As Omar performs “This Is Not a Love Music” on the Tiny Desk, I can not assist however consider how contradictory that exact choice is to his general profession in music. His knack for penning pure love songs has taken him on a 40-year musical journey around the globe from Kent, England, and most lately, touchdown him at NPR headquarters.
Born Omar Lye-Fook, the singer-songwriter is a key determine within the historical past of British soul music. His debut single, “There’s Nothing Like This,” launched in 1990, not solely helped to set the stage for the “neo soul” motion but additionally led to collaborations with Stevie Surprise, Erykah Badu, and the late Angie Stone.
Dressed to the nines and sporting his signature high-top locs, Omar stepped behind the Desk with a glance of disbelief on his face. I do not know if it was the variety of die-hard followers within the constructing or the proximity at which they stood; in any case, he fed off that power and gave it proper again to the gang as they swayed and sang alongside to highlights from his timeless catalog.
SET LIST
- “Can We Go Out?”
- “The Man”
- “Little Boy”
- “This Is Not a Love Music”
- “There’s Nothing Like This”
MUSICIANS
- Omar Lye-Fook: vocals, keys
- Mike Griot: bass, music director
- Teddy Crockett: guitar
- Eric Brown: drums, background vocals
- Raliegh Neal II: keys
- Vivian Sessoms: background vocals
- Aaron Broadus: trumpet
- Antonio Parker: saxophone
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Bobby Carter
- Director/Editor: Kara Body
- Audio Technical Director: Josephine Nyounai
- Host/Collection Producer: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Kara Body, Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern
- Audio Engineer: Josh Newell
- Manufacturing Assistant: Dhanika Pineda
- Collection Editor: Lars Gotrich
- Photographer: Sofia Seidel
- Government Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Collection Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
