#raydarellis

ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE GOOD PEOPLE SHINE!!! LET'S GO @raydarellis!!! #NPRTinyDesk

VIA NPR Tiny Desk @youtube

Nikki Birch | February 26, 2025

Right from the jump, the horns hit with crisp urgency, heralding the arrival of Igmar Thomas' Revive Big Band at the Tiny Desk. This is not your grandparents' — or even your great-grandparents' — big band sound. Yes, it feels familiar, but the driving grooves are undeniably hip-hop.

Thomas, whose many hats include trumpeter, composer and musical director, is a founding member of Revive Music Group. The brainchild of the late Meghan Stabile, Revive has created platforms and opportunities, including the big band, for up-and-coming musicians to shine and reshape the landscape of jazz.

In this set, Thomas welcomes fellow founding member Raydar Ellis, associate professor at the Berklee College of Music, to join. Originally produced by Ellis, "TO KINDA LOUNGE AROUND" inspired Thomas to turn the track into his first big band composition. Though he conducts the majority of this set, Thomas also plays a fiery trumpet solo here. Both Ellis and Thomas shout out "fallen soldiers" of the Revive Music Group, including Stabile and the late saxophonists James Casey and Casey Benjamin.

Performing this Tiny Desk concert required Thomas to rearrange all of the tunes for a smaller big band. He does so successfully. Everything stays true to the sonic integrity of his original compositions and the legacy of big band jazz.

SET LIST

"RPM's"

"TO KINDA LOUNGE AROUND"

"THE COMING"

"R&P"

MUSICIANS

Igmar Thomas: conductor, trumpet

Brent Birckhead: alto saxophone

Chelsea Baratz: tenor saxophone

Saul Dautch: baritone saxophone

Miles Keingstein: trumpet

Sam Hoyt: trumpet

Barry Stephenson: bass

James Rogers: bass trombone

Corey A. Wallace: trombone

Alex Heffron: guitar

John Davis: drums

Raydar Ellis: vocals

TINY DESK TEAM

Producer: Nikki Birch

Director: Joshua Bryant

Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell

Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter

Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Mitra I. Arthur, Keren Carrión

Video Editor: Maia Stern

Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna

Production Assistants: Ashley Pointer, Dora Levite

Photographer: Alanté Serene

Tiny Desk Team: Lars Gotrich, Kara Frame

Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed

Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson

VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#nprmusic​ #tinydesk​ #igmarthomasrevivebigband​

Video clip & caption reposted @raydarellis Shout out to @nprmusic for featuring @revivebigband on their AMAZING Tiny Desk series!! It was an HONOR and a PLEASURE to rock on such an iconic stage and work with such a warm and inviting NPR team.

I’m sharing this part of the song I’m on because it showcases @iggysoul and me rocking back to back. This is something we’ve been doing for years from our days as classmates at @berkleecollege , to being roommates rockin bars/clubs all over NYC, to some of the most world renowned stages domestic and international.

I’m also sharing this part to shout out our Revive family who are no longer with us… @casey_benjamin @jamescaseysax and the woman who started Revive and blazed the trail for us, Ms. Meghan Stabile aka @supremeuniter 🕊️🕊️🕊️

I wish they were here to see the Big Band shine but I know they’re PROUD of us.

Shout outs to my family @shesnikkibirch for making this Tiny Desk happen along with the members of the big band (including but not limited to):

@chelseabaratz @brentbirckhead @pocketb @mahlzzz @sauldautchmusic @thebigdawgcometh @rogersbasstrombone @hefftunes #SamHoyt & #JonDavis

Lastly, if you like what you hear, Igmar Thomas’ Revive Big Band album “Like A Tree It Grows” is out now on all DSPs!!

photo reposted from @nprmusic