About this season
Intimate musical performances, recorded live at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen.
Episodes (60)
1. The Mountain Goats
Aired 3 January 2010 • 13 min
In a solo show at NPR Music, John Darnielle's twitchy energy serves his fearless songwriting well.
2. Adam Arcuragi
Aired 10 January 2010 • 18 min
In a performance at NPR, the talented singer's voice is powerful without unnecessary melodrama.
3. The Low Anthem
Aired 20 January 2010 • 14 min
The band's sullen, spacious music was a perfect fit for the intimacy of the NPR Music offices.
4. Brooklyn Rider
Aired 26 January 2010 • 19 min
The string quartet showcases a small sample of its visceral fire at the offices of NPR Music.
5. Dave Rawlings Machine With Gillian Welch
Aired 1 February 2010 • 21 min
A longtime session guitarist, Rawlings takes the lead, playing his own music at NPR Music's offices.
6. Edmar Castaneda
Aired 8 February 2010 • 16 min
The harpist crafts a transporting mix of tradition and improvisation in this desk-side performance.
7. Abaji
Aired 15 February 2010 • 13 min
With roots in Greece, Turkey, Armenia and France, Abaji has a passion for music from many countries.
8. Alec Ounsworth
Aired 22 February 2010 • 13 min
The singer-songwriter performs music from Mo' Beauty, accompanied only by two guitars.
9. Laura Veirs
Aired 1 March 2010 • 11 min
The singer treated the NPR Music offices to three songs that invited us into her warm musical world.
10. Omara Portuondo
Aired 8 March 2010 • 8 min
The Cuban singer performs two boleros, which transport the listener to another time and place.
11. The Antlers
Aired 15 March 2010 • 20 min
The Brooklyn-based trio strips down its wall of noise for an intimate performance at NPR Music.
12. Wye Oak
Aired 29 March 2010 • 18 min
The talented Baltimore duo didn't have to travel far to liven up a day at the NPR Music offices.
13. Jakob Dylan
Aired 2 April 2010 • 13 min
Jakob Dylan, Neko Case and Kelly Hogan perform a mesmerizing set at the Tiny Desk.
14. Regina Carter
Aired 11 April 2010 • 13 min
The violinist plays traditional African melodies, re-imagined through her own jazz sensibilities.
15. David Russell
Aired 19 April 2010 • 15 min
The classical guitarist showcases his warm, lyrical tone in three staples of the repertoire.
16. Lionel Loueke
Aired 26 April 2010 • 12 min
The unusual jazz guitarist and his drummer perform at the NPR offices, literally with bells on.
17. Fredrik
Aired 3 May 2010 • 12 min
Fredrik's lush harmonies are stripped to guitar, snare drum and maraca in this intimate performance.
18. Moby And Kelli Scarr
Aired 4 May 2010 • 17 min
Moby gives a live performance of his Project Song creation, "Gone to Sleep," at NPR's offices.
19. Tarrus Riley
Aired 11 May 2010 • 15 min
The singer performs three harmony-drenched reggae songs with Dean Fraser and a guitarist.
20. Phoenix
Aired 18 May 2010 • 13 min
Hear instantly recognizable hits such as "1901" and "Lisztomania," stripped down and reassembled.
21. Bettye LaVette
Aired 21 May 2010 • 18 min
The veteran soul singer blew into the NPR Music office and conquered it before she'd sung a note.
22. Roger McGuinn With Amy Tan, Dave Barry And More: Authors At The Tiny Desk
Aired 1 June 2010 • 17 min
Seven authors (Roy Blount Jr., Scott Turow and others) perform with a big-time ringer.
23. Zuill Bailey
Aired 4 June 2010 • 14 min
Hear the acclaimed musician play Bach on his amazingly resonant cello, built in 1693.
24. The Mynabirds
Aired 21 June 2010 • 14 min
Laura Burhenn's new band performs a soulful Tiny Desk Concert at the NPR Music offices.
25. 'Weird Al' Yankovic
Aired 22 June 2010 • 13 min
The venerable, multimillion-selling pop parodist plays three acoustic originals in the NPR offices.
26. Gogol Bordello
Aired 28 June 2010 • 15 min
The frenetic gypsy punk band performs the most rollicking and insane Tiny Desk Concert of all time.
27. Los Campesinos!
Aired 5 July 2010 • 23 min
The whip-smart sometimes bawdy U.K. band performs a clamorous ruckus in this Tiny Desk Concert.
28. Jimmy Cliff
Aired 12 July 2010 • 12 min
The reggae icon performs classics from the film The Harder They Come in this acoustic performance.
29. Villagers
Aired 19 July 2010 • 12 min
Villagers' Conor O'Brien performs a beautiful and memorable solo set in the NPR Music offices.
30. Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Zakir Hussain
Aired 26 July 2010 • 15 min
The three demonstrate the way musical mastery can become an exercise in wordless communication.
31. The Holmes Brothers
Aired 2 August 2010 • 13 min
Hear the band play inspired soul from its latest album, Feed My Soul, at the NPR Music offices.
32. Mavis Staples
Aired 9 August 2010 • 14 min
The soul icon performs songs from her latest album, You Are Not Alone, at the NPR Music offices.
33. Frazey Ford
Aired 15 August 2010 • 20 min
The singer came to NPR Music with just her guitar to play four beautiful tunes from Obadiah.
34. Peter Wolf Crier
Aired 17 August 2010 • 10 min
The Minneapolis duo performs songs from its stormy debut album, Inter-Be.
35. Lawrence Arabia
Aired 23 August 2010 • 19 min
The New Zealand band plays four songs from its album Chant Darling at the NPR Music offices.
36. Brian Courtney Wilson
Aired 25 August 2010 • 13 min
The gospel singer sounds like somebody you know — somebody you know with stage presence for days.
37. Ana Tijoux
Aired 30 August 2010 • 10 min
With these intimate songs, the French-born Chilean rapper proves that hip-hop has no boundaries.
38. The Nels Cline Singers
Aired 7 September 2010 • 20 min
The ever-adaptable guitarist creates challenging and expressive music in the NPR Music offices.
39. Seu Jorge
Aired 13 September 2010 • 19 min
The singer and his band feed off the audience's live energy in a concert at the NPR Music offices.
40. Alisa Weilerstein
Aired 15 September 2010 • 16 min
The young cellist plays Bach with elegance and a new piece by Golijov with Technicolor brilliance.
41. Eef Barzelay Of Clem Snide
Aired 20 September 2010 • 18 min
Barzelay, maybe the most underrated songwriter in the business, performs at the NPR Music offices.
42. Lost In The Trees
Aired 23 September 2010 • 17 min
The band showcases its cinematic blend of storytelling and strings at the NPR Music offices.
43. Tom Tom Club
Aired 6 October 2010 • 16 min
The legendary group performs its pop hits in a rare acoustic set at the NPR Music offices.
44. Lower Dens
Aired 10 October 2010 • 16 min
Watch Jana Hunter bring her delicate, haunting voice and hypnotic sound to the Tiny Desk.
45. Hey Marseilles
Aired 17 October 2010 • 12 min
It doesn't take more than four minutes to fall in love with this utterly charming seven-piece band.
46. Stile Antico
Aired 25 October 2010 • 18 min
The 12-person ensemble performs from the NPR Music offices.
47. Nick Lowe
Aired 1 November 2010 • 13 min
At 61, Lowe is part crooner, part country and a little crotchety, but with a heart of pure pop.
48. Rana Santacruz
Aired 2 November 2010 • 18 min
In honor of the Day of the Dead, Santacruz performs at the NPR offices in traditional mariachi garb.
49. Black Dub
Aired 8 November 2010 • 18 min
In an intimate four-song set, Daniel Lanois and Trixie Whitley sound warm, vulnerable and ferocious.
50. Los Lobos
Aired 10 November 2010 • 12 min
This set from the NPR Music office has something new, something old and something to dance to.
51. Sharon Van Etten
Aired 14 November 2010 • 16 min
In this lovely Tiny Desk performance, Van Etten plays beguiling songs from her latest album, Epic.
52. The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger
Aired 17 November 2010 • 18 min
Watch Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl perform songs from Acoustic Sessions in the NPR offices.
53. Olof Arnalds
Aired 22 November 2010 • 14 min
Watch the Icelandic singer perform a lovely, folk-flavored set from the NPR Music offices.
54. Khaira Arby
Aired 29 November 2010
Watch Mali's queen of desert rock unveil her stunning vocal chops at the NPR Music offices.
55. Buke And Gass
Aired 6 December 2010
Watch the inventive and unpredictable duo play a joyfully pummeling set from the NPR Music offices.
56. Yolanda Kondonassis
Aired 8 December 2010 • 13 min
Watch the harpist give a powerful and intimate performance at the NPR Music offices.
57. The Red River
Aired 13 December 2010 • 13 min
Watch the 10-member band squeeze behind the Tiny Desk for an elegant, stripped-down performance.
58. The Heligoats
Aired 15 December 2010 • 20 min
What better way to celebrate our 100th Tiny Desk Concert than by discovering an artist worth loving?
59. Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O
Aired 20 December 2010 • 16 min
Though heavy on puns, the extraordinary jazz drummer's merry band isn't light on musicianship.
60. Luisa Maita
Aired 26 December 2010 • 9 min
The Brazilian singer floats and sprinkles notes onto just the right places at the NPR Music offices.