Lee Fields: Tiny Desk Concert

This year's Black History Month celebration at the Tiny Desk features a carefully crafted lineup spanning many genres, generations and walks of life. Each artist represents the best in their class and will be performing at the Tiny Desk for the first time.

Stephen Thompson | February 10, 2023
You can't see it on the screen, but there's a piece of paper taped to the Desk in front of Lee Fields throughout the R&B, blues and soul veteran's long-awaited Tiny Desk debut. It's got the set list, of course, but also an instruction to the singer: "NO AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION!!!!"

It speaks to Fields' legendary showmanship — he's often been dubbed "Little JB" due to his similarities to the hardest-working man in show business — that his team felt a need to rein in his generous impulse to work any crowd before him, knowing the time constraints of a Tiny Desk concert. It speaks further to Fields' showmanship that he ended up ignoring the directive: By the time he got to the set-closing "Two Jobs," which features a call-and-response listing the hours in the day, he was yelling, "I want y'all to count the hours!"

Though pandemic-era protocols limit the size of the Tiny Desk crowds these days, Fields got the shouts of approval (and participation) he was seeking, as he barreled through three songs from last year's Sentimental Fool and one relative oldie from a career that stretches all the way back to the late '60s: the self-explanatorily titled "Ladies," from his 2009 album My World.

SET LIST
"Forever"
"Ladies"
"What Did I Do"
"Two Jobs"

MUSICIANS
Lee Fields: vocals
Benjamin Trokan: guitar
Jason Colby: trumpet
Frederick DeBoe: sax
Toby Pazner: keys
Evan Pazner: drums
Jacob Silver: bass

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bob Boilen
Director: Kara Frame
Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Audio Mixing: Josh Rogosin
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Sofia Seidel
Editor: Sofia Seidel
Audio Assistant: Brian Jarboe
Production Assistant: Jill Britton
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#leefields #nprmusic #tinydesk

[PeacefulApostle]

I'm very happy he's finally getting the recognition he deserves.

[marvinhagler]

REAL SOUL SINGER HERE, I've been trying to see him live for a minute

[my-king]

I dare you to watch this for 30 seconds, and turn it off. Impossible.
Wow. Beautiful.

[paulyoungblood]

Saw him last night in my hometown of Durham. Front row, the whole place was dancing and clapping. Best show i've seen in a long time.

[trevab]

I clicked on this by accident. The absolute BEST accident ever. I had never heard of Lee Fields nor his music before this moment but I am now a fan! This is music!!!

[scottwherle]

Saw “Lee Fields” and immediately liked before I heard a note. How he never became a household name, I’ll never understand.

[AficionadoKO]

Lee Fields, thank you brother for keeping soul music alive. Original blues, pure and R&B, the soundtrack of my childood.

[youngbr]

Saw Lee Fields and The Expressions at Coachella and have been in love with them ever since. Thank you Tiny Desk!!

[williedynamyte]

Last year my wife and I had the great pleasure of seeing him live! He didn't disappoint. Boy did this set put a smile on my face!
Lee Fields is your favorite soul singers soul singer! Salute!

[iraazela]

Waking up to this in my notification was a message from the universe " Today is going to a a really good day, enjoy."

[staff]

I discovered Mr Fields in 2013 I believe. He is a National Treasure…. He has made my eyes ball up so many times in those years. I feel like he is talking to ME. ❤❤❤.

[lazylion]

discovered Lee Fields while playing Sleeping Dogs, which is a video game with radio stations, and one of those stations was Daptone Radio featuring several songs by Lee Fields and Charles Bradley who immediately became some of my favorite vocalists of all time. got to see Charles in concert before he passed. glad to see that Lee is still going strong.

[guy-tnud]

Sometimes I dream of being born with a voice like that. Truly... Try to imagine being able to sing so effortlessly, so uniquely. Just beautiful.

[DustinHaggerty-ljix]

This is INCREDIBLE. I've loved Lee ever since my wife saw him live on a work trip and called me and said you gotta check this guy out!! This was a good 4 years ago. Love me some Lee Fields. ❤ man and to see him get emotional, you know this is what music is for. Healing and sharing in hurt and love and happiness and all that. ❤❤❤❤

[louismonnichii]

Been a fan of this guy and the Daptone label for years! I LOVE IT knowing the fiery Lee Fields is still going strong! Wish ya well, brother.

[jeromelaik]

I saw him live a week ago in France ! One of a kind performer and a amazing band... Looking forward to see him live again ! Thanks Lee Fields

[DanBregman]

Lee Fields is awesome. Someone ought to speak with YouTube about strategically placing adds in the middle of songs. I get Google makes a fortune off of showing me adds for medications I don’t need but they could at least time it to not distract from the performance. On a positive note, love Lee’s tailor. That jacket is something!

[gregc]

This is awsome love Lee Fields what a legend

[chrisdaw]

I consider myself a happy person, but nothing has put a bigger smile on my face lately than this! Thank you NPR! Thank you Lee Fields! Amazing! What a sound!

[johnnyhubbs]

I'm so glad that I know of you and your music brother. Your music/songs are from your heart and your soul buddy. Thanks Lee Fields. Your band is one of the best.