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Sting And Shaggy: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert Hotney 6 Streams • 4 years ago

Watch Sting And Shaggy play "Englishman in New York", "Don't Make Me Wait" and "Shape of My Heart/Lucid Dreams" 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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July 10, 2019 | Josh Rogosin -- Sting and Shaggy might not be the most likely musical pairing. But one thing is certain, they love playing each other's music. On a bright autumn morning, the legends arrived at the NPR Music office bleary-eyed yet excited to play for the diverse staff of Shaggy and Sting fans. What surprised many of my NPR colleagues is just how well the collaboration works.

Their success as a duo shouldn't come as a total shock. After all, pulsing through many Police songs (Sting's famed band of the '70s and '80s) is a Reggae backbeat. It's impossible not to hear the influence in classics like "Walking On The Moon" and "So Lonely."

Shaggy (zoinks! - his nom de guerre comes from the Scooby-Doo cartoon character) was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He moved to New York when he was 18 and his music evokes only good vibes. The positive energy he brought to their opening song, "Englishman [and Jamaican] In New York," had everyone in the room grinning ear to ear, "early morning Reggae style," as he put it. After the tune, Sting announced "I never sang that song before 8 PM... Ever!"

Sting's familiar, raspy voice was accompanied by his battered 1957 Fender Precision bass he's plucked for over 25 years. His long-time guitarist and collaborator, Dominic Miller, strummed Reggae offbeats on acoustic guitar and co-wrote the hauntingly beautiful "Shape Of My Heart." That song is mashed-up with Juice Wrld's "Lucid Dream," sung by Gene Noble, offering a refreshing counter to Sting's nuanced melody.

Shaggy affectionately refers to his collaborator as "Stingy," putting his arm around him mid-performance. It's easy to see the comradery that being on the road together affords these veteran musicians, to say nothing of the breath of fresh air they bring to each other's music.

SET LIST
"Englishman in New York"
"Don't Make Me Wait"
"Shape of My Heart/Lucid Dreams"

MUSICIANS
Sting: vocals, bass, guitar; Shaggy: vocals; Dominic Miller: guitar; Gene Noble: vocals; Melissa Musique: vocals

CREDITS
Producers: Abby O'Neill, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, CJ Riculan, Maia Stern, Beck Harlan; Editor: Kaylee Domzalski; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Photo: Cameron Pollack/NPR

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

June 25, 2018 | Abby O'Neill -- It had been nearly a decade since Rakim released new music, but that drought ended Friday when the godfather of rap lyricism and one half of the revered duo Eric B & Rakim released a new song, "King's Paradise." The track was written for Season 2 of Marvel's Luke Cage, which premiered on Netflix the same day, but it wasn't entirely new to select NPR staff; they heard it days earlier when the God MC performed at the Tiny Desk.

The New York rap icon wasn't the only legend in the building that day. Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest — who produced and co-wrote "King's Paradise" with keyboardist Adrian Younge under their new project The Midnight Hour — played bass, and rising blues torchbearer Christone "Kingfish" Ingram sat in on guitar.

"King's Paradise" pays homage to the heroes of the Harlem Renaissance as well as its fictional superhero, the bulletproof Luke Cage. Rakim tipped his hat to Philip Payton Jr., Joe Lewis, Lena Horne, Malcolm X, Maya Angelou and Louis Armstrong, before concluding with a few bars about the comic book-inspired series.

Younge then led the nine-member backing band through two of Rakim's undeniable classics: "Paid in Full" and "Know the Ledge." For the former, drummer David Henderson rolled right in with the unmistakable breakbeat, — originally sampled from The Soul Searchers "Ashley's Roachclip." Muhammad, who's been playing bass since age 19 despite being known for his production and DJ work, provided the low end for "Know The Ledge."

Rakim released his first single 32 years ago, yet the timbre of his voice and Dali Llama aura remain strong. Let's hope this is the beginning of another renaissance.

Set List

"King's Paradise"
"Paid In Full"
"Know The Ledge"

MUSICIANS
Rakim (vocals), Adrian Younge (keys), Ali Shaheed Muhammad (bass), Jack Waterson (guitar), David Henderson (drums), Loren Oden (vocals), Saudia Mills (vocals), Angela Munoz (vocals), Stephanie Yu (violin), Bryan Hernandez-Luch (violin), DeAndre Shaifer (trumpet) , Jordan Pettay (saxophone), Joi Gilliam (vocalist), Christone Ingram (Kingfish) (guitar)

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

Questlove Supreme Podcast | Organized Noize (Part 1) Hotney 2 Streams • 4 years ago

Watch the Questlove Supreme Podcast - https://bit.ly/QuestloveSupremeLive

Questlove Supreme travels to Atlanta to kick it with some of the city's musical architects. Organized Noize appears in a comprehensive two-parter. In Part 1, Rico Wade, Ray Murray, and Sleepy Brown discuss their approach to sampling, recall the early days of OutKast and the Dungeon Family, and have a few laughs about their formation. This conversation is not to be missed.

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Questlove Supreme Podcast - https://bit.ly/QuestloveSupremeLive
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Behind The Keys w/ James Poyser - https://bit.ly/BehindTheKeys
Guitar Stories w/ Captain Kirk - https://bit.ly/GuitarStoriesYT
Reconstruction w/ Stro Elliot - https://bit.ly/ReconstructionStro
The Bridge - https://bit.ly/TheBridgeYT

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0:00 - Questlove Supreme rollcall
3:50 - Questlove's Organized Noize introduction
7:15 - Organized Noize's first musical memories. Sleep Brown discusses his father, Brick band member Jimmy Brown. Questlove and Sleepy also celebrate Brick's impact, including a piece of Prince history
16:55 - Organized Noize talks about the significance and impact of The Atlanta Child Murders, and the tragedy's impact on culture and creativity
24:30 - Atlanta's unique musical history
28:10 - Organized Noize talk about digging for records to sample
31:40 - How Organized Noize met
40:50 - Questlove offers a mini-history on Breakbeat Lou's Ultimate Breaks & Beats series, and the early days of sampling
45:00 - Questlove Supreme and Organized Noize celebrate late pioneering Hip-Hop musician and producer Larry Smith
48:00 - How Organized Noize dig in the crates and sample differently, as it applies to songs for OutKast, Goodie Mob, and the rest of Dungeon Family
54:00 - Organized Noize recalls Rico Wade's Dungeon studio, and laid out the process to making those incredible songs. There is a reason why Ray Murray is the yoda of Organized Noize
58:00 - Organized Noize reveals that En Vogue's "Don't Let Go (Love)" began as a beat for Cool Breeze as they talk about samplers, technology, and approach to programming beats
1:03:00 - Organized Noize recalls their label housed at Interscope Records, and talk about making albums with Cool Breeze and Witchdoctor
1:10:00 - Questlove recalls the moment he came to properly appreciate OutKast and Organized Noize; the producers discuss the "Player's Ball" remix
1:13:20 - A discussion on why OutKast's "Elevators (Me & You)" defies logic as a bold single for ATLiens
1:18:00 - Organized Noize argues why OutKast's "So Fresh, So Clean" is not a sample. Sleepy Brown shows why
1:21:00 - Part 1 outro

#TheRoots

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

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