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.

Bobby Carter | June 30, 2022
"We celebrate Black Music Month. This has been Black magic." Truer words may have never been spoken behind the Tiny Desk as R&B goliath Usher caps off our month-long celebration of Black music, highlighting a catalog chock-full of hits spanning 25 years. It's been over two years since NPR headquarters was abuzz with chatter of a legend in the building. After an early morning rehearsal for his set at the Something in the Water Festival in Washington, D.C., he made his way over to deliver an unforgettable performance.

Usher and his band, all dipped in black, set it off with an introduction over a funky horn-laced instrumental reminiscent of a Blaxploitation flick. They keep that groove going right into a reworked version of his 1997 breakout single, "You Make Me Wanna..." Twenty-five years later, Usher sits arguably as the king of R&B. Between 2000 and 2010, there was no debate whatsoever, with his string of records that included the biggest R&B album of the 21st century, Confessions.

What he's done in the vocal booth is only half of his claim to fame. The stage is where he's continued to shine as he prepares for the second leg of his Las Vegas residency. This loose and playful set touches on his many career phases; the crooning, the deeply personal, the club bangers and even the Tik Tok challenges indicate that he could just be reaching his prime. Recently, we've heard plenty of hot takes, wild battles and social media fodder about who sits at the mountaintop in the world of R&B. Usher Raymond has entered the chat.

SET LIST
"You Make Me Wanna..."
"Superstar"
"U Don't Have to Call"
"Nice & Slow"
"Confessions Part II"
"My Way"

MUSICIANS
Usher: vocals
Eric Bellinger: vocals
Vedo: vocals
Dmitry Gorodetsky: bass
Lemar Guillary: trombone
Brandyn Phillips: trumpet
Jay Flat: saxophone
Darek Cobbs: keys
Erick Walls: guitar
Ryan Carr: drums

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Audio Recording & Mix Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Director: Kara Frame
Editor: Michael Zamora
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, Joby Tanseco, Maia Stern
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#tinydesk #usher #BMM

Suraya Mohamed | March 20, 2023

It was a bit of a tight fit, getting the choir, horns and full rhythm section properly situated behind the center nook of the Desk where Tye Tribbett would eventually stand. As the band warmed up, there was concern that his voice might not carry over the fullness of the talented ensemble. During the rehearsal, he stood nearby, directing music cues, occasionally taking a moment to make “grrrr” vocalizations as the band adjusted to bring the loudness down. They quickly found just the right level and when Tribbett moved into place for sound check, his lead vocal both blended into and soared above the magnificence of the band’s high energy praise music.

Even before the production crew pushed their record buttons, an excitement filled the air. As the first song developed, the intensity rose to an even higher level, setting the tone for an emotional, spiritual experience. Musical excellence was abundant as the singers lifted their voices with precise intonation, and Tribbetts’ vigor was infectious. The complex instrumental arrangements included jazzy licks and funky beats that drove spontaneous but smooth transitions in and out of six inspiring songs.

Before the last tune, the encouraging “Be Alright,” Tribbett exclaimed, “There is hope! You’re never hopeless. I know your world gets dark and you feel all by yourself. You think nobody sees you but God sees you and not only does he see you but he’s been with you the whole time.”

SET LIST
“No Way”
“Get Up”
“Victory”
“Everything”
“He Turned It”
“Be Alright”

MUSICIANS
Tye Tribbett: vocals
Joseph Bethea: keys
Brandon Jones: keys
Thaddaeus Tribbett: bass
George "Spanky" McCurdy: drums
Jabari Johnson: guitar
Kevin Woods: trumpet
Joseph Streater: trumpet
Frank Rein: trombone
Jalisa Faye: vocals
Jewell Jones: vocals
Jocelyn Bowman: vocals
Sharon Ann: vocals
Billy Crayton Jr.: vocals
Brandon Edwards: vocals


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

#tinydesk nydesk #nprmusic #tyetribbett

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

Alex Haynes unpacks the latest headlines and discusses Black support for Donald Trump.

Billboard's Jordyn Rolling sat down with GRAMMY-winner artist Usher to chat about his collaboration with Remy Martin, his Las Vegas residency and more.

NPR Music's Tiny Desk series will celebrate Black History Month by featuring four weeks of Tiny Desk (home) concerts and playlists by Black artists spanning different genres and generations each week. The lineup includes both emerging and established artists who will be performing a Tiny Desk concert for the first time. This celebration highlights the beautiful cornucopia of Black music and our special way of presenting it. We hope you enjoy.

Sidney Madden | February 9, 2021
"Just bear with me while I just enjoy this and soak in it," GIVĒON admits with a laugh. Switching between the demeanors of a seasoned, nonchalant crooner and a giddy-grinned newbie, the fast-rising R&B star makes a point to show his humility during his long-awaited debut at Tiny Desk.

Accompanied by a minimal, masked-up band and only one background vocalist (a fellow Pisces at that), the baby-face baritone fills the set with resonance and light. He radiates gratitude with every note. Against a blue, moody backsplash of projected music video stills, GIVĒON notes the divine timing of this performance. "Any moment to do this would be special," he says between songs, "but I think Black History Month ... just celebrating Black culture for this month, I'm really excited to get to do this on this platform."

Through the throes of the pandemic, GIVĒON has remained remarkably busy. In a span of eight months, the Long Beach, Calif. newcomer has released two solid EPs, the Grammy-nominated Take Time and When It's All Said And Done. (The latter included one of our favorite songs of 2020, "Still Your Best.") For his Tiny Desk (home) concert, he borrows from each project to arrange a tantalizing 14-minute sampler — showing off just enough to get you to do your Googles and discover more.

Much like the moment he's trying to savor, GIVĒON's strength as a singer-songwriter is his ability to make his listener feel suspended in time. As fans quickly discovered on his breakthrough "Chicago Freestyle" feature last year, the peaks and valleys of GIVĒON's tone and the satisfying patterns of his runs don't just serenade; They immerse, they engulf. GIVĒON's star rising during a time of such sustained uncertainty is no accident, either. Between vulnerable storytelling and clear vocals, GIVĒON's work provides so many with what they're craving right now: intimacy and consistency.

SET LIST
"THE BEACH"
"LIKE I WANT YOU"
"Stuck On You"

MUSICIANS
GIVĒON: vocals
Deondre Ellis: keys
Ivan Chatman: bass
Andre Montgomery: drums
James Murray: guitar
RaVaughn Brown: vocals

CREDITS
Video: Jan Lim, Mitchell Schultz, Will Houlihan
Producer: Zack Warren
Director: Eric Longden
Audio: Jeremy Gray, Reggie Jones, Al Richardson

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Video Producer: Maia Stern
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Art Director: CJ Riculan
Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Kara Frame, Morgan Noelle Smith
Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

The generations love music so of course they had to get into a discussion around the biggest album of 2024 so far and thats Cowboy Carter. This also leads to talking about the over saturation of major tours this year and some solid music recommendations on the backend.

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