Today’s #TinyDeskContest entry is pure DC. Rapper Tim Hicks of the funk/hip-hop band The Cornel West Theory grabbed our attention with his new solo album Bullets and specifically the historical ode to legendary NBC4 news anchor “Jim Vance”. While on lockdown, Hicks filmed this flawless and fiery delivery of the track while accompanied by Zsameria on Hula Hoop, Zoie Bilhah Agostino Hicks on Bow & Arrow and the menacing Henok Yohannes Hicks on Nerf Gun. Hicks writes “Washington D.C. is the next untapped market for great music. It would only be right for the next winner of the NPR Tiny Desk Concert 2020 to be from the city where NPR Headquarters is based!!!”
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Tag Archives: Tiny Desk
Near Northeast & Takunda M. – Flowers (Tiny Desk Contest)
We’re one week before the extended deadline falls on NPR Music’s 2020 Tiny Desk Contest, so it’s time for Hometown Sounds to focus on the worthy entries from the DC area. Indie folk band Near Northeast has led our coverage for the last four years, and their ambitious 2020 entry makes good use of the limitations of our current situation. Their most recent album Cabin Sessions is a collaboration with Nashville resident Takunda M. Since the DC-based band members can’t get together right now to record a song in person, they used videoconferencing to bring in Takunda’s voice for the haunting song “Flowers”. We’ve watched a lot of musical livestreams in the last month on YouTube, FB Live, IG and Zoom, and this one really shows what’s possible with some organization and teamwork.
Say Solos – Lose You (Tiny Desk Contest)
Kudos to WAMU’s Kojo Show for highlighting some of our area’s prominent entries to NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest. The show and accompanying post on DCist highlighted a couple that flew under our radar, including this electronic live looping wizard Say Solos. Crafting sexy downtempo jams with his smooth R&B voice backing beats from TF Woo, we hope this feature gives his music career a well-deserved boost. “Lose You” comes from the just-released EP Three Tune Kid.
1 Identity – In Your Feelings (Tiny Desk Contest)
We aren’t done yet with our review of DC’s finest Tiny Desk Contest entries for NPR Music. Today’s feature is Oxon Hill r&b and funk band 1 Identity. A taste of office drama starts the vid, before the band launches into the jam “In Your Feelings” featuring frontwoman Alena Budd’s soulful vocals and guitar licks. See the full 1 Identity Band next at the Pie Shop on Friday May 31st for “Punk, Funk & Pies For The People” along with High-Brid and M4TR.
Born Dad – My Band Gets Me Boyfriends (Tiny Desk Contest)
Born Dad is a band full of queer musicians that just want to sing and joke about their experiences and identities. Their power move for this Tiny Desk Contest entry for NPR Music was recruiting enthusiastic go-go dancers to group house-party up the irony-dripping single “My Band Gets Me Boyfriends”. You’ll have to make it all the way through May to see Born Dad play next at Rhizome in Takoma Park on Tuesday May 28th with Gabbie Rotts and Company Calls.
Don’t Stay Home This Week 4/29
Now that we wasted so much of the weekend with Endgame and the Battle of Winterfell, how about cooling off with some live #DCmusic? Here are our picks for the week ahead.
Monday 4/29:
Underground hotspot Dwell hosts a four band indie rock bill tonight with two touring acts, Lost Dog and Cool Original, and two DC acts we recommend from our podcast series, Max Gowan and Spring Silver.
Tuesday 4/30:
Get an early taste of this year’s Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival this Tuesday night at Pearl Street Warehouse. Justin Trawick‘s long-running 9 Songwriter Showcase gathers musicians playing at Saturday’s festival, including Reed Appleseed, The October Sessions, Jess Eliot Myhre of the Bumper Jacksons, and more. But first, here’s Trawick and his trio The Common Good playing a new song called “These Days” in Pearl Street’s green room for NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest.
Wednesday 5/01:
GoldPants Party wins the battle of Wednesday night with superhero Emma G and feisty synthpop diva Loi Loi. Get to Sauf Haus by 8 to see Emma G’s new music video for the latest single “Smile”.
Thursday 5/02:
Thursday evening the after-work showcase Luce Unplugged at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Luce Foundation Center presents soul and funk band Backbeat Underground, veterans of our Kennedy Center Millennium Stage series.
Iza Flo – Dance Anthem (Tiny Desk Contest)
Taking NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest rule about performing in front of a desk quite seriously, Isabelle de Leon‘s new all-lady supergroup Iza Flo’s debut song “Dance Anthem” fills up and takes over a small office with a soulful house music party jam. Each musician gets a feature, so here’s your score card: Jillian Willis (vocals), Dior Ashley Brown (MC), Natalie Ahearn (keys), Tiffany Lloyd (bass), Alena Budd (guitar), Rikayyah Wilson (percussion) & Isabelle De Leon (drums). In the vein of Tortured Soul and DC’s own House of Soul, this display of house music with live vocals and instrumentation is a powerful force.
Oh He Dead – Lonely Sometimes (Tiny Desk Contest)
Indie soul band Oh He Dead’s submission to NPR Music’s 2019 Tiny Desk Contest is a new jam called “Lonely Sometimes”. This recording at the Lily Pad by Brian Knox gives the song a big, echo-y vibe consistent with its classic soul roots. Cynthia Johnson and Andrew Valenti’s band continues to grow in style and popularity in DC’s music scene. They next return to the scene of their 2016 debut breakout show at this year’s Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival on Saturday May 4th.
Near Northeast – Shelter (Tiny Desk Contest)
For four years now NPR Music has sponsored the Tiny Desk Contest, inspiring bands all over the world to film themselves playing a song live in front of a desk to win a chance to play Bob Boilen’s legendary space. Every year Hometown Sounds rounds up our faves of the entrants from the DC area, hoping that one of our own worthy bands will win the nod. Today’s feature is Near Northeast, the gorgeous experimental chamber folk band supported by Etxe Records. They spent the winter behind closed doors crafting new songs like “Shelter”, their 2019 Tiny Desk Contest entry shot and edited by longtime video collaborator Kip Radt. Mark your calendars to hear Near Northeast’s new jams Sunday May 5th at the Pie Shop with fellow DC band Swoll and Philly’s Son Step.
DuPont Brass – Make It (Tiny Desk Contest)
We aren’t letting a year go by without highlighting a Tiny Desk Contest entry by DuPont Brass. Even though the jazz + hip-hop ensemble recently released their sophomore LP Eclectic Soul, they gave us a brand new song called “Make It” with some wicked trumpet wailing and slick rapping. Catch them next on Friday May 18th kicking off the album release show for Handsome Hound on the Black Cat Mainstage.
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