photo by Christopher Nelson
44-year-old Charles Ray Wiggins, better known by his stage name Raphael Saadiq, has spent his life bearing the standard of old-school R&B, producing such artists as D’Angelo, Mary J. Blige, and John Legend before venturing into his own with his 2002 debut, Instant Vintage. The critically acclaimed full-length set the standard for Saadiq’s unique brand of modern soul, creating a tradition of rave reviews that have followed the singer through to 2011′s Stone Rollin’. Saadiq is equally renowned for his energetic and engaging live performances, but instead of bringing his furiously danceable tunes with a full band to the KEXP studio, this time around Saadiq opted for a more intimate, acoustic approach. The end result is a session that’s no less riveting and passionate than any of Saadiq’s other performances, but simply stripped down, fit for a quiet evening and a glass of wine. Enjoy these videos we’ve captured from the session:
4 Comments
What an awesome set! I turned up my speakers and let the entire office hear what REAL music sounds like. He does Oakland, CA proud!
Awesome!! I saw him at the showbox last month (probably when he was in town for this) and it was a great show! Can’t wait for the album!!!
can’t wait for the new album on may 10th! been streaming the whole album on NPR since yesterday and it’s amazing!!
Great videos! Thank you so much for sharing them with us. I’m super stoked for the album to drop tomorrow. :) Streaming it via NPR until then!