NPR Music is celebrating Black Music Month with an array of brand new Tiny Desk concerts. 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.

Nikki Birch | June 9, 2023
I was working late when Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds first arrived at the office to rehearse for his Tiny Desk concert. Within moments, it was clear it would be an exceptional performance. The next day, my colleagues waited patiently to see the legendary singer, songwriter and producer. Because when it comes to matters of the heart, Babyface has turned our angst, our triumphs, our devastation, into timeless love songs that have scored the romances of more than one generation.

Joined by top-tier talent — Tank, Chanté Moore and Avery Wilson — Babyface came out swinging. From the songs that put him on the map, to those he wrote or produced for other icons, around the room hit after hit was met with swoons, sighs and not a few tears. (Ok, maybe that was just me.)

Babyface is a titan of the music industry: with numerous top 10 hits, 12 Grammys (50 nominations) and a jaw-dropping roster of collaborations. In 2022, he assembled a stellar ensemble of women for one of my favorite albums of the year, Girls Night Out. To watch this master of pen and sound behind the Tiny Desk was truly epic and nothing short of a dream come true.

SET LIST
"Two Occasions"
"Whip Appeal"
"Superwoman"
"Take A Bow"
"Not Gon' Cry"
"Can We Talk"
"Change the World"
"Thnks fr th Mmrs"
"I'll Make Love To You"
"End Of The Road"
"Exhale (Shoop Shoop)"

MUSICIANS
Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds: vocals, keys, guitar
Erskine Hawkins III: keys, music director
Antoine Porter: guitar
Walt Barnes Jr.: bass
Reggie Regg: drums
Tank: vocals
Chanté Moore: vocals
Avery Wilson: vocals

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

#tinydesk #nprmusic #babyface

NPR Music is celebrating Black Music Month with an array of brand new Tiny Desk concerts. 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 14, 2023
It's practically a sin to not have Durrell "Tank" Babbs on your spiciest playlist — he's penned some of the steamiest records in R&B. If you've been following our Black Music Month takeover, it's likely you spotted Tank accompanying Babyface, the love maestro himself, on background vocals. In his own concert, the veteran crooner and R&B scholar performed a 14-song medley of passionate love songs and bedroom bops from across his 23 years-long career in music, and turned the Tiny Desk into "the big, nasty Desk."

This doesn't happen without warning: "Some of these songs make you wanna make up. Some of these songs make you wanna breakup and some of these songs make you want to participate in various sexual activities," Tank declared before traversing his catalog. Backed by the phenomenal Florida-based MVP Band, along with a trio of famed background vocalists — singer-songwriter-actor Luke James, singer Brooke Valentine and songwriter/producer Lonny Bereal — we got a taste of the songs that not only established Tank as a pillar in R&B, but hits he wrote and produced for other notable artists such as Jamie Foxx, Omarion, Marques Houston and LeToya Luckett.

Full of buttery smooth runs and yearning melodies (along with the occasional, witty HR joke), Tank's Tiny Desk concert is a stellar display of how powerful the allure of R&B can be, and perhaps a masterclass for any youngin' learning how to woo.

SET LIST
"Slowly"
"Coldest"
"Do What It Do"
"O"
"Naked"
"Regret"
"When We"
"Dirty"
"Can't Let It Show"
"Slow"
"See Through Love"
"Maybe I Deserve"
"I Deserve"
"Please Don't Go"

MUSICIANS
Tank: vocals
Lonny Bereal: vocals
Brooke Valentine: vocals
Luke James: vocals
La'Chaz Holloway: guitar
Alex Hill: keys
Jevon Hill: keys, vocals
Arthur Jones: bass
Jimmy Hill: drums

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director: Joshua Bryant
Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Editor: Maia Stern
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Sofia Seidel, Kara Frame
Audio Assistant: Hannah Gluvna
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Elizabeth Gillis
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Josh Rogosin, Hazel Cills
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#nprmusic #tinydesk #tank