NPR Tiny Desk Concert

Kamasi Washington Brings Kinetic Jazz To The NPR Tiny Desk Concert Series

by

In May, Kamasi Washington released Fearless Movement, which was a long time coming: The project was Washington’s first album since 2018’s Heaven And Earth. Now, with a fresh album to promote, he has taken his talents to NPR’s iconic Tiny Desk Concert series.

His four-song setlist featured “Lesanu,” “Street Fighter Mas,” “The Rhythm Changes,” and “Asha The First.” Of particular note is one of Washington’s band members: Rickey Washington, a flutist, soprano saxophonist, and Kamasi’s father. Kamasi himself was in top form, as he’s fresh off a tour in support of the new album.

Washington previously called Fearless Movement his “dance album,” saying, “It’s not literal. Dance is movement and expression, and in a way it’s the same thing as music — expressing your spirit through your body. That’s what this album is pushing.” He also said, “Being a father means the horizon of your life all of a sudden shows up. My mortality became more apparent to me, but also my immortality — realizing that my daughter is going to live on and see things that I’m never going to see. I had to become comfortable with this, and that affected the music that I was making.”

Check out Washington’s full Tiny Desk performance above.

Anderson .Paak’s Iconic 2016 NPR Tiny Desk Will Be Immortalized As A Limited-Edition Vinyl

by

Anderson .Paak and The Free Nationals will celebrate his January 2016 album Malibu with a tour of the same name. Anderson will perform Malibu in its entirety for each of the 14 shows, beginning on September 18 in Bend, Oregon.

Malibu is not the only remnant from 2016 that Anderson .Paak wants to keep alive in 2024.

On Thursday, August 22, Anderson .Paak announced that his 2016 NPR Tiny Desk concert with The Free Nationals will be released as a limited-edition vinyl. The 15-minute performance has accumulated over 108.8 million views on YouTube since it premiered on August 22, 2016.

“Thank you Tiny Desk for the beautiful platform and for giving us our most viral performance on the web, and thanks to everyone that it has reached and inspired in some way,” the eight-time Grammy winner said in a statement, as per press release. “We hope you enjoy this exclusive vinyl release of the performance that changed everything for me and my band.”

The limited-edition vinyl is available to order here for $35 on Anderson .Paak’s official website.

“Featuring The Free Nationals, the performance includes four of Anderson’s most iconic tracks — “Come Down,” “Heart Don’t Stand a Chance,” “Put Me Thru,” and “Suede” — with all four tracks spread onto a Side A and Side B,” the official product listing says.

Side A and Side B will each play at 33 1/3 RPM. Side A will feature “Come Down” and “Heart Don’t Stand A Chance,” leaving “Put Me Thru” and “Suede” for Side B.

Watch Anderson .Paak and The Free Nationals’ August 2016 NPR Tiny Desk above, and see their upcoming tour dates below.

09/18 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater
09/19 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
09/21 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
09/24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
09/26 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
09/27 – Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
09/28 – Las Vegas, NV @ Fontainebleau Las Vegas
10/02 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
10/04 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
10/05 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
10/08 – Philadelphia, PA @ TD Pavilion at The Mann
10/09 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
10/11 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
10/13 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre

Tierra Whack’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert Featured A Homely Surprise Cameo From Phillie Phanatic

by
Tierra Whack Tiny Desk 2024 Credit Alanté Serene for NPR (1024x437)
Alanté Serene / NPR

Tierra Whack’s personality and creative world is too vast to be contained. However, yesterday (June 7) the “Two Night” rapper managed to squeeze it all in during her NPR Tiny Desk Concert performance.

To commemorate Black Music Month, Tierra served up her eclectic discography for all to enjoy with a special slice of her hometown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania via a cameo from the beloved mascot, Phillie Phanatic.

If you thought only tracks from her latest album, World Wide Whack, made the setlist, you’re wrong.

Tierra and her newly formed band, The Big Backs (comprised of bassist Ali Bervine, keyboardist
Charles Jackson & Mary Floyd, guitarist Russell Gelman-Sheehan, percussionist Sheldon Robinson, drummer Mark Thomas, and vocalist Michelle Hunt), opened with 2018’s “Flea Market.” Then transitioned to melody of “Pretty Ugly,” “Hungry Hippo,” “Mood Swing,” “Accessible,”
“Ms Behave,” and “Imaginary Friends.”

Before performing “Moovies,” Tierra invited Phillie Phanatic to share the desk with her. Although the character is mute, Tierra went on to explain why their appearance was necessary to her. “Y’all know I gotta keep it Philly,” she said. “I bleed green. I bleed red. Anything Philly is all me. I had to bring a piece of home with me.”

Tierra closed the set with a vibrant performance of “27 Club” and “Shower Song.” Watch the full performance below.

Tems’ NPR Tiny Desk Concert Is A Promising Preview Of Her Upcoming ‘Born In The Wild’ Album

by

This week will be a big one for Tems in what’s already been an exciting 18 months for the Nigerian singer. On Friday, June 7, Tems will release her debut album Born In The Wild and ahead of its arrival, the singer stopped by NPR’s Tiny Desk to preview a couple of songs from the project and revisit highlights from her discography. She began with “Me & U,” the lead single off Born In The Wild, which was received a slightly stripped-back but equally enjoyable treatment thanks to support from her band and vocalists. Next came “Ice T,” the highlight from her 2020 breakout project For Broken Ears.

Afterward, Tems unveiled previously unheard songs, “Unfortunate” and “Forever,” from Born In The Wild. The former leans more into R&B and afrobeats as a reminder of Tems’ versatile while “Forever” strikes as a truly soaring record that highlights her growth. To close her set, Tems performed “Love Me Jeje,” the third single from Born In The Wild which interpolates Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 hit of the same name.

Tems’ Tiny Desk set comes days after she revealed the official tracklist for Born In The Wild. The album features 18 songs and guest appearances from Asake and J. Cole. She’s also set to embark on the Born In The Wild Tour with Naomi Sharon and Lekan.

You can watch Tems’ NPR Tiny Desk in the video above.

Born In The Wild is out 6/7 via RCA Records/Since ’93. Find out more information here.

Big Sean Shows He Knows How To Bounce Back With A Stacked ‘Tiny Desk’ Performance

by

The Detroit legend stopped by NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts for a special show. In a 25-minute performance, rapper Big Sean ran through his catalog, which contains an abundance of hits.

Sean opened with “Memories Part II” from his debut album, Finally Famous: The Album, which then made for a smooth transition into “Nothing Is Stopping You” from his sophomore album, Hall Of Fame. After performing this song, Sean shared an anecdote about this particular album. Although Hall Of Fame didn’t perform as well as Finally Famous, this motivated Sean to step up his craft.

“It was a stressful time for me, because when my second album dropped, it didn”t do as well as my first album,” said Sean. “And people was like ‘Oh, sophomore slump, it’s over for him. And then I was able to lock in and make my third album, which was Dark Sky Paradise, which is one of my biggest albums. So the point of even bringing that up is like, don’t let people place their curse on you of what they want you to be, or who they think you are.”

He proceeded to perform the Dark Sky Paradise fan-favorites “Blessed” and “Play No Games”

Of course, he threw it back with some of his breakthrough hits, including “My Last,” “Marvin And Chardonnay,” and his iconic verse from his Drake collaboration “All Me.” Elsewhere in the concert, he gave a triumphant performance of one of his biggest hits, “Bounce Back.” He closed with one of his most recognizable tracks, “I Don’t F*ck With You.”

Hearing these songs in stripped-back, acoustic renditions allowed for fans to focus on Sean’s sharp lyricism. Though Sean is often left out of GOAT conversations, his catalog proves that he warrants consideration.

You can watch the concert above.

Tinashe’s Tiny Desk Concert Is A Seamless Display Of The Singer’s Creative Range

by
Tinashe NPR Tiny Desk 2024
Zayrha Rodriguez/NPR

Before hitting the road for her BB/Ang3l Tour, Tinashe was sure to make a quick pit spot at NPR Music’s headquarters. After initially being teased two weeks ago, the “Needs” singer’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert performance is available for your viewing pleasure.

In no stretch is this a typical Tinashe set, as the cramped space does allow much room for movement. But that actually worked in Tinashe’s favor. As she opened her set with “Treason” off her latest album, viewers at home are forced to give in to Tinashe’s vocal abilities. The transition between “Unconditional” (which appeared on her 2021 project 333) and her 2019 6lack collaboration “Touch & Go” (off Songs For You) paints the many facets of Tinashe.

Of course, the performance couldn’t end without Tinashe’s first big hit, 2014’s “2 On,” which featured Schoolboy Q. The stripped approach made it an interesting experience. During the performance, Tinashe was accompanied by a band of extremely talented musicians, including drummer Darion Ja’Von, electric guitarist Zach Fenske, bassist Edwin Carranza, keyboardist Phil Lewis, acoustic guitarist Sean Rosati, cellist Caleb Vaughn-Jones, and violinist Crystal Alforque. Even Tinashe chimed in to play the vibraphone for a moment or two.

Tinashe’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert set is available for viewing on NPR Music’s website. Find more information here.

Tinashe is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Jeezy Teased A Tiny Desk Concert Coming Soon And Fans Are Completely Hyped

by
Jeezy 2024
Getty Image

Jay “Jeezy” Jenkins has quite a resume on him. Jeezy, a rapper who has sold 5 million albums, has launched spirit brands, opened a steakhouse, and published a book, will soon be able to celebrate another career milestone. Earlier this week, Jeezy took to social media, to show fans photos from behind the scenes of an NPR Tiny Desk Concert he recently taped.

In the photos, Jeezy is seen front and center, accompanied by a live instrumentalist band. At the time of writing, it is unclear when Jeezy’s Tiny Desk Concert will drop on YouTube and NPR. However, fans are certainly excited to tune in.

“I already know jeezy Tiny desk concert gone be smooth,” said one fan on Twitter.

“I could cry,” said another fan. “Gonna be straight ghetto gospel. I cannot wait until it drops.”

Over the past two decades, Jeezy has maintained a steady flow of music. Last year, he released a 29-track album called I Might Forgive… But I Don’t Forget. But some of his biggest hits dropped back in the mid-2000s, including his Akon collaboration “Soul Survivor” and his Kanye West collab “Put On.”

“I really hope Jeezy don’t get on Tiny Desk and do new music,” said one Twitter user.

But other fans look forward to hearing Jeezy go through his extensive catalog, knowing the man has hits for days.

“Long overdue,” said one fan on Twitter. “I’m ready to hear songs from projects like TM101, The Inspiration, & Trap Or Die on here.”

Noname’s Tiny Desk Concert Was As Just Radical As It Was Groovy, Featuring Guest Appearances From Smino & Saba

by

Today (November 10) was all about the 2024 Grammy Award nominations. However, nothing could stop Noname’s triumphant return to NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series. It’s been five years since her striking first appearance. With the Sundial Tour coming to a close soon, her cameo served as a treat to longtime supporters who couldn’t snag tickets to show near their city. Noname’s latest Tiny Desk concert performance was just as radical as it was groovy, featuring guest appearances by Smino and Saba for a brief Ghetto Sage reunion.

With musicians Greg Paul (drummer), Brooke Skye (bassist), Cisco Swank (keyboardist and supporting vocalist), and David Otis (saxophonist), Noname tackled her poignant album’s standout tracks, including “Namesake” and “Hold Me Down.” Background vocalists Kamilah and Claudia Abena provided the much-needed layering to help amplify its track’s messaging.

Ayoni also made a surprise appearance during Noname’s set so that they could perform their track “Boom Boom.” Ghetto Sage reunion revealed an unreleased track titled “Kush And Love Songs.” Before she closed with “Balloons,” in which Jay Electronic is featured, Noname took a trip down memory lane. Noname couldn’t leave out her older records. Room 25′s “Don’t Forget About Me” made the final setlist as the sole older track.

Sundial is out now via Noname. Find more information here.

Watch Noname’s latest Tiny Desk concert above.

Chlöe Reminded Us Of Her Unstoppable Star Power During Her Debut Solo Tiny Desk Concert

by

Chloe Bailey is killing it in her solo era. This year, she released her debut album In Pieces and embarked on a solo tour. She and her sister, Halle, also released a line of activewear, and they teased that they will be hitting the studio to work on their third studio album as Chloe X Halle.

Today (September 5), Tiny Desk has dropped a special performance featuring Chloe Bailey, who performs solo as Chlöe.

During her Tiny Desk debut, Chlöe performed with an acoustic band, delivering some of her solo cuts.

She opened with “Surprise,” her sexy standalone single from 2022. She made a slight nod to Janet Jackson shortly after, saying “My name is Chlöe, Miss Bailey if you nasty,” making a smooth transition into the In Pieces fan favorite, “Body Do.”

Continuing with her momentum, she then performed “I Don’t Mind.” She slowed it down a bit with the performances on “In Pieces,” the title track from her solo debut album, which was co-written with Mikky Ekko.

While both of the Bailey sisters can guarantee us solid albums, their live performances always prove to be worth a watch. The work they put into their performances is unmatched by their peers, and promises longevity in the years to come.

You can see the performance above.

Babyface’s Tiny Desk Concert Was A Black-Ass Musical Family Reunion Showcasing His Impact Across The Past 50 Years

by

Kenneth Edmonds, professionally known as Babyface, is one of the most sought out songwriters in modern times. So, it was only fitting that when the NPR Tiny Desk Concert series wanted to kick off Black Music Month, they called the musician. Babyface didn’t hold back, giving the series one Black-ass musical family reunion showcasing his impact across nearly fifty years.

Outside of his solo catalog, as a producer, he’s worked with some of the biggest names in music, including the late Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Usher, and recently Ari Lennox. His setlist offered a tasting of those past collaborations. With backing support from fellow vocalist Tank, Chanté Moore, and Avery Wilson, Babyface opened up with his classic 1987 song “Two Occasions,” recorded as part of the group The Deele. The entertainer followed that up with his solo 1989 song, “Whip Appeal.”

Known as the woman whisper, when transitioning to Karyn White’s “Superwoman,” which he wrote and produced, Babyface shared how he’s been able to create music from the women’s perspective. “When I was a kid, I was always falling in love and getting my heart broken,” he said. “So when that would happen, I would write these really sad songs. Then I realized I probably was feeling the same hurt women were feeling.”

The remainder of the set included a cover of Madonna’s “Take A Bow,” Mary J. Blige’s “Not Gon’ Cry,” Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk,” “Change the World,” Fall Out Boy’s “Thnks fr th Mmrs,” Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love To You” and “End Of The Road,” and closed with Whitney Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” off of the Waiting To Exhale movie soundtrack that Babyface produced.

The band consisted of Babyface on both the keys and, at times, the guitar, musical director Erskine Hawkins II as additional support on the keys, Antoine Porter on the guitar, Walt Barnes Jr. on bass, and Reggie Regg on drums.

Although the series features Black artists throughout the year, this subsegment is dedicated to celebrating their contributions to the art form on a much grander scale. The outlet said, “Together, these artists represent the past, present, and future of Black music.”

Watch the full performance above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.