead melody and dynamic drums.

“I think it’s a lifelong journey, learning to love yourself and trust yourself, and believe in the skin you’re in,” Lenae says of “Inside Out.” “I wrote this song when I wasn’t so sure… that’s why we sing it together.” With a fiercely energetic upsweep, she closes the show with her hit “Sticky.” As she slides into those distinct shrilling oohs, I can’t help but sing along to her catchy hook — all while realizing that only Lenae can do it quite like that.

SET LIST
“Venom”
“Skin Tight”
“Inside Out”
“Sticky”

MUSICIANS
Ravyn Lenae: vocals
Marcus Reddick: bass
Danielle “Dee” Thompson: drums
Harrison “Achee” Hawkins: keys/MD
Garrett Jones: guitar
Aja Grant: vocals
Phylicia Hill: vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Audio Recording & Mix Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Director/Editor: Kara Frame
Series Creator: Bob Boilen
Videographers: Kara Frame, Josh Bryant, Michael Zamora, Pierre Kattar
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Jill Britton, Joby Tanseco, Maia Stern
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#NPRMusic #TinyDesk #RavynLenae

Young Thug: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert Hotney 2 Streams • 4 years ago

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

Sidney Madden | July 27, 2021
Young Thug looks right at home in the lush, almost regal, gardens of The Houdini Estate in Los Angeles. The serenity of the chosen location might seem too delicate for the punk-rock raps Thug and his crew reverberate through the grounds, but as hip-hop's impactful oddball, oxymoronic magic has always been his strong suit.

For the last decade, the world of rap has lived, learned and been liberated while under the influence of Young Thug. His contorted cadence, visionary fashion sense and freaky, frantic wordplay have inspired an entire generation of artists to no end. And now, the Atlanta iconoclast is evolving yet again. Not only is he wading through the waters of punk with his forthcoming album, Punk — Thug is using his Tiny Desk debut to usher in his next era, one that's meant to represent "authenticity, consciousness and overall purity." Premiering songs off his long-teased album (due out Oct. 15), the Grammy winner's rhymes slither along smoothly no matter how rough the music, taking fans on a journey of energy and emotion.

"I'm just seeking for God's soul 'cause I know something's missing," a peach-haired Thug admits on his opener, "Die Slow," before divulging specific hardships that shape his music. It's a small sample of the tests in life that inspire lines like, "You gotta go through this s*** with your heart / You can't snooze on it" and prompt him to celebrate even the smallest wins with VVS diamonds and exotic vacations. By the time the sun sets and the crew is joined by famed drummer Travis Barker for a fresh rendition of the chart-topping "Ski," the surge of triumphant excitement is almost too much for him to contain. But then again, why would he want to?

SET LIST
"Die Slow"
"Droppin Jewels"
"Hate The Game"
"Tick Tock"
"Ski"

MUSICIANS
Young Thug: vocals
Tim Stewart: guitar
Jonny Goood: bass
Tosh Peterson: drums
Travis Barker: drums

CREDITS
Video: Hidden Road Studios
Audio: Demetrius Moore and Angad "Bainz" Bains
Creative Director: Meggan Mckenzie
Director: Tom Kirk
Cinematography: John Barrett
Management & A&R: Geoffrey Ogunlesi
Production Manager: Paul Lovell Butt
Camera Operator: Erick Turcios
Tour Director: JP Firmin
Band Fixer: Adam Blackstone
Gaffer: Marc Patterson
1st AC: Melissa Martine
Key Grip: Christian Guerrero
Production Assistant: Duane Avery
Assistant Mix Engineer: Aresh Banaji
Assistant Engineering: Bernard Chavez

TINY DESK TEAM
Producers: Sidney Madden, Bobby Carter
Video Producer: Maia Stern
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Kara Frame, Gabrielle Pierre
Executive Producer: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#youngthug #tinydesk #nprmusic

Camila Cabello: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert Hotney 2 Streams • 4 years ago

From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Tiny Desk is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with an "El Tiny" takeover of the (home) concert series, featuring J Balvin, Camila Cabello and several more musicians from all corners of Latinidad.

Anamaria Sayre | October 15, 2021
To the beat of her swishing hips and swaying percussionists, Camila Cabello's famous "Half of my heart is in Havana" reverberates across this musician-packed Miami set, with an at-home ease that feels novel for the global popstar.

Born to a Cuban mother and Mexican father in Havana, Cuba, Cabello is no stranger to blending borders and connecting worlds. As the final performance in our Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, her El Tiny concert epitomises the cross-cultural, transnational musical identities we've centered over the course of the series. Each unique arrangement of her universal hits represents and explores a new facet of the identities and experiences that make up Cabello.

These stripped-down renditions of her hits "Havana," "Real Friends," "Señorita" and "Don't Go Yet" include more Latin instrumentation than the recordings — presumably bringing them closer to sounds that were first introduced to her as music during her childhood in Havana, Mexico City, and Miami.

The interlude featuring a sacred Afro-Cuban Santería chant and the following performance of the unreleased, Mariachi-based "La Buena Vida," firmly root Cabello's El Tiny performance within two cultural traditions that don't typically glitter under the harsh lights of a global stage.

Here, we find Camila on the precipice of a voice that magically layers pop with tradition, holding all parts of a complex identity in seamless harmony. Flanked by Cuban congueros and Mexican mariachi, all aglow under the Miami sun, Camila Cabello's heart has never felt more whole.

SET LIST
"Havana"
"Real Friends"
"Señorita"
"Don't Go Yet"
"La Buena Vida"

MUSICIANS
Camila Cabello: vocals
Edwin Carranza: bass/music director
Marcus Kincy: keys/glockenspiel
Chris Johnson: drums
Luke Iono: guitar
Yisel Duque: vocals
Jackie Mendez: vocals
Alex Garcia: guitar
Camilo Velandia: guitar
Daniel Lopez: percussion
Joel del Sol: percussion
Gerardo Rodriguez: trumpet
Mayerlin Carrero: trombone
Luisi "Rosca" Beltran: saxophone
Cheche Alara: accordion, rhodes
Jimmy K. Cuéllar: violín
Luis Zambrano: violín
Ángel Guzmán: violín
Gustavo Zambrano: violín
Saúl Ruiz: violín
Gustavo Hernández: guitarra
Jason Franco: vihuela
Albert Jimenez: guitarron
John Vargas: trompeta
Grover Castro: trompeta
Music Production: Cheche Alara, Ricky Reed
Music Director & Arranger: Cheche Alara

CREDITS
Video: Justin Francis
Audio: Lawrence Manchester
Video Production: Hidden Pictures
Camera Op: Alexandra Vivas
Backline Techs: Okwa Andrew, Edward Mendoza
Recording Engineer: Ryan Cecil
Playback/Recording Engineer/Editing: Mike Kopulos
Monitor Engineer: Taylor Holden
Production Manager: Chris Cofﬁe
Steadicam: Zach Burgh
A Camera AC: Joe Ariberto
B Camera AC: Alex Cristofoli
Digital Imaging Tech: Leungson P. "Coco"
Gaﬀer: Ricardo C. Lopez
Grip: Brian Sills
Swing: Brandon Vencino
PA: Jonathan Ruﬃni
PA: Kevin Cuenca
Art Director: Luis Roman
Art Assistant: Joel Figueroa
Colorist: Marshall Palante
Location: Soho House Miami Music
Transcription: Boh Cooper

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Anamaria Sayre
Video Producer: Maia Stern
Audio Mastering: Andy Huether
Alt.Latino 'El Tiny' Team: Felix Contreras, Reanna Cruz, Anaïs Laurent, Stefanie Fernandez
Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Bobby Carter, Kara Frame, Josh Rogosin, Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis
Executive Producer: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#eltiny #tinydesk #nprmusic #camilacabello

Raphael Saadiq: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert Hotney 4 Streams • 4 years ago

Watch Raphael Saadiq play at the Tiny Desk.

This Tiny Desk concert was part of Tiny Desk Fest, a four-night series of extended concerts performed in front of a live audience and streamed live on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

More from NPR Music:
Tiny Desk Concerts: https://www.npr.org/tinydesk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nprmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nprmusic

Dec. 5, 2019 | Rodney Carmichael -- The first time Raphael Saadiq played Tiny Desk, "it was really a tiny desk."

"And honestly we were kinda complaining about it," Saadiq laughs, recalling that performance in 2009, back when hosting intimate little concerts behind Bob Boilen's desk was still a fledgling idea at NPR Music. "Like, we kinda didn't wanna do it," he admits in hindsight. It wasn't until the video-taped version of his set hit the Internet and began picking up views that the lightbulb went off for Saadiq, too. "It's like probably the biggest streaming I ever had, so it's kinda good to be back — not kinda good; it's really good to be back."

As he tells this story, exactly one decade later, Saadiq's return to a slightly bigger Tiny Desk — to close out NPR's live-streamed Tiny Desk Fest — coincides with the biggest record of his career. Named for one of three brothers who succumbed to addiction, Jimmy Lee is his most personal, most vulnerable, most fearless work yet, and it comes at a point, more than 30 years into his career, when Saadiq has nothing left to prove or lose.

This is the same man, after all, who lit the fuse for soul's popular revival as the lead for Tony! Toni! Tone!, at a time when black bands bordered near-extinction. Then he led an entire generation of artists to the well and made them drink. In addition to a solo discography that cakewalks backward through the latter half of 20th-century funk and soul, his production credits read like a score card of black music MVPs over the last 20 years (D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Mary J. Blige, Ledisi, John Legend, Solange). If he's made it look effortless, that's because, sometimes, it has been.

Take the time when he was walking around the East Village in New York one day out of the blue. "I was like, let me see where can I get a joint from," as he recalls during our post-performance conversation. The thought led him to Electric Lady Studios, where D'Angelo had taken up residence while working on his second solo album. "I rung the bell: 'Is D'Angelo here?' He opens the door. He's like, 'What's up!' I said, 'You got a joint?' 'Hell yeah I got a joint.' He's like, 'Can we do a song?' I'm like, 'Yeah, whatever....'"

Needless to say the two already had history together — they'd co-written and co-produced "Lady," D'Angelo's biggest hit until that point — and they were about to make more: "We walk in and we do "Untitled [(How Does It Feel)"] in maybe like two hours," he says.

True to form, Saadiq is still a talent magnet. For his Tiny Desk Fest set — recorded on Halloween, which explains the costumed crowd — he's joined by rising soul singer and songwriter Lucky Daye, who released his Grammy-nominated debut album, Painted, and made his own Tiny Desk debut this year. Daye performs two songs from that album, in addition to backing Saadiq, who also brought along a sousaphone player for his Instant Vintage classic, "Still Ray."

His collaborative performance with Daye is yet another testament to Saadiq's widespread influence, which remains something of an open secret to those in the know. Meanwhile, Jimmy Lee continues to garner Saadiq the kind of attention typically reserved for newer artists. After a career spent contributing so much of his genius behind the scenes and painting over the dark spots in his past with bright, ecstatic strokes, his latest feat feels like a revelation.

"I'm really just shocked about my whole career," he says. "People say Raphael Saadiq is the most slept-on artist. I think I slept on myself, too. I would read this all the time [and] go, 'Slept on? I'm slept on? Cause I ain't Kanye? Cause I ain't talking loud?' Naw, they know."

Indeed, we always have.

SET LIST
"I'm Feeling Love"
"Be Here"
"This World Is Drunk"
"Love You Too Much" (Lucky Daye)
"Call" (Lucky Daye)
"Still Ray"

MUSICIANS
Raphael Saadiq: vocals, guitar; Lucky Daye: vocals; Rob Bacon: guitar, vocals; Alvin Ford: drums; DaQuantae "Q" Johnson: bass; Daniel Crawford: keys; Brent Gossett: sousaphone

CREDITS
Producers: Abby O'Neill, Bobby Carter, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative director: Bob Boilen; Audio engineers: Josh Rogosin, Natasha Branch; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Tsering Bista, Kara Frame, CJ Riculan, Jack Corbett; Production assistant: Zemoria Mathis; Executive producer: Lauren Onkey; VP, programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Mhari Shaw/NPR

NoSo: Tiny Desk Concert Hotney 6 Streams • 4 years ago

Elle Mannion | November 4, 2022
Baek Hwong, the artist who performs as NoSo, arrived at NPR’s headquarters on a sunny Friday afternoon that followed a week of relentless rain in Washington, D.C. The change in weather was apt for the Los Angeles-based artist whose music often sheds light on dark times.

I first discovered NoSo when they entered the Tiny Desk Contest back in 2019. Even though they didn’t win, their spectacular guitar playing, memorable hooks and sentimental lyricism left a lasting impression. They bring all those elements to their Tiny Desk set, in which they’re accompanied by musicians Marian Li-Pino on drums and Jayla Tang on violin. NoSo’s soft-spoken nature complements their musical dexterity to create the kind intimate performance that really shines in the close quarters behind the Desk.

Across the three-song set, Hwong sings about the “quiet suburbia” they grew up in and reflects on feelings about their evolving gender identity. The final song of the set, “Everything I’ve Got,” is an aching portrayal of the way confidence and longing can be upended by gender dysphoria; before playing the song, Hwong shares that they’ve “healed a lot” since writing it. “I know if I was born fairly, I’d be it / I’ll love you with everything I’ve got,” they sing quietly over a swelling violin and an audience of sniffling NPR staff.

NoSo reflects on their adolescence — often granting newfound compassion to their younger self — across their debut album, Stay Proud Of Me, which came out earlier this year. They say releasing that record and playing a Tiny Desk three years after submitting to the Contest feels like “a real full-circle moment.” Toward the end of the set, Hwong smiles and admits: “This is a dream come true.”

SET LIST
“I Feel You”
“Suburbia”
“Everything I've Got”

MUSICIANS
Baek Hwong: guitar, vocals
Marian Li-Pino: drums
Jayla Tang: violin

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bob Boilen
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Michael Zamora, Sofia Seidel
Audio Assistant: Alex Drewenskus
Production Assistant: Jill Britton
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer, Kara Frame
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#nprmusic #tinydesk #noso

Nubya Garcia: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert Hotney 6 Streams • 4 years ago

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

September 16, 2020 | Suraya Mohamed -- Look to the left of Nubya Garcia's Tiny Desk (home) concert and you'll see a hanging plant swaying right above the keys. It never stops moving during the next 23 minutes, and it's for a bizarre reason. Garcia's (home) concert took place on a boat — a first in Tiny Desk history — because she was in between homes. Before the pandemic hit, the London-born jazz saxophonist and composer was booked for an extensive global tour that started in February 2020, and it was expected to continue through the end of the year. Because she was only going to be in London for a very short time, she gave up her flat, planning to stay with family and friends for short breaks. It seemed like a good idea until March, when COVID-19 shut down most of the world and the tour, too.

Garcia and her band are at Soup Studio, a recording facility built on a decommissioned floating lighthouse moored on the River Thames. It's also where Garcia recorded her excellent new album, SOURCE. This set features three songs from the record; the title track starts it off with a reggae, dub vibe. Garcia skillfully uses the entire range of her tenor saxophone, hitting convincing low and high notes with ease and resolve. Throughout the set, her tone is gorgeous, her musical intuition perfect. She projects rich and full melodic lines with refined solos that leave just enough space to take in the expressive sincerity of the music. There are no lyrics but her music conveys a message of staying grounded, being present in the moment and appreciating the comforts and feelings of what it means to be home.

SET LIST
"Source"
"Pace"
"Boundless Beings"

MUSICIANS
Nubya Garcia: tenor saxophone: Joe Armon-Jones: keys; Daniel Casmir: double bass: Sam Jones: drums; Richie Seivwright: vocals; Cassie Kinoshi: vocals

CREDITS
Video by: Fabrice Bourgelle; Additional Cameras: Lou Jasmine, Israel Wilson; Audio by: David Holmes; Mixed by: Kwes at Soup Studio; Producer: Suraya Mohamed; Audio Mastering Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Video Producer: Morgan Noelle Smith; Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

Erykah Badu: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert Hotney 3 Streams • 4 years ago

Aug. 15, 2018 | Felix Contreras -- Some folks around the NPR Music office said they felt an almost spiritual connection to Erykah Badu during her visit to the Tiny Desk. And that was before she and her band even played a single note. It came from the waft of earthly scents that followed in her wake, to the flowing dreads and clothes that hung on her like robes.

After her self-introduction, which included a rundown of her spiritual and creative aliases, Badu rolled into one of her earliest musical calling cards, "Rimshot." It's an ode to the sound the percussionist makes when a drumstick is struck against the metal edge of the snare drum. On this performance, as on her 1997 album Baduizm, it becomes a device to play with time — stretching it, stopping it, suspending it. Propelled by jazz chords on the piano and the steady pulse of the acoustic bass, the playful performance unfolded in the tradition of the best bebop.

But the panoramic song "Green Eyes" is the centerpiece of Badu's Tiny Desk performance. It's wide-ranging in scope and musical arrangement and brilliantly executed by the jazz and hip-hop musicians in her backing band. The story of heartbreak is striking enough, but her interpretation showcases her formidable vocal skills. By the time it was over, we were all just as emotionally and spiritually spent as she was from the experience.

Erykah Badu is an artist for the ages. To old-school jazz fans like myself, names like Nina Simone, Betty Carter and Shirley Horn come to mind as much as Billie Holiday because of Badu's singular approach to a lyric. They all cut their own creative path and left behind a legacy that you can identify with just one note. Erykah Badu is on that same path, and one day her name will be mentioned along with the other Elders who share her spirit of musical adventure.

Set List
"Rimshot"
"Green Eyes"

Musicians
Erykah Badu (lead vocals), RC Williams (Keys), Braylon Lacy (bass), Cleon Edwards (Drums), Frank Moka (Percussion), Kenneth Whalum (Sax), Keyon Harrold (Trumpet), Dwayne Kerr (Flute)

Credits
Producers: Abby O'Neill, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Maia Stern, Kara Frame, Khun Minn Ohn, CJ Riculan; Production Assistants: Catherine Zhang, Téa Mottolese; Photo: Morgan Noelle Smith/NPR.

Denzel Curry: Tiny Desk Concert Hotney 3 Streams • 4 years ago

This year, NPR Music is celebrating Black Music Month with an array of brand new Tiny Desk concerts — both from home and from behind our beloved Desk. Together, these artists represent the past, present and future of Black music. This month of carefully curated shows is a celebration of Black artists expressing themselves in ways we've never seen before, and of the Tiny Desk's unique way of showcasing that talent.

Ashley Pointer | June 29, 2022
After taking a sip of his tea towards the end of his six-song set, Denzel Curry turns to his band and exclaims: “We lowkey breezed through this b****! That’s great for two rehearsals!”

From the moment Curry and his people stepped foot into NPR headquarters to record their Tiny Desk concert, the vibes were right. With a 10-piece configuration — consisting of drums, bass, keys, guitar, horns and percussion — the rapper put on a flawless and inspired live performance of songs off his latest LP as well as some of his biggest hits, all freshly arranged for the Tiny Desk.

Over the course of a decade, Curry has released a number of albums and EPs, becoming one of the most versatile emcees in hip-hop today. His sixth studio album, Melt My Eyez See Your Future, marked a new artistic beginning for him: infusing neo-soul, jazz and traditional hip-hop influences into the album, with less “rah” and more mature introspection. Throughout this concert, you get a little bit of both.

Curry and the Cold-Blooded Soul Band open their set with “Melt Session #1,” a feel-good neo-soul groove where Curry’s introspective lyrics flow beautifully, taking center stage. Then kicking it up a notch, Curry performs “Walkin” and “Troubles” with an assist from DJ POSHtronaut, employing some serious bounce complimented by catchy horn lines. In the second half of his set, Curry takes us back with “DIET_.” Evoking instant head-bops as bass and drums smoothly lock in, Curry charms our audience with his improvised rhymes and exuberant personality.

As Curry and the band closed out the concert going absolutely bonkers with “RICKY,” I could feel how light the room had gotten as everyone in the audience fed off Curry’s infectious energy fueled by distorted guitar and bass and punchy horns. “You know I killed that s***. You know I murked that s***!” Yes, Denzel Curry. Yes you did.

SET LIST
“Melt Session #1”
“Walkin”
“Troubles”
“DIET_”
“CLOUT COBAIN | CLOUT CO13A1N”
“RICKY”

MUSICIANS
Denzel Curry: vocals
DJ POSHtronaut: vocals
Marcus Paul: trumpet
Brandyn Phillips: trumpet
Tim McKay: saxophone/flute
Alex Csillag: trombone
Brian Gazo: percussion
Brian Patterson: drums
Jay Winfield: keys
Jack Siegel: guitar
David McKinzie: bass

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Audio Recording & Mix Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Director: Joshua Bryant
Editor: Kara Frame
Series Creator: Bob Boilen
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Michael Zamora, Pierre Kattar, Alanté Serene
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Jill Britton, Maia Stern
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#tinydesk #BMM #denzelcurry

FKA twigs: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert Hotney 3 Streams • 4 years ago

This year, NPR Music is celebrating Black Music Month with an array of brand new Tiny Desk concerts — both from home and from behind our beloved Desk. Together, these artists represent the past, present and future of Black music. This month of carefully curated shows is a celebration of Black artists expressing themselves in ways we've never seen before, and of the Tiny Desk's unique way of showcasing that talent.

LaTesha Harris | June 10, 2022
To see her is to appreciate a rare portrait. To watch her dance and hear her sing is to fall, entranced, into an uncanny haze. Both snake and its charmer, British Jamaican multidisciplinary artist FKA twigs is a new-age priestess. Surrounded by flames of offering in the hallowed halls of London's St. Matthias Church, the Grammy-nominated artist and her three-piece supporting band deliver a sermon on the perils of devotion. In her three-song Tiny Desk (home) concert -- featuring soul-baring ballads like “home with you” and “cellophane” -- she honors the strength of vulnerability; her operatic soprano ignites and delivers catharsis.

After working as a backup dancer with hopes of transitioning to singing, FKA twigs released two EPs before achieving widespread critical acclaim with her debut studio album, 2014’s LP1, and its lead single, “Two Weeks.” A classically trained singer, FKA twigs makes music that blends deceptively demure vocals with otherworldly trip-hop beats. She perfected this signature avant-garde sound on her sop****re album, 2019’s MAGDALENE, establishing herself as a direct musical descendent of iconic innovators like Kate Bush and Janet Jackson. Fresh off the success of her recent mixtape, CAPRISONGS, FKA Twigs blesses viewers with a performance of her latest song, “killer.”

SET LIST
“home with you”
“killer”
“cellophane”

MUSICIANS
FKA twigs: vocals
Kelly Nicole Moran: piano
Damsel Elysium: double bass, violin
Lucinda Chua: cello

CREDITS
Director: Aidan Zamiri
Producer: Aidan Robert Brooks
Executive Producer: Morgan Clement
PA: Fluer
Director of Photography: Jake Hunter
AC: George Power
AC: Mac Christie
Gaffer: Alex Cullen
Spark: Ben Alder
Art Director: Alan Scott
Art Assistant: Tasneem Elnayal
Music Director: Bubbleman
Sound Engineer: Johnny Williams
Creative Producer: Pia Ashcroft

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Video Producer: Joshua Bryant
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Animation: Kaz Fantone
Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Kara Frame, Michael Zamora, Maia Stern, Ashley Pointer
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#tinydesk #tinydeskconcert #fkatwigs

Jessie Reyez: Tiny Desk Concert Hotney 3 Streams • 4 years ago

From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Tiny Desk is celebrating Latinx Heritage Month with an "El Tiny" takeover, featuring Jessie Reyez, Susana Baca and more musicians from all corners of Latinidad.

Anamaria Sayre | September 30, 2022
Beer cans and hair brushes may not be typical percussive tools, but typical is as irrelevant as tradition is amorphous when you're an immigrant-raised, Colombian-Canadian kid whose music is as much about navigating life on your terms as it is about holding your head up in the rip current of love.

Jessie Reyez's legendary layers — vocal dynamism, cross-genre playfulness, unapologetic realness — were on full display at her El Tiny concert. Complete with strings, horns and musical direction from Tiny Desk alum Matthew Burnett (whose credits also include Daniel Caesar's Tiny Desk), Reyez deftly danced between tracks with the assuredness of a true reina harnessing her vulnerability on stage.

Reyez opens the performance with "MOOD," the starting track of her newly released second album, Yessie. Here, she uses her room-altering belting prowess to rearrange the chorus, relegating the recorded melody to the background vocals and positioning her sample of the timeless track "Los Caminos de la Vida" at center stage. Transitioning to a mash-up of "MUTUAL FRIEND" and "FIGURES," she delivers a heart-shifting, string-driven performance of the two. Then, she seamlessly navigates a musician and formation change-up as she glides through the playful "ONLY ONE" and heartfelt mash-up of "FOREVER" and "IMPORTED." Circling back to the second half of "MOOD," she easily slides into a more upbeat, cumbia-infused rendition of the soulful track. Picking up her makeshift güiro — a PBR can — she melds joy in dance and pain in song with the kind of effortless and expert execution of a woman who intimately knows in-betweenness and, better yet, understands how to bask in the beauty of its nuance.

SET LIST
"MOOD" (Pt. 1)
"MUTUAL FRIEND" / "FIGURES"
"ONLY ONE"
"FOREVER" / "IMPORTED"
"MOOD" (Pt. 2)

MUSICIANS
Jessie Reyez: vocal
Heather Crawford: guitar
Santino DeVilla: drums
Mark James: keyboards
Simon Siala: bass
Olivia Ivory Jean Walker: vocals
Danielle Deimler: vocals
Refilwe Tshepiso Morake: vocals
Sherri Zhang: violin
Ashley Parham: violin
Jerome Gordon: viola
Joelle Arnhold: viola
Johnny Walker: cello
Omar Martinez-Sandoval: bass
Andrew Velez: trumpet
Dylan Vessel: trumpet

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Anamaria Sayre
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Director: Kara Frame
Editor: Joshua Bryant
Series Creator: Bob Boilen
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Kara Frame, Michael Zamora, Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Alanté Serene
Audio Assistant: Neil Tevault
Production Assistant: Jill Britton
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#TinyDesk #ElTiny #JessieReyez

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