NPR Tiny Desk Concerts poster

NPR Tiny Desk Concerts

TV Show 2008 7.0/10 1786 episodes

Synopsis

Intimate musical performances, recorded live at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen.

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Season 2016 Episodes

Episode 1 EP 1
Rapsody

Watch the rapper perform three songs from Beauty And The Beast live at the NPR Music offices.

Episode 2 EP 2
Mariachi Flor De Toloache

While on tour with The Arcs, the powerhouse mariachi band performs live in the NPR Music offices.

Episode 3 EP 3
Natalie Merchant

The singer-songwriter gives a warmhearted performance of two new songs, an old favorite and a hymn.

Episode 4 EP 4
Benny Sings

The Dutch singer layers R&B, jazz and pop over hip-hop beats in his first-ever U.S. appearance.

Episode 5 EP 5
River Whyless

The North Carolina band fills its rootsy music with unexpected instruments and clever ideas.

Episode 6 EP 6
Wolf Alice

The band's music can be noisy and primal, but at the Tiny Desk it showed a different side.

Episode 7 EP 7
The Arcs

It's our 500th show at the Tiny Desk, featuring The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach and his new band.

Episode 8 EP 8
EL VY

The National's Matt Berninger and Menomena's Brent Knopf team up in an intimate setting.

Episode 9 EP 9
Car Seat Headrest

Will Toledo is a wordsmith with a vision, as well as a DIY sound that's still finely crafted.

Episode 10 EP 10
Chelsea Wolfe

Wolfe takes three songs from the metallic Abyss and makes them howl by their lonesome.

Episode 11 EP 11
Ben Folds

Performing solo, Folds performs three songs from his new album and two old favorites.

Episode 12 EP 12
Wilco

Bands don't typically get to play the Tiny Desk more than once, but Wilco is a natural exception.

Episode 13 EP 13
Brushy One String

The word-of-mouth star's sound is made by one big fat E-string and a rich, powerful voice.

Episode 14 EP 14
Lake Street Dive

Performed live at the Tiny Desk, the band's songs often tilt toward soul or rock danceably.

Episode 15 EP 15
Monsieur Periné

The Colombian band channels an unlikely inspiration: 1920s-era, guitar-driven jazz from the U.S.

Episode 16 EP 16
Julien Baker

The young Tennessee singer performs three of her spare, sad, simple songs at the NPR Music offices.

Episode 17 EP 17
Gaelynn Lea

Watch the singer and violinist who stood out from 6,000-plus entries in NPR's Tiny Desk Contest.

Episode 18 EP 18
Graham Nash

In a short set that spans 50 years, the CSNY veteran's voice resonates and cuts to the core.

Episode 19 EP 19
Tedeschi Trucks Band

Singer-guitarist Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks celebrate the blues, jazz and much more.

Episode 20 EP 20
Anthony Hamilton

Hear the soul star and his band perform "Amen," plus three songs that have defined his career.

Episode 21 EP 21
Ane Brun

Watch Brun play three new songs, each of which speaks to newfound freedom and fresh opportunities.

Episode 22 EP 22
PWR BTTM

The duo has a keen sense of mischief and a gift for honest, punk-infused, tongue-in-cheek pop gems.

Episode 23 EP 23
Mothers

Mothers' members chose a few of their slowest, most languid songs to perform in the NPR offices.

Episode 24 EP 24
Palehound

Ellen Kempner and her band perform tense and evocative songs amid the silence of a rapt crowd.

Episode 25 EP 25
Seratones

The Louisiana band takes gospel into the garage, and what comes out is fiery rock 'n' roll.

Episode 26 EP 26
Benjamin Clementine

There are intimate moments of revelation in Clementine's immersive, breathtaking performance.

Episode 27 EP 27
Julia Holter

The most minute details become a grandiose spectacle in Holter's cosmic cabaret.

Episode 28 EP 28
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds

The band's punchy horn section, bluesy vocals and harmonica solos instantly demand attention.

Episode 29 EP 29
Peter Frampton

Frampton brought some classic songs to the Tiny Desk. We couldn't help but sing along.

Episode 30 EP 30
Florist

Emily Sprague performs three delicate songs with help from members of New York's Epoch collective.

Episode 31 EP 31
Eighth Blackbird

Watch the sextet perform new music by David Lang, Bryce Dessner and Robert Honstein.

Episode 32 EP 32
Monika

When you hear Monika, life feels good: The singer's performances and presence are simply winning.

Episode 33 EP 33
Lara St. John

With her intrepid pianist in tow, the violinist performs rowdy tunes that will leave you breathless.

Episode 34 EP 34
Daymé Arocena

Arocena's voice combines Aretha Franklin's soul and the sabor of Cuban music queen Celia Cruz.

Episode 35 EP 35
Steve Kimock

The veteran jam-rock guitarist's dedication to his instrument is matched only by his imagination.

Episode 36 EP 36
Andy Shauf

The Saskatchewan singer-songwriter performs three quietly affecting songs in the NPR Music offices.

Episode 37 EP 37
Robert Ellis

Ellis plays thoughtfully stripped-down arrangements from his ambitious country record.

Episode 38 EP 38
Carrie Rodriguez

Watch the singer, guitarist and fiddler play three songs that reflect her many cultural influences.

Episode 39 EP 39
Andrew Bird

For this performance of three new songs, Bird comes with a stripped-down acoustic band.

Episode 40 EP 40
Barry Douglas

Watch the award-winning Irish pianist play traditional songs from the homeland.

Episode 41 EP 41
Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop

Iron & Wine's singer performs three songs with the charming, inventive singer Jesca Hoop.

Episode 42 EP 42
Weaves

The band's music is playful and quirky — sometimes loud, sometimes gentle and always a trip.

Episode 43 EP 43
Chick Corea & Gary Burton

The two highly decorated jazz legends could barely fit their instruments behind the Tiny Desk.

Episode 44 EP 44
Alessio Bax

For Father's Day, watch the pianist play lullabies to his daughter, who nearly steals the show.

Episode 45 EP 45
Brandy Clark

The country singer-songwriter has a rare gift for making any room feel warmly human.

Episode 46 EP 46
Mashrou' Leila

A rock band from Beirut performs songs that mix hedonism and hyper-literate lyrics.

Episode 47 EP 47
Charles Lloyd & Jason Moran

The saxophonist and pianist play three tunes that draw from their past while looking to the future.

Episode 48 EP 48
Adia Victoria

Performing at the NPR Music offices, Adia Victoria's voice is powerful and direct, with no artifice.

Episode 49 EP 49
Los Hacheros

Los Hacheros' members tap into the deep groove of Afro-Caribbean music that inspires modern salsa.

Episode 50 EP 50
Valley Queen

Valley Queen plays with nuance and depth, rooted in a California country sound.

Episode 51 EP 51
Jane Bunnett

The Canadian jazz multi-instrumentalist performs with some of the top young women musicians in Cuba.

Episode 52 EP 52
Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band

There's a point when a jam is just a jam, but when a jam becomes a journey... man.

Episode 53 EP 53
Gregory Porter

Porter's music can be serious and heartwarming, but it never loses its sense of wonder and delight.

Episode 54 EP 54
John Congleton And The Nighty Nite

The decorated producer seizes the spotlight with songs about how extraordinary it is to be ordinary.

Episode 55 EP 55
Xenia Rubinos

Rubinos uses her Afro-Caribbean roots as a jumping-off point for inventive, provocative songs.

Episode 56 EP 56
Lucy Dacus

The Virginia musician writes songs that can be thoughtful, playful and powerful.

Episode 57 EP 57
Kevin Morby

The singer, known for Woods and The Babies, performs carefully crafted songs with powerful lyrics.

Episode 58 EP 58
Rachel Barton Pine

Watch the genial violinist commune with nearly 300-year-old music for solo violin by J.S. Bach.

Episode 59 EP 59
The Jayhawks

The beloved band displays its signature country-tinged rock and close harmonies in four new songs.

Episode 60 EP 60
René Marie

Joined by her Experiment In Truth band, the jazz singer performs songs from Sound Of Red.

Episode 61 EP 61
Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals

Watch the invigorating, genre-busting bandleader, drummer, singer and rapper perform four songs.

Episode 62 EP 62
Eddie Palmieri

An icon for modern and Latin jazz, the veteran performer continues to break tradition and innovate.

Episode 63 EP 63
Margaret Glaspy

No overplaying, no frills, just great music and an artist who sounds thrilled to be playing it.

Episode 64 EP 64
Nina Diaz

As a solo artist on leave from Girl In A Coma, the singer finds new ways to sound ferocious.

Episode 65 EP 65
Big Thief

The band's songs exude muscular warmth, with lyrics that are both memorable and meaningful.

Episode 66 EP 66
William Bell

The 77-year-old blues and soul hitmaker returns to the spotlight with the aid of a 12-piece band.

Episode 67 EP 67
The Secret Sisters

The Alabama sibling duo's music can be hymn-like: plain but powerful, heartsick and hopeful.

Episode 68 EP 68
Saul Williams

You can feel the singer and poet's passion in every sharp, thoughtful, powerful, provocative word.

Episode 69 EP 69
Corinne Bailey Rae

The genre-defying English singer-songwriter performs material from her first album in six years.

Episode 70 EP 70
Blue Man Group

The world-famous entertainers retrofitted their instruments and confetti cannons to fit the desk.

Episode 71 EP 71
Joshua Bell & Jeremy Denk

Two A-list classical artists work up a sweat as they revel in the turbulent, tender music of Brahms.

Episode 72 EP 72
Common At The White House

The veteran rapper fronts an all-star band at the White House.

Episode 73 EP 73
Haley Bonar

The Minnesota singer-songwriter achieves a nifty balance of intimacy and impeccable polish.

Episode 74 EP 74
RDGLDGRN

A striking mix of rock, hip-hop, funk, go-go and Brazilian sounds, fused with energy and humor.

Episode 75 EP 75
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry

The two songwriters celebrate the romance and vitality of the modern railroad.

Episode 76 EP 76
Blind Pilot

The folk-pop band performs four songs from its shimmery new album, And Then Like Lions.

Episode 77 EP 77
Drive-By Truckers

The long-running rock band holds a mirror to the hard realities of America right now.

Episode 78 EP 78
Joseph

The trio strips anthemic songs down to the essentials: just sisterly harmonies and acoustic guitar.

Episode 79 EP 79
The Westerlies

The self-described "accidental brass quartet" swims comfortably in jazz, classical and pop music.

Episode 80 EP 80
Ta-ku & Wafia

The two Australians' chemistry is apparent the instant you hear their voices intertwined in song.

Episode 81 EP 81
Adam Torres

The Austin singer-songwriter showcases his high, lonesome voice and atmospheric storytelling.

Episode 82 EP 82
John Paul White

Formerly half of The Civil Wars, White returns to perform three songs from his solo debut, Beulah.

Episode 83 EP 83
Attacca Quartet

The young quartet navigates smoke rings, alligators and the stormy fluctuations of the 18th century.

Episode 84 EP 84
Tegan And Sara

The Canadian pop duo crafts acoustic versions of pop anthems like "Closer and "Boyfriend."

Episode 85 EP 85
Margo Price

On the morning after Election Day, Price sang three cathartic country songs loaded with new meaning.

Episode 86 EP 86
Pinegrove

Watch the New Jersey band squeeze four songs into a scrappy, warmhearted 13-minute set.

Episode 87 EP 87
Ro James

The R&B singer performs three funky, sexy, stripped-down songs from his debut album, Eldorado.

Episode 88 EP 88
Alsarah & The Nubatones

In the band's hands, East African music comes alive in a mix of tradition and contemporary sounds.

Episode 89 EP 89
Gucci Mane

The rapper has spent the year on an extended victory tour. Here are the spoils.

Episode 90 EP 90
Derek Gripper

The classically trained guitarist performs songs originally written for the kora.

Episode 91 EP 91
The Oh Hellos

The nine-piece band returns to the Tiny Desk to fill the air with fake snow and real joy.

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