Leon Bridges — NPR Tiny Desk, 2015

Released on September 8, 2015, this Tiny Desk Concert filmed at Bob Boilen’s desk in NPR’s Washington offices introduces Leon Bridges, the Fort Worth, Texas singer whose soul seems to come straight out of 1962. Backed by his band, including several Fort Worth musicians (among them Austin Jenkins of White Denim), he performs four songs — “Coming Home,” “Smooth Sailin’,” “Twistin’ & Groovin'” and “River” — drawn from his debut album “Coming Home.” The voice, of rare purity, evokes Sam Cooke and the golden age of American soul while keeping a freshness that speaks to a contemporary audience. In the stripped-down setting of the Tiny Desk, with no effects or studio reverb, the performance reveals the authenticity of an artist who breathed new life into a timeless sound. This multi-song live capture is a precious document on one of the great revivalists of soul in the 2010s. A filmed live concert warmly recommended to lovers of classic rhythm and blues.