Lee Fields: Tiny Desk Concert

File:Lee Fields & The Expressions (Haldern Pop 2013) IMGP3917 smial wp.jpg

What Is It?

The YouTube video Lee Fields: Tiny Desk Concert by the YouTube channel NPR Music:

Lee Fields: Tiny Desk Concert

Here is the description for this video:

This year’s Black History Month celebration at the Tiny Desk features a carefully crafted lineup spanning many genres, generations, and walks of life.

Each artist represents the best in their class and will be performing at the Tiny Desk for the first time.

Stephen Thompson | February 10, 2023
You can’t see it on the screen, but there’s a piece of paper taped to the Desk in front of Lee Fields throughout the R&B, blues and soul veteran’s long-awaited Tiny Desk debut.

It’s got the set list, of course, but also an instruction to the singer: “NO AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION!!!!”

It speaks to Fields’ legendary showmanship — he’s often been dubbed “Little JB” due to his similarities to the hardest-working man in show business — that his team felt a need to rein in his generous impulse to work any crowd before him, knowing the time constraints of a Tiny Desk concert.

It speaks further to Fields’ showmanship that he ended up ignoring the directive: By the time he got to the set-closing “Two Jobs,” which features a call-and-response listing the hours in the day, he was yelling, “I want y’all to count the hours!”

Though pandemic-era protocols limit the size of the Tiny Desk crowds these days, Fields got the shouts of approval (and participation) he was seeking, as he barreled through three songs from last year’s Sentimental Fool and one relative oldie from a career that stretches all the way back to the late ’60s: the self-explanatorily titled “Ladies,” from his 2009 album My World.

SET LIST
“Forever”
“Ladies”
“What Did I Do”
“Two Jobs”

MUSICIANS
Lee Fields: vocals
Benjamin Trokan: guitar
Jason Colby: trumpet
Frederick DeBoe: sax
Toby Pazner: keys
Evan Pazner: drums
Jacob Silver: bass

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bob Boilen
Director: Kara Frame
Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Audio Mixing: Josh Rogosin
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Sofia Seidel
Editor: Sofia Seidel
Audio Assistant: Brian Jarboe
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

#leefields #nprmusic #tinydesk

Soccer Mommy: Tiny Desk Concert

Soccer Mommy: Tiny Desk Concert

What Is It?

The YouTube video Soccer Mommy: Tiny Desk Concert by the YouTube channel NPR Music:

Soccer Mommy: Tiny Desk Concert

Here is the description for this video:

Andrew Flanagan | January 18, 2023

When Sophie Allison says to our friends and coworkers assembled around the desk, “We’re finally doin’ it,” she really means it.

A little less than exactly three years ago, Allison had just released the wonderful Color Theory as Soccer Mommy; it’s an album that marked significant strides in her songwriting and production.’

A big year was doubtless in store for her and her bandmates… and we all know how that went.

The band’s visit to the Tiny Desk, scheduled for March 30, 2020, was the first of many to be canceled due to the pandemic.

That time in history required a lot of lemonade-making from all of us; we at NPR Music and beyond were lucky that, not too long after lockdown had sunk its teeth in, Soccer Mommy was the first to record a Tiny Desk (Home) performance for us.

It was an early, much-needed sign that life might still be waiting for us on the other end.

But, as we’ve learned well, there’s no replacement for proximity.

With all of that indelibly in mind, it was particularly lovely and emotional welcoming Sophie, guitarist Julian Powell, keyboard player Rodrigo Avendano, bassist Nickolas Widener and percussionist Rollum Haas, finally, to the Tiny Desk.

Their four-song set, with work from each era of Soccer Mommy’s catalog, is beautifully performed and contoured. Welcome back to your debut, Soccer Mommy.

SET LIST
“Shotgun”
“Circle The Drain”
“Newdemo”
“Still Clean”

MUSICIANS
Sophie Allison – vocals, guitar
Julian Powell – guitar
Rodrigo Avendano – keyboards
Nickolas Widener – bass
Rollum Haas – drum machine

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

#nprmusic #tinydesk #soccermommy

Ezra Collective: Tiny Desk Concert

Ezra Collective: Tiny Desk Concert

What Is It?

The YouTube video Ezra Collective: Tiny Desk Concert by the YouTube channel NPR Music:

Ezra Collective: Tiny Desk Concert

Here is the description for this video:

Suraya Mohamed | November 10, 2022

The day before The Ezra Collective’s Tiny Desk concert, the band members practiced for hours at a nearby community music space and the next morning, they walked in the door giddy and ready to go.

The warm-up was good, but once we started to record, a crazy intensity and energy spilled out into the room.

They were fierce and fun, and all of their solos were on fire.

The band makes amazing jazz music and mixes it with a fusion of other genres like Afrobeat, hip-hop and grime.

The London-based band was supposed to play this Tiny Desk concert in 2020, but then, as bandleader and phenom drummer Femi Koleoso put it, “the world collapsed.”

Here it is now, rockin’ hard with the highest level of musicianship and technique.

Before coming to NPR, Koleoso had just finished a world tour with the group Gorillaz.

He met up with his bandmates in Washington, D.C., to play this concert and kick off promotion for the band’s newly released sophomore album, Where I’m Meant To Be.

He explained on Instagram that he loves the album title because it’s vague and specific at the same time, just like his band, a multifaceted complement of contrasting attributes.

The first two songs in this set are from that new album, while the last, “Chapter 7,” is from the group’s 2016 EP.

Throughout the set, watch how keyboard player Joe Armon-Jones barely stays on his seat and hear how the audience couldn’t keep quiet.

After the concert, the spirit of the music lingered for a long time and the day ended with pictures, hugs, and plenty of smiles.

SET LIST
“Victory Dance”
“Welcome To My World”
“Chapter 7”

MUSICIANS
Femi Koleoso: drums
TJ Koleoso: bass
Joe Armon-Jones: keys
James Mollison: saxophone
Ife Ogunjobi: trumpet

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

#nprmusic #tinydesk #ezracollective

Music

SONG: Victory Dance

ARTIST: Ezra Collective

ALBUM: Where I’m Meant To Be

LICENSES: [Merlin] Liberation Music, PIAS, WMG (on behalf of Partisan Records)

Juilliard Jazz Ensemble: Tiny Desk Concert

Juilliard Jazz Ensemble: Tiny Desk Concert

What Is It?

The YouTube video Juilliard Jazz Ensemble: Tiny Desk Concert by the YouTube channel NPR Music.

Here is the description for this video:

Nikki Birch | Sept. 2, 2022
Jazz may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of The Juilliard School, but perhaps this series of Tiny Desks will change that.

Tiny Desk and Jazz Night in America celebrate the 20th anniversary of Juilliard Jazz with three Tiny Desk concerts featuring performances by current students and alumni of the prestigious institution.

When the starry-eyed students of the Juilliard Jazz Ensemble first saw the Tiny Desk, they stopped short, exuding awe and wonderment.

After all, several of their favorite artists had performed in this very space — and now here they were, ready to prove themselves and carry on the legacy of both the Tiny Desk and jazz.

The Juilliard Jazz Ensemble performed at the Tiny Desk in celebration of the jazz studies program’s 20th anniversary.

Made up of current students, the ensemble embodies the spirit of community and collaboration that is an essential part of the students’ learning experience.

The ensemble opens with “June” a hypnotic composition by alto saxophonist Coby Petricone-Berg.

We understand immediately, despite the members’ relative youth, this ensemble is not to be trifled with.

A shout-out to the rhythm section is absolutely necessary, as drummer John Sturino, bassist Nico Martinez and pianist Esteban Castro lay back in the cut while ensuring the path ahead for the horns, with Jasim Perales giving us soulful trombone, is smooth like whipped shea butter.

This is grade-A musicianship — everyone listening and unselfishly supporting each other.

For the final selection, Ekep Nkwelle presents her arrangement of Geri Allen’s “Timeless Portraits and Dreams.”.

Her voice soars in this contemplative ballad, a perfect closer that allows each member of the ensemble to shine as they share the hope that, “In tomorrow’s world, let joy and love run free / Let’s hold on to our dreams.”.

SET LIST
“June” (Coby Petricone-Berg)
“Timeless Portraits and Dreams” (Geri Allen, arr. Ekep Nkwelle)

MUSICIANS
Ekep Nkwelle: vocals
Coby Petricone-Berg: alto saxophone
Jasim Perales: trombone
Esteban Castro: piano
Nico Martinez: bass
John Sturino: drums

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Nikki Birch
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Director: Kara Frame
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Editor: Michael Zamora
Videographers: Kara Frame, Pierre Kattar, Michael Zamora
Audio Assistant: Jospehine Nyounai
Production Assistants: Jill Britton, Joby Tanseco, Alanté Serene
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer, Maia Stern
VP, Visuals, and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#TinyDesk #NPRMusic #JuilliardJazz

DOMi & JD BECK: Tiny Desk Concert

DOMi & JD BECK: Tiny Desk Concert

What Is It?

The YouTube video DOMi & JD BECK: Tiny Desk Concert by the YouTube channel NPR Music:

DOMi & JD BECK: Tiny Desk Concert

Here is the description for this video:

Bobby Carter | August 10, 2022
If you’ve heard a DOMi & JD BECK song or watched a performance online, expectations of catching brilliance when you witness the jazz duo in person are likely high.

JD’s drumsticks move faster than the brain can process.

DOMi offers every appendage on her body to the keys.

It’s frantic but focused, and I can’t stop watching.

For as tight as the two artists are musically — and even physically; one of their few Tiny Desk requests was for the drums and keys to be set up as close as possible — they take silly self-deprecating jabs when they aren’t playing.

It’s believable until they transform and the music starts.

The two musicians come from two completely different parts of the world.

James Beck began cutting his teeth as young as eleven at jam sessions in Dallas.

DOMi, aka DOMi Louna, was born in France and raised on jazz, and enrolled at the Conservatoire Régional du Grand Nancy at five.

DOMi eventually made her way to the States via a Presidential Scholarship from the Berklee College of Music.

The two met at a trade show in 2018 and have been inseparable since, playing sets on YouTube and driving the internet nuts.

Before they knew it, they were rubbing elbows with the upper echelon in jazz, R&B, and hip-hop.

The duo’s debut album, ironically titled NOT TiGHT, is a graduation of sorts with all of their OGs lending a hand — notably Anderson.

Paak, who took DOMi and JD BECK under his wing and made the duo the first signee to his APES*** label.

The two brought highlights from that album to the Tiny Desk, including the vines, turf, and vibrant floral arrangements from the album cover.

Before “U DON’T HAVE TO ROB ME,” a true story turned comedy, they make another attempt at neutralizing the room.

DOMi says, “We’re gonna ruin it!” It’s too late for all of that.

We’re already amazed.

SET LIST
“NOT TiGHT”
“SMiLE”
“U DON’T HAVE TO ROB ME”
“WHATUP”

MUSICIANS
DOMi: keys, vocals
JD BECK: drums, vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin, Jhair “Jha” Lazo
Director: Kara Frame
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Editor: Joshua Bryant
Videographers: Kara Frame, Pierre Kattar, Joshua Bryant
Art Direction: Winston Studios, Carlos Lopez, Iman Jordan
Audio Assistant: Josephine Nyounai
Production Assistants: Jill Britton, Joby Tanseco
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer, Maia Stern
VP, Visuals, and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#TinyDesk #NPRMusic #DOMiandJDBECK