Igmar Thomas' Revive Big Band: Tiny Desk Concert

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Igmar Thomas' Revive Big Band: Tiny Desk Concert with tags npr, npr music, national public radio, live, performance, tiny desk, tiny desk concert, tony desk, tiny concert

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