Concerts We Love :: Chicano Batman - N.P.R. Tiny Desk Concert

On repeat.

***

via: NPR

“A sound that perfectly captures dark lounges, quinceñera dances, car shows and backyard parties.”

The magic of a band like this is in the details, and their performance here allows us to fall into the non-stop groove and passion of a sound that gets better and better with each performance. See for yourself.

Set List:

"Freedom Is Free"

"Friendship (Is A Small Boat In A Storm)"

"Jealousy"

Musicians:

Bardo Martinez (vocals, keys, guitar);

Eduardo Arenas (bass);

Carlos Arevalo (guitar);

Gabriel Villa (percussion);

Nya Parker Brown (vocals);

Piya Malik (vocals)

Musicians We Love :: H.E.R. - NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Via: NPR

Dec. 12, 2018 | Bobby Carter -- It's been said that you only get one chance to make a first impression. In H.E.R.'s case, you get two. She stunned us as a special guest for Daniel Ceasar's Tiny Desk concert earlier this year, in an appearance that showcased her vocal mastery.

That earned her an invite to play again, front-and-center. She attacked her second go 'round with more fervor than the first, highlighting her skills as a multi-instrumentalist, maneuvering between acoustic and electric guitars, then the Fender Rhodes.

While H.E.R. stands for "Having Everything Revealed," she's an artist who's built her reputation on a certain degree of anonymity. The cover art for her debut, 2016 EP, H.E.R. Volume 1, shows a woman's silhouette over a blue backdrop.

Her visuals never provide the audience a clear shot of her face and her signature accessory for every outfit is a pair of large, dark sunglasses. As fans collectively squinted to get a better view, she delivered more projects.

Another EP, H.E.R. Vol 2, came in 2017, followed months later by H.E.R. which combined songs from both volumes with a handful of new songs. The latter earned her five nominations for 2019's Grammy Awards, including Album Of The Year and Best New Artist Of The Year. She was born Gabriella Wilson to a Filipino mother and Black father.

She first attracted the spotlight as a child prodigy, eventually signing a record contract when she was 14-years old. At 21, she's yet to release her debut LP. There were two standout moments during her Tiny Desk set. One came at the midway point of her biggest hit so far, "Focus." When the instruments dropped out and background vocalists Ajanee Hambrick and Malik Spence chimed in with their lush harmonies, the audience melted.

The second came when her focus was interrupted by a charming and sincere expression of gratitude for the Tiny Desk platform. For a split second it appears as though she's about to remove those sunglasses. "Not saying that I'm your favorite artist, but maybe me being here today says a lot."

Set List:

"Going" (Interlude)

"Feel A Way"

"Hard Place"

"Focus"

Credits:

Producers: Bobby Carter, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Kaylee Domzalski, Maia Stern, Bronson Arcuri; Editor: Kaylee Domzalski; Production Assistant: Brie Martin; Photo: Cameron Pollack/NPR

Concerts We Love :: Ibeyi - NPR Tiny Desk ConcertS

The twin sisters in Ibeyi started their turn behind the Tiny Desk by singing an invocation of a West African Yoruba deity.

They come by their connection to the Afro-Cuban culture by way of their late father, Miguel "Anga" Diaz, an in-demand Cuban percussionist who was part of a vanguard musicians who reinvigorated Cuban music before he died prematurely at age 45 in 2006. The sisters, Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Díaz, carry that calling in their DNA, and how they've manifested it into their own art is nothing short of amazing.

As you see in this video, the twins (Ibeyi means 'twins" in Yoruban) perform their music with the batá drums associated with Yoruban sacred music and their elaborate vocal arrangements channel the call-and-response of traditional African music. The melding of their voices when they harmonize can be breathtaking, but the same can be said about the messages behind their songs, themes that inspire both inward introspection and celebrations of life.

Enjoy.

SET LIST

• "Oddudua"

• "Deathless"

• "Valé"

• "Transmission/Michaelion"

MUSICIANS

Lisa-Kaindé Diaz, Naomi Díaz

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