This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk celebrates the undeniable legacy of BET. Like the network that put Black artistry first, these sets reflect the essence of Black music.
R&B veteran Joe Thomas earned every chain and stripe on his body as he stepped behind the Tiny Desk. For every Usher, Ne-Yo, and Leon Thomas who has played in our office, fans of one of their archetypes wondered when he would get his shot. We saw the petitions and social media posts, but trust: We chased for years. Before the music started, the singer-songwriter and producer explained: "Where have I been for the past few years? Well, I've been on the road touring. I'm here with you all today, and I wanna do a few songs throughout the catalog."
Each of the "few songs" Joe refers to is a chart-topping, gold and platinum-selling smash from the '90s and early 2000s. At the Desk, Thomas proves the time away hasn't diminished anything. He quickly gathers the entire audience in one hand, blazing through songs like "Good Girls," "The Love Scene" and the dirty macking anthem, "All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)." Joe closes the set with a tender moment, inviting his daughter, Kayla, to sing background on his biggest hit, "I Wanna Know."
SET LIST
- "Good Girls"
- "Faded Pictures"
- "More & More"
- "The Love Scene"
- "All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)"
- "I Wanna Know"
MUSICIANS
- Joe: vocals
- DJ Brown: keys, music director
- Jazz Joyner: keys
- Cam Moore: guitar
- Anthony Nembhard: bass
- Will "Bam Bam" Parker: drums
- Amber Harmon: background vocals
- Jarmone Davis: background vocals
- Maya Milan: background vocals
- Kayla Thomas: background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Bobby Carter
- Director/Editor: Kara Frame
- Audio Engineer/Mix: Neil Tevault
- Videographers: Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant
- Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
- Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
- Photographer: Alanté Serene
- Tiny Desk Team: Josh Newell, Felix Contreras
- Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
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