This Black Music Month is something special for NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert series. So far, they’ve showcased newer acts like GENA and Ayra Starr alongside legacy acts like Floetry. This week, we got another taste of R&B royalty with Joe making his Tiny Desk debut.
Joe gave the Tiny Desk quite the treat by serving up a selection of his biggest hits throughout his career. First up was his 1997 single “Good Girls,” which served as a welcome to the crowd and a brief intro while he incorporated a bit of The Jacksons’ “Find Me A Girl” for good measure. He then smoothly transitioned into a bevy of his biggest hits, starting with the Case duet “Faded Pictures,” which he effortlessly handled solo as he gave the audience his all.
Things got a lot sexier from there as Joe gave us “More & More,” amping things up with vocals that mixed the sensual and sacred in the tradition of R&B forefathers like Al Green and Teddy Pendergrass. But he wasn’t done with the bedroom bangers. Next up was “The Love Scene,” a song where he chronicles the steps of seduction with a knowing wink. The vibe was making Joe a little hot, too, as he brought out a portable fan that died while he was performing. This prompted an off-the-cuff ad-lib that cracked the room up.
His breakthrough hit “All The Things (Your Man Won’t Do)” was next up, and the crowd’s recognition of its opening notes elicited applause. The track, which could be considered his signature song, felt just as warm and inviting as it was when it hit radio waves 30 years ago. After that rush of lust and sensuality, Joe closed the set with the romantic cut “I Wanna Know.” The song already holds a special place in the hearts of R&B lovers everywhere, but it was made even more special when Joe’s daughter Kayla Thomas joined the backing vocalists. The proud father doted on his baby girl, even giving her a chance to grab some shine during the moment.
Though his heyday on the charts may have passed, Joe showed and proved why he is still that guy when it comes to a good R&B ballad. Let him take you on a trip through his catalogue when you watch his Tiny Desk debut below.
