When Marcus and Jean Baylor of The Baylor Undertaking enter an area, their love for one another and playfulness is on show. These traits carry over to the music they’ve been creating since turning into musical companions, along with life companions. Their journey to the Desk consists of comparable musical upbringings as youngsters of pastors (evident in Marcus’ repeated name and response of “Let the church say what? Amen!”) and stints in music teams previous to forming The Baylor Undertaking: Marcus as a drummer in jazz quartet Yellowjackets, and Jean in R&B duo Zhané. These threads are woven by means of their joint musical output that has garnered them seven Grammy nominations.
When reflecting on their go to to the Tiny Desk, the Baylors remarked that this can be a “one-of-a-kind efficiency” that completely mirrored their ethos “of affection, household, religion, tradition and group!” The kinetic power of “We Swing (The Cypher)” permits Jean to show her skillful scatting as she trades bars with a stacked horn part that includes Keith Loftis, Freddie Hendrix and Mark Williams. We now have to present the drummer some love, as Marcus provides us a stirring and spectacular drum interlude. You may see the couple’s lovable, flirtatious dynamic within the joyful “Comfortable to Be With You,” as Marcus teases his spouse to “sing about me!” inflicting her to snicker. Within the mournful “2020,” bassist Ben Williams lays down an intro that may be a harbinger of the shattering vortex the band creates, mimicking the uncertainty of the title 12 months, all whereas laced with Jean’s prayers. These prayers are answered within the set’s peaceable nearer, “Solely Imagine,” as Terry Brewer’s piano supplies an ideal soothing balm.
SET LIST
- “We Swing (The Cypher)”
- “Comfortable To Be With You”
- “2020”
- “Solely Imagine”
MUSICIANS
- Jean Baylor: vocals
- Marcus Baylor: drums
- Terry Brewer: keys
- Ben Williams: upright bass
- Keith Loftis: tenor sax, soprano sax
- Freddie Hendrix: trumpet, flugelhorn
- Mark Williams: trombone
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer/Editor: Mitra I. Arthur
- Director: Joshua Bryant
- Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
- Host/Sequence Producer: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Body, Sofia Seidel, Zayrha Rodriguez
- Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
- Manufacturing Assistant: Ashley Pointer
- Photographer: Elizabeth Gillis
- Tiny Desk Staff: Hazel Cills, Maia Stern
- Govt Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Sequence Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
- VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
