Watch Dave Chappelle Guest Host An NPR Tiny Desk Concert

By Ming Lee Newcomb July 11
Reprinted from Live for Live Music

The latest installment of NPR‘s Tiny Desk Concert series features French musician Frédéric Yonnet, an expert harmonica player who fuses the instrument into jazz, R&B, funk, gospel, and hip-hop. As noted by the public media outlet, Yonnet has performed with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, and Prince. Yonnet has also worked with famed comedian Dave Chappelle, with the two collaborating on Dave Chappelle’s Juke Joint, Chappelle’s series of live variety shows/parties featuring Yonnet, his Band With No Name, and a rotating lineup of surprise high-profile guests.

Seemingly, Chappelle and Yonnet have become friends—so much so that Chappelle stopped by NPR to guest host Yonnet’s Tiny Desk performance. In his introduction, the comedian tells anecdotes about how Yonnet first met Stevie Wonder, leading to him being invited on Wonder’s Songs In The Key Of Life tour, as well as cracking jokes about Yonnet’s hometown of Normandy, France (“On behalf of everyone from the United States, you’re welcome.”)

During the Tiny Desk concert, Yonnet and the Band With No Name performed three tunes, “Four20”, “FRéEDlosophy”, and “No Smokin’ Blues”. While the first two songs appear on the harmonica virtuoso’s new upcoming album, Reed My Lips, the last selection was inspired on-the-spot by Chappelle after asking the group to play Mississippi Delta blues.

Come for the Dave Chappelle cameo, stay for the electrifying harmonica performance. You can check out the video for yourself below!

Frédéric Yonnet NPR Tiny Desk Concert w/ Dave Chappelle