Booker T. Jones: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert
Музыка
Jones' name is synonymous with the Hammond B3 organ. At 17, he recorded the instrument's anthem, "Green Onions," with his band Booker T and The MG's. Watch him play the song all alone in the NPR Music offices -- and with such joy, you'd swear he just discovered it.
Set List:
"Green Onions"
"Born Under A Bad Sign"
"Down In Memphis"
For more videos, visit npr.org/tinydeskconcerts
You can download the video by subscribing to the All Songs Considered Tiny Desk Concert Podcast at npr.org/tinydeskconcerts
Пікірлер: 1 800
That wasn't a Tiny Desk Concert, that was a Master Class!
@Sparky5999
Жыл бұрын
INDEED!
@SuperFlobod
3 ай бұрын
What's happening at 2:45 is from other planet already, wish I had transcription
The low end on that Hammond had me shook. That instrument is pure magic
@tedrickenator
4 жыл бұрын
serious lowth
@andresdemarchi5135
4 жыл бұрын
and its missing the pedals ;)
@FlorianRachor1
3 жыл бұрын
Right? When Green Onions started my jaw was in the floor.
@rthavi4166
3 жыл бұрын
I thought there was a bass player offscreen
@stuartadamsrailfanningvideos
3 жыл бұрын
The only thing that's better than a Hammond B3 is a Hammond Lumber Company (HLC) 1929 2-8-2T steam locomotive.
I had the privilege to record with Booker T. for both Melissa Ethridge and Willie Nelson. He was very kind to me and very unassuming. I pulled up to his house in San Franando Vally Ca in my MG. He proceeds to "explain " to me he was once in a group called the MG’s. I said I KNOW you’re my hero. I told him how my dad used to make me practice my drums as punishment as a kid and I would have to play "Hang ‘em High " -- for me I could never get the ending of that song as an 8 year old. It sounded to me back then to be arrhythmic and I cried a little as I never could play that part in time with the record player. He LOVED that story and laugh out loud. What a wonderful man.
@faust451
28 күн бұрын
He explained to you he was in a group called the MGs, that is incredible. Granted, I am a huge fan of all the artists that were a part of Stax Records, but it's so hard for me to imagine there are folks that don't know of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Great story by the way, I imagine it was a bit surreal to not only meet him, but also record with him.
Booker has aged WELL has he not? So humble and genuine.
@banjopete
4 жыл бұрын
ZiggyZettel , I’m guessing clean living, that’s my call.
@chrissyyy7150
4 жыл бұрын
They say black don’t crack
@richardsfault1
4 жыл бұрын
Absolute class act!
@renejansen5939
4 жыл бұрын
@@chrissyyy7150 I Do recommend you to watch the documentary that's made about the musicians behind "Buena Vista Social Club". They where black Cuban musicians. Getting the fame they earned on a high age. But they where so driven, so young in their minds. That where real musicians. I Don't think it is something ethnic, but the musicians mind. That's what prevent people to turn into sick, old and depressive elderly beings.
@chrissyyy7150
4 жыл бұрын
René Jansen I was referring to his aging as the original comment mentions
Can't believe he was only 17 when he wrote 'Green onions', I'm impressed.
@Belchmaster41
5 жыл бұрын
what do you think? do you think he chose the chord of F# minor for the second song?
@LimitedNewsCorp
5 жыл бұрын
How can one man have so much talent.
@wighto73
4 жыл бұрын
I can't believe he still tears up when he chops those onions
@lt7114
4 жыл бұрын
@@ChurroLightyear Shit he probably was too no excuse dude.
@paisleyprincess7996
4 жыл бұрын
Yep, played with Otis Redding!
I’ve been in the music business since 1974 and Booker T Jones is the nicest man in the business. A gentleman with pure class. His whole family is beautiful.
He's written his autobiography, it's called Time Is Tight, I just finished it. Amazon has it. He is a very accomplished musician, when everyone else was hanging around Stax, Booker T was commuting back and forth to college, learning to read music, to play numerous instruments and how to arrange...he was a powerhouse at Stax.
Why this man is not recognized nationally as the American legend he really is remains a mystery to me.
@nathanreiber6819
Жыл бұрын
what makes you think he isn't?
@anthonytaylor7928
Жыл бұрын
He is what are u talking about
@penfold7800
Жыл бұрын
He isn't?
@Ratboy2004
Жыл бұрын
Obvious isn't it?
@chetdudeweb707
Жыл бұрын
He's a legend to me! I got to see him live with his band at the Paramount Theater in Oakland back around 2006 or so. A GREAT artist with a great band.
The world is a better place because this man is in it.
I'm 65 years old who still here in 2023 ♥️. GO BOOKER T !!!!
@jeffreycollier1059
Ай бұрын
Yes Sir- at 70! Still grooving to these songs since 1962!
@davidlamb7524
13 күн бұрын
Green Onions was a mod classic in the early 60s...also Time is Tight. Perfection !
He is the most healthy and youthful looking musician of his age (Green Onions came out in the early 60's)...all i could think was...what beautiful teeth! Most successful musicians party themselves into an early grave. Also as a keyboard player myself, Green Onion was something to emulate and borrow from! The man is under appreciated; this is the first time I've seen his face. Could be an actor with his good looks.
Two legends, Booker T. and Hammond B3
@oaktadopbok665
4 жыл бұрын
4:02 and another legend - that big ol' Leslie sitting to his right.
@nathanwahl9224
3 жыл бұрын
@@oaktadopbok665 You got it!!!!!!
@suzanneholmes4319
2 жыл бұрын
@@oaktadopbok665 👍🏼
@stuartadamsrailfanningvideos
Жыл бұрын
And don't forget Hammond Lumber Company (HLC) 1929 built 2-8-2T steam locomotive # 17 still operating on the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad (MRSR) in Washington state!
Booker T., was a talented kid also. I went to BTW high school with him, and was raised in church with him. Booker T., wrote Green Onions while still in high school. Such a nice upstanding respectful young man.
@Pezeshful
7 жыл бұрын
1960's girl respect
@rickraymo1319
6 жыл бұрын
1960's girl... Thank you. I miss him regularly. He is on my permanent rotation, and has been since I was about nine.
@mozdickson
6 жыл бұрын
well done you Lady - nice to see such a personal and positive comment. 1960's boy.
@warp9988
6 жыл бұрын
Lucky you. He's a legend, and definitely a gentleman. A great credit to his town, his country, and a treasure for the whole world.
@RK807
6 жыл бұрын
Do you happen to know the Steinberg family? Lewie Steinberg was the bass player on the recording I think. He was the original bass player before Duck.
Shout out to piano teachers who lay the foundation for potential greatness.
@multimusicstudios5661
6 жыл бұрын
Amen to that David!
@JesseP.Watson
6 жыл бұрын
Yep. That was a beautiful story. Could just see that little Booker T... Mmm, ...Getting sucked toward that old B3... Yeah, old B3, she's a-callin' out to little Booker T., ...Ain't no accident, m'mmm, no, no accident no'ooo'o'ohhhhh.... Oh damn. Did I...? I went off on one, didn't I...? Doh.
@tubemagpie
4 жыл бұрын
To all music teachers... all instruments..... and parents who let and encourage their kids to learn,,, and practice.
@AAMUteacher04
4 жыл бұрын
@@tubemagpie Truth
@JJFrostMusic
4 жыл бұрын
Couldn't afford a lesson so I taught myself
... look at this man: while playing, he's the portrait of happiness. Many thanks for your songs and your smiles, Booker.
This is such a classic performance. I come back to this one often.
Its nice to hear the clicking of the keys and switches. This environment provides a real intimate context of a classic instrument played by one of the best. Great musician, great instrument, great environment. :-)
@exoticcar5482
8 жыл бұрын
It's funny such subtle sounds grew on people as the Hammond Organ company originally considered them manufacturing defects yet they just so happen to add a cool percussive effect to the music
@carlwinslow5905
6 жыл бұрын
Yes key click was considered annoying to Laurens Hammond so they decided to use filters to get rid of it. They did it with the L series and M100 series
@michaeldoster4847
5 жыл бұрын
You better believe it!
@Ianthe22
5 жыл бұрын
Never heard the HAmmond been called a classic be4XD.
@az33135
5 жыл бұрын
Also police siren
Such a confident musician. And not in a show-off way, he knows what he's doing and just interprets it without fussing around.
@expandwhatyousee
5 жыл бұрын
I agree. I have been playing music with this cat that is a little younger than me. He hasn't quite understood when to not play. Its so important to give a song dynamics.
@BassForever44
4 жыл бұрын
Exactly my thoughts. The guy exudes wisdom
@oppisjappatv172
4 жыл бұрын
@@expandwhatyousee Yeah, alot of musicians just want to play all over the track. I call it jerking off the instrument lol.
@jtajr
4 жыл бұрын
Just me, but the word I'd use would be "unpretentious."
@wibbledee
4 жыл бұрын
He just loves what he is doing, it's a part of him. He doesn't need to think about it, it's just a natural state. Genius
Maybe the most underrated musician of all time. I only say that because, his influence was a paradigm shift that is with us today. I really hope I get the chance to see him play live. Thank You Mr. Booker T. Jones.
This man is magic. I’ve loved his music since I first heard Green Onions as a teenager in the early 60s. Have all his records. I have been privileged to meet him twice. What a nice, humble man he is. A true great, a living legend.
I'm currently at a hospital waiting to get home after a surgery. The first thing that I wanted to watch and hear after waking up was Booker T playing Born under a bad sign in this video.
I've always loved Booker T's organ playing, and now seeing how nice of a person he is, I respect him even more.
"When I found out the lessons were $15, I went and got a paper route and got the money." DEDICATION
@frod043
4 жыл бұрын
Muoki Musau today kids would rob a jewelry store instead of working for it.....
@vroeniedik
4 жыл бұрын
@@frod043 what lol
@horacerumpole6912
4 жыл бұрын
True to his namesake!
@jennygoodwine2494
4 жыл бұрын
yeah, that made me tear up.
@jennygoodwine2494
4 жыл бұрын
i'm really inspired by how he KNEW what he wanted and was willing to work to get it.
This song was released and played on the radio when I was five years old. I still remember it.
There is a raw power in the simplicity of his performance. Bravo sir, you are a legend.
@johntechwriter
7 жыл бұрын
Laron Lemon Agreed, and he wasn't even using the bass pedals. Just raw musicianship, able to convey a lot of emotion in just a few notes. Good vocalist, too!
A man brilliant in so many ways:Keyboards and other instruments, writing,arranging,leading a band,producing and,above all else,a man of great class and professionalism. I'm so glad that these gems are available on KZread, so that current and future generations can watch and listen to this incredible artist.He is a perfect role model and inspiration for all aspiring musicians.
A sheer genius of his instrument . Notice the confidence without a thread of arrogance.? a true inspiration cheers !
Just got my Bluetooth hearing aids and this is one of the first things I have listened to and it doubles my joy. Been so happy to hear today but so much happier to listen to this.
What a class act Booker T. Jones is.
I was privileged to have met Mr Jones several years ago and was so impressed by his warmth, kindness and polite, well-spoken and unassuming demeanor, and his being completely devoid of any kind of attitude that those "living legends" in our culture seem entitled to exhibit. . Amazing to hear the artist who wrote these tunes as a teenager in Memphis in the mid-sixties play them unaccompanied in a live room, and still enjoying it. Such a great guy, such a role model for anyone, in any walk of life
I could count on one hand the number of musicians who played a tiny desk concert that actually had an emotional effect on me; but this performance is Awesome!
Wow, Mrs. Cole was my music teacher also. I grew up in Memphis, so amazing.
First class in every respect.
Booker is an American treasure!
@stvynix3687
7 жыл бұрын
YES he is!!!
I saw him with MG's and Otis Redding and Sam and Dave in London in the 60's, just before Otis was sadly killed. I have loved 'Green Onions' all my life.
@njtomboy
4 жыл бұрын
Wow
@TheNightcomers
2 жыл бұрын
The energy in that room must have been awe inspiring!
@sandragriffiths9692
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheNightcomers Yes, I have never forgotten it. I actually saw it all twice, in the afternoon with friends and back again the evening with my boyfriend. Amazing👏👏👏👏👏
Tiny Desk, you've outdone yourself by bringing us the great Booker T. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
That was downright interesting. Loved all his dialogue in between songs
This was subliminal. I think I started to cry when he talked about learning to play the organ. This is a legend, this is the voice of a generation, this is America. I felt like a child listening to the meaning of music. Hallelujah!.
@michaeldoster4847
5 жыл бұрын
Praise the Lord, and put your hand on the radio...!
@traylestrat
5 жыл бұрын
Listening to a subtle genius, manifesting through an incredible instrument. Takes one to know one.
@FreeTheJambon
5 жыл бұрын
How was it subliminal though?
@lonesomepiper6783
5 жыл бұрын
Because its greatness lies in its subtlety!
@adamdadamusic
4 жыл бұрын
I think you mean sublime, if so, yes you are spot on.
As an B3 player myself, this was pure GOLD. Will always be greatful to Booker T for inspiring me in my youth to take up this instrument. He is certainly one of greats of all time.
This man is an absolute LEGEND. Not only for himself but also brought up others with his talent and platform. Music itself thanks him!!!!!
Born under a bad sign is one of my favourite song ever
@jimihd1
8 жыл бұрын
+john bethell cool
@GH-oi2jf
4 жыл бұрын
john bethell - Isn’t that line one of the best in blues? - “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all.”
What a great talent - his approach to the Hammond and his sound is as smooth as butter. And he's got a soulful voice, I had no idea he could sing.
Hammond B3= Best of there Best and in Bookers hands.... wow. I traveled miles to hear E. Power Biggs play a hammond when I was 20....... I'm 72 now and it still sounds wonderful !
Aside from this utter, amazing legend behind the keys, who loves the guy in the green polo who constantly has the expression in his face - 'bloody hell, it's him, it's him, he's here'
This amazing man wrote Green Onions at 17. Mind boggling!
@MichelLinschoten
5 жыл бұрын
edfou5 how is that mind boggling this is what legends have in common. Most top musicians wrote their material in their teens
@MrArchie800
5 жыл бұрын
But the sad thing is; if he had written that same tune today he would have been laughed out of class and told to fu## off back home and get some lessons from a TV chef about how to ‘make it in the modern world’!
@mdkvisions
5 жыл бұрын
Please tell me he's a millionaire and not ripped off by The industry like a lot of the old Black Musicsns
@MrArchie800
5 жыл бұрын
@@mdkvisions Fraid not - he was ripped off
@dynjarren7523
5 жыл бұрын
MrArchie800 Did The Stax record label ripoff all their artists? If so, that’s sad.
really brings out the beauty in that instrument
What an absolute Legend. It's so amazing how humble this guy is, talking so matter of fact and then bangin out utter classics like he's just noodling in his front room. Amazing!!! So glad you invited him, and so absolutely stoked that he came. What a truly lovely man.
Booker T is a 'class-act' !... Ya have to love this guy... I was nine years old when he released Green Onions and I LOVED it even then... I played professionally for years and regret I ever sold my Hammond B3...
I feel like I just heard music for the first time.
@gregorywells9363
7 жыл бұрын
I love this!
@andydanilo
5 жыл бұрын
yeahhhh !! so great !
I can listen to Booker T. Jones talk for hours. I always learn something from him. He seems so nice.
Wow!!! Booker T. Jones!!!!!!! Mr. Green Onions himself!! This song has moved me since it first came out in the '60's. God Bless you, Mr. Jones!!
@musiccollector
4 жыл бұрын
Wait till you hear "Time Is Tight"!!!
you feel the drums & the effect of a full band even. w/o them, with the rhythmic way he plays. Amazing!
It is so good to see a legend enjoy himself.
When you are so Good, people can hear the riddim session inside You. Thanks Mr. T.
Breaking down "Born Under a Bad Sign" and getting into the dark notes, heard it like I never heard it before, thank you Booker T.
@bobbo11357
5 күн бұрын
Albert King, Cream, and Jimi Hendrix are just some of the artists who covered Born Under a Bad Sign.
Wow, this is my first time to hear this legend play. I don't know how I managed to miss him for most of my life. This is a real honor. What a very nice man. We are so blessed to have many great and wonderful musicians from my age group still with us. I miss those who have passed on too. What a joy this is.
He has such a great, easy voice, too. What a class act.
Brilliant! And what a beautiful face he has when he plays.
@iamlove113
4 жыл бұрын
Elviza Pelvis Yes. Exactly... I jumped his invitation and enjoyed the journey with him.
"Green Onions" - a great example of the power of the 12 bar blues. This song was featured in a recent documentary about the Rolling Stones.
So well spoken, so handsome and brilliantly talented..... I bet the ladies love him!
I am listening to this at my college library on my headphones, and I was going to start clapping to my laptop when I realized where I was. Great man.
@BigBlack81
7 жыл бұрын
I was in a coffee house and damned near did the same thing. Glad to know I'm not the only one.
@BenedictHarris
5 жыл бұрын
Are you finished college now?
@robertbailey2089
5 жыл бұрын
@@BenedictHarris Got to be honest, I am curious myself
@chrisgillmangable
4 жыл бұрын
So how did college work out Octavio? I have grave concerns given that you were clearly surfing KZread when you really should have been doing some work. Speaking of which....
AFTER 60yrs. STILL JAMMING. SOUNDS GREAT!!!!! HIT IT BOOGIE.
As a child, I asked my older brother who played folk guitar in coffee shops to explain the "twelve-bar blues." He played "Green Onions" while counting off the measures, 1, 2 , 3, etc. When he was done, he turned to me and asked rhetorically, "Any questions?"
Wow!!!! Love the sub-bass pedals. Super cool!!
Loved his intro to the Hammond organ story, great as always NPR
I was friends with his son. Great engineer in his own right. Very sad when Booker III passed. His dad is a LEGEND!!
I lost this interview and so happy to have found it again today. It was seriously one of the best interviews I've seen. So fantastic.
This is like Herb Alpert showing us how to play the trumpet - the Legened meets the Instrument! Booker, thank you for the absolutely immortal masterpiece,"Time Is Tight". I am so glad that you made a good living off your singles. You deserve it. And, thanks for making awesome memories for me from 1969.
I first heard Booker T. on a record Thanksgiving night in 1962 at age 8. When I started playing Hammond Organ he was and still is an artist I try to emulate. He is one of the greats! No doubt! keep on Playing Booker!Thanks for posting !
I love NPR! one of the reasons, I will continue support Public radio and TV...
I saw Jimmy Smith live in a club in the West end of Atlanta, and thought I would die. Only white guy in the the basement club. I was there to see him. And nobody cared. It was Heaven. Booker T. had always been my very favorite since I found out about Hammonds. I have a 1938 BC out of a church wired for 3 Leslie and a Tone Cabinet. All Booker T.'s fault! Therefore, THIS PUTS ME IN ANOTHER DIMENSION !!! Born Under A Bad Sign! I cannot say thank you enough for presenting this for others gratis on the net! Thank you PBS, and specially Thank You to Booker T. !!! God bless you all!
@sandragriffiths9692
4 жыл бұрын
I have seen Jimmy Smith and love the B3, love Booker T Jones, I didn't know he had such a great soulful voice as well as being a wicked player and song writer.
I've always loved this song & now I love the cool remix!!Bravo Mr. Booker T!! 👏 Bravo!!! 😎👍You totally rock!!!
I remember hearing this and other Booker T. & the MG classics when I was kid. Little did I know (then) that Booker was barely older than me. Steve Cropper was one of the reasons I started playing guitar when I was (12). The guys were, and will always be, music legends. My hat's off to you, sir.
Music that is inspiring and what a voice. I don't remember him being noted as a vocalist but besides being a great organist he has some very soulful pipes.
Thank you NPR. You are the curator of our shared times, clues to our future, and an inspiration that serves to guide us toward the realization of our most graceful potentialities. Let us be limited only by the farthest reaches of our hopes, fortified by our faith, and assured that we can all.experience the blues and keep on keeping on.
Booker T Jones is an absolute genius. We are lucky to share the earth at the same time as this artist.
St back and watch a Legend play....Wow
if it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all... SWEET!
Daaam. First Time. I Hear It. Late. 70 s In Mexico. And Forgot about it. Now. The I Hear it. 😎. Cool😮🎉
Amazing! "Born under a bad sign" such a great song. He plays it so naturally and effortlessly.
Wow. What a fabulous MUSICIAN. This man is a master of his instrument. Such a treat to sit and hear him play and share his experiences. IMHO, within the Musical Nation, this gentleman is a "National Treasure". Thank you so much for sharing this video with us.
@kwabenatutu6541
3 жыл бұрын
Love man Davie great music.
I want "Green Onions" to play when they're lowering my coffin into the earth.
@billblount5955
4 жыл бұрын
I'm right there with you. Brother
@TheGlass50
4 жыл бұрын
I hope that doesn’t happen for 100 years Bill and John. 😊
@indiesindie1984
4 жыл бұрын
Very cool! I want Rumble!
@lxxwj
4 жыл бұрын
yeah man
@DuosHabet
4 жыл бұрын
a very nice idea, anyway I just know this fact about you, and it just makes me wanna say, may you live a very long and happy life. peace
The legendary man, behind the "Melting Pot" song! He was a beast in his prime! Artists like him will never die!
Booker T. Jones is one of my favorite musicians, he has such a humble and great character and I am inspired by his passion for music. I remember hearing Green Onions as a child and it being one of the first songs I truly fell in love with. I am in my 20s now and I have learned about the history of Stax records and have even visited the Stax museum in Memphis and I am grateful for people such as Booker for bringing beauty and art into the world.
This is damn near perfection!
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE ARTIST..THE LIST OF OTHER PERFORMERS CLASSICS THAT HE HAS PLAYED ON, NOT TO MENTION THE MUSIC WITH BOOKER T AND THE M.G.s.......JUST AWESOME !
Wow, first time I get to hear/see Booker T. Jones, after playing his tune "Born under a bad sign" in a band for 12 years myself. Such a good performer he is!
I love this man's spirit. Such a humble, masterful, and approachable personality. I loved listening to his dialogue and talking about his history with the instrument...it was really fascinating hearing him break down a lot of the intricacies of this instrument and giving a glimpse of the why behind its uniqueness. Great work NPR.
This was absolutely awesome. One of my favorite tiny desk performances.
I think if I ever met him, I would have to drop to one knee. This is an example of greatness. Damn!
I love the way BOOKER says an instrument grabbed him. I feel that.
Peeped in the door for a moment, and I stayed a while. I'm glad I did.
A unique artist. Love his music.
My lord this guy is one of the last living musical legends out there.
In addition to the awesome playing, the sound is also phenomenal
I was about 14. I hadn't even heard about soul and blues music. I picked up the name of Booker T. from the radio. I saw a double album. Golden Greats or something. Asked for it as a birthday present. I was hooked. Now, some 50 (!) years later, I'm still impressed. I see this video selected for me on YT. I hear for the first time he composed it when he himself was 14 or so. What a man. He really has the music in him.
Anyone else pause the video around 2:15 because they thought that police siren was coming from outside their window?
@CertifiedSkank
6 жыл бұрын
Adam Borseti if I hadn’t read the comments already I would have been trippin
@luciahak3660
6 жыл бұрын
YES!
@nadavmezamer
6 жыл бұрын
No. I live in a bad neighbourhood
@lucasgabrielvilasboas8436
6 жыл бұрын
i did it rn
@ScottWayneJackson
6 жыл бұрын
... and again at 8:03
Thank you KZread algorithm for recommending this to me. This fixed my day.
@musiccollector
4 жыл бұрын
KZread, the everlasting memory-maker. Thank you!
I just love the fact that Mr. Booker T Jones thought it right and proper to wear a smart and ironed shirt for the performance. This man is straight up and down old school class.
If I could swing that hard I'd be grinning too... good lord. Thanks for all the grooves Booker, respect.