Shortly before his appearance at the Desk, Flea paused between sets at Washington, D.C.’s Black Cat to describe playing with a jazz group as “an adventure.” After forty years as a co‑founder and bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he was promoting his debut solo record, Honorable, in intimate venues that included the NPR Music office.
Yes, Flea was heard on trumpet, also handling bass duties and delivering spoken verses, yet he modestly noted, “I’m just one piece of this ensemble.” The group features Tiny Desk veterans Jeff Parker, Josh Johnson, and Anna Butterss, alongside Deantoni Parks—musicians with extensive backgrounds in creative music. “Collaborating with these artists has been the most thrilling aspect,” Flea added afterward, “simply jamming, connecting, and sensing who they are.”
SET LIST
- “Traffic Lights”
- “Morning Cry”
- “A Plea”
MUSICIANS
- Flea: trumpet, bass, vocals
- Jeff Parker: guitar
- Josh Johnson: sax, keys
- Anna Butterss: bass
- Deantoni Parks: drums, keys
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producers: Kara Frame, Josh Newell
- Director/Editor: Maia Stern
- Audio Director/Mix: Josh Newell
- Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame
- Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault
- Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
- Photographer: Michael Zamora
- Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
