JAYFORCE

The White House is often at the center of some controversy, more so nowadays. But there was a recent time when there was less ‘crazy’ – as Keith Olbermann might say (here) – coming from the White House …or, at least, a different type of ‘crazy.’ Even then, something like this probably would not have made headline news. But it was certainly worthy of being documented. And I am glad NPR did. And after you watch, bet money that you will be, too.

We’ve never done a Tiny Desk Concert that wasn’t behind my desk at NPR. But when the White House called and said they were putting on an event called South by South Lawn, a day-long festival filled with innovators and creators from the worlds of technology and art, including music, we jumped at the chance to get involved. We chose Common as the performer and the White House library as the space.

This Tiny Desk Concert was a convergence of art and soul, mixing politics with heart. Common’s choice of songs dealt with incarceration as the new slavery, imagined a time where women rule the world and honored the man he looked up to all his life, his father. For this occasion, Common put together a special six-piece band of close friends that includes the great Robert Glasper, with his eloquent and delicate touch, on keyboards and Derrick Hodge, whose music spans from Hip-Hop to folk and has made a big imprint on the world of jazz, on bass. Common also asked his longtime friend and collaborator Bilal to sing on two songs. The performance includes three brand new songs, along with one classic, “I Used To Love H.E.R.”

– Bob Boilen

Yooooo! Brother Common and his crew rocked a [Tiny Desk] Concert at The White House. DOPE!

(Oh, and the girl on the flute is Elena Pinderhughes, who played flute on Future’s “Mask Off.” Hella cute! Especially in that form-fitting dress. Yes!)

– @ojones1

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