Jon Batiste stopped by the NPR's offices in Washington D.C. to deliver a soulful four-song set of brand new songs behind the famed Tiny Desk on Monday (Jan. 6).
Kicking things off on the Wurlitzer for midtempo jam "Cry," the bandleader transitioned through a number of instruments — and genres — during his perfomance. "Yes indeed, we playin' some music and we are coping. The times are in an interesting place, but music is always that universal language that can bring people in a room, together, with a Tiny Desk, and magic happens," Batiste said while picking up his electric guitar for the Motown-inspired "Tell The Truth."
Backed by a four-piece, all-female band, the artist also played piano on the jazzy, hip-hop-inflected "Coltrane" before closing out with sprightly gospel number "I Need You."
All four songs follow Batiste's latest album, 2018's Hollywood Africans. The singer-songwriter is next set to contribue original music to Pixar's jazz-centric animated film Soul, which hits theaters nationwide June 19.
Watch Batiste's full Tiny Desk concert below.
