The TTB Tiny Desk concert on Youtube launched me into the Leon Bridges Tiny Desk show. It was delightful. I had never seen it. I get a big kick out of Leon Bridges.

He is very retro soul / r'n'b, a vocalist who sings in the vein of Sam Cooke and Bill Withers - really rich singing with some restraint and concision.

I'm not that big a fan of modern soul / r'n'b because of some of the aesthetic stuff - the production, etc. As you'd assume from anyone who posts here a lot, I prefer a more organic, rootsy sound than the glossier stuff. I think people like Mariah Carey and Cristina Aguilera have incredible voices, but I tend not to dig the material they often serve up. Put them with a piano and a sax and I'd be there.

I do also find that while I love the vocal acrobatics that Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin served up, not everyone with that range has the same cool. I just find some modern day soul singers histrionic or corny.

So, I like Leon Bridges' approach. I had only heard a few tunes by him but really dug them all, and this Tiny Desk show is the real deal. I'd say they hit their groove a minute into the second song and then keep cooking.

So, that is great. I love what he does.

I was completely surprised to hear that he had then (recently) linked up with Khruangbin!!!

Khruangbin do mostly all-instrumental songs, a 3-piece band (bass drums Strat) that has nice threads of surf music, spaghetti western soundtrack, reverb twang Tarantino flavor with jazzy chops over a minimalistic almost trance / hip hop rhythm. Really great stuff. Some Eastern, Arabic, Asian flavors in there.

Did I mention that I am smitten by their bassist?!?!