NPR Series: Tiny Desk Concerts http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92071316&ft=1&f=92071316 Hear and watch intimate video performances, recorded live at the desk of <em>All Songs Considered</em> host Bob Boilen. Copyright 2010 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:00:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Tiny Desk Concerts http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92071316&ft=1&f=92071316 Edmar Castaneda: Tiny Desk Concert Castaneda is the sort of musician who isn't afraid to challenge the established order. He's carving out a place for himself in Latin jazz on an instrument you don't often hear in his style of music: the Colombian harp. Castaneda recently parked himself behind Bob Boilen's desk and crafted a transporting mix of tradition and improvisation. Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123403785&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123403785&ft=1&f=92071316 Castaneda is the sort of musician who isn't afraid to challenge the established order. He's carving out a place for himself in Latin jazz on an instrument you don't often hear in his style of music: the Colombian harp. Castaneda recently parked himself behind Bob Boilen's desk and crafted a transporting mix of tradition and improvisation.

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]]> David Rawlings And Gillian Welch: Tiny Desk Concert Rawlings is a gifted producer, session guitarist and singer known for his contributions to other musicians' work, and for his longtime partnership with folk and traditional country artist Gillian Welch. But when he and Welch stopped by NPR for this Tiny Desk Concert , it was to promote Rawlings' own album &mdash; the first he's ever made under his name. Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:17:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123086467&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123086467&ft=1&f=92071316 Rawlings is a gifted producer, session guitarist and singer known for his contributions to other musicians' work, and for his longtime partnership with folk and traditional country artist Gillian Welch. But when he and Welch stopped by NPR for this Tiny Desk Concert , it was to promote Rawlings' own album — the first he's ever made under his name.

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]]> Brooklyn Rider: Tiny Desk Concert It's hard to know what will happen when the string quartet Brooklyn Rider starts playing. Yes, these four guys love to play Debussy and Brahms, but they're just as likely to team up with a singer-songwriter or a Kurdish kamancheh player. Or write their own music. So we weren't sure what they'd do when they stopped by the NPR Music offices to play a Tiny Desk Concert. What we got was a bracing sample of their visceral fire. Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:33:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122946647&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122946647&ft=1&f=92071316 It's hard to know what will happen when the string quartet Brooklyn Rider starts playing. Yes, these four guys love to play Debussy and Brahms, but they're just as likely to team up with a singer-songwriter or a Kurdish kamancheh player. Or write their own music. So we weren't sure what they'd do when they stopped by the NPR Music offices to play a Tiny Desk Concert. What we got was a bracing sample of their visceral fire.

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]]> The Low Anthem: Tiny Desk Concert When The Low Anthem came to perform at NPR Music, the band seemed humbled and comfortable sitting on and around Bob Boilen's desk, playing music as if it were hanging around in someone's living room. The group's sullen, spacious music was a perfect fit for the intimacy of an office. Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122589471&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122589471&ft=1&f=92071316 When The Low Anthem came to perform at NPR Music, the band seemed humbled and comfortable sitting on and around Bob Boilen's desk, playing music as if it were hanging around in someone's living room. The group's sullen, spacious music was a perfect fit for the intimacy of an office.

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]]> Adam Arcuragi: Tiny Desk Concert When Arcuragi came to the NPR Music offices to play a Tiny Desk Concert, many of us hadn't heard his music. After hearing him play three songs, many walked away dazzled by his voice. Arcuragi's voice is powerful, but without unnecessary melodrama. Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:55:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122365099&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122365099&ft=1&f=92071316 When Arcuragi came to the NPR Music offices to play a Tiny Desk Concert, many of us hadn't heard his music. After hearing him play three songs, many walked away dazzled by his voice. Arcuragi's voice is powerful, but without unnecessary melodrama.

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]]> The Mountain Goats: Tiny Desk Concert In person, John Darnielle's twitchy, nervous energy serves his fearless songwriting well: His performances are utterly committed, with intensity that infuses his screams and whispers alike. In this solo Tiny Desk Concert, his four songs fit nearly into distinct categories: new and quiet, new and loud, old and quiet, and old and loud. It's no surprise that all four approaches serve him well. Sun, 03 Jan 2010 09:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122106507&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122106507&ft=1&f=92071316 In person, John Darnielle's twitchy, nervous energy serves his fearless songwriting well: His performances are utterly committed, with intensity that infuses his screams and whispers alike. In this solo Tiny Desk Concert, his four songs fit nearly into distinct categories: new and quiet, new and loud, old and quiet, and old and loud. It's no surprise that all four approaches serve him well.

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]]> Australian Chamber Orchestra: Tiny Desk Concert The adventurous ensemble has been widely praised for its risk-taking attitude. Gathered around Bob Boilen's desk, a stripped-down incarnation of the group plays music by Ravel, then unpacks several Egyptian instruments for an original composition. Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121627614&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121627614&ft=1&f=92071316 The adventurous ensemble has been widely praised for its risk-taking attitude. Gathered around Bob Boilen's desk, a stripped-down incarnation of the group plays music by Ravel, then unpacks several Egyptian instruments for an original composition.

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]]> Fanfarlo: Tiny Desk Concert After playing a pair of songs from <em>Reservoir</em>, the band closed with a cover of Low's 1999 song "Just Like Christmas." Fanfarlo's members had practiced it all the way from Baltimore to D.C., not exactly a trek across continents, but the result was, well, perfect. Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:47:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121503593&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121503593&ft=1&f=92071316 After playing a pair of songs from Reservoir, the band closed with a cover of Low's 1999 song "Just Like Christmas." Fanfarlo's members had practiced it all the way from Baltimore to D.C., not exactly a trek across continents, but the result was, well, perfect.

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]]> Lightning Dust: Tiny Desk Concert Lightning Dust should be seen in the smallest possible venue; its music is so spare and raw that its music could easily get drowned out. With singer Amber Webber's quivering vibrato and Joshua Wells' warm piano accompaniment, the group specializes in quietly dark moments, whether in a shared glance or a finely knit harmony. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:10:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121065667&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121065667&ft=1&f=92071316 Lightning Dust should be seen in the smallest possible venue; its music is so spare and raw that its music could easily get drowned out. With singer Amber Webber's quivering vibrato and Joshua Wells' warm piano accompaniment, the group specializes in quietly dark moments, whether in a shared glance or a finely knit harmony.

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]]> Andrew W.K.: Tiny Desk Concert Sometimes, an idea is so perverse and bizarre that it needs to be carried out and followed to its logical end. So once we hatched the idea to bring long-haired, wild-eyed, keyboard-pounding, sublimely over-the-top party-rocker Andrew W.K. to perform an intimate concert at Bob Boilen's desk, there was no abandoning it. It simply had to happen. Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120758328&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120758328&ft=1&f=92071316 Sometimes, an idea is so perverse and bizarre that it needs to be carried out and followed to its logical end. So once we hatched the idea to bring long-haired, wild-eyed, keyboard-pounding, sublimely over-the-top party-rocker Andrew W.K. to perform an intimate concert at Bob Boilen's desk, there was no abandoning it. It simply had to happen.

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]]> Zee Avi: Tiny Desk Concert The success of Malaysian-born singer-songwriter Zee Avi is an increasingly familiar but noteworthy story: Avi was discovered after she posted a few songs on YouTube. Within two months, she was signed to release her self-titled debut. Here in this intimate Tiny Desk Concert, Avi sings three hushed lullabies, including what has become one of her signature songs: a cover of Morrissey's "First of the Gang." Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:07:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120650097&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120650097&ft=1&f=92071316 The success of Malaysian-born singer-songwriter Zee Avi is an increasingly familiar but noteworthy story: Avi was discovered after she posted a few songs on YouTube. Within two months, she was signed to release her self-titled debut. Here in this intimate Tiny Desk Concert, Avi sings three hushed lullabies, including what has become one of her signature songs: a cover of Morrissey's "First of the Gang."

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]]> Bowerbirds: Tiny Desk Concert Bowerbirds' handcrafted songs creak and swell like wooden floorboards in an old house. With acoustic guitar, accordion and violin, the band's pastoral folk music has a distinctively spare yet harmonious sound. Hear the group, fronted by Phil Moore and Beth Tacular, perform a captivating Tiny Desk Concert in the NPR Music offices. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:06:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120437553&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120437553&ft=1&f=92071316 Bowerbirds' handcrafted songs creak and swell like wooden floorboards in an old house. With acoustic guitar, accordion and violin, the band's pastoral folk music has a distinctively spare yet harmonious sound. Hear the group, fronted by Phil Moore and Beth Tacular, perform a captivating Tiny Desk Concert in the NPR Music offices.

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]]> K'naan: Tiny Desk Concert Though his appearance at the NPR Music office qualifies as the first-ever hip-hop Tiny Desk Concert, Somali-born rapper K'naan isn't one to adhere to a single genre. With the help of a crack backing band, his three-song set exuded shimmery grace while incorporating the sounds of soul, pop and reggae. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:50:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120179188&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120179188&ft=1&f=92071316 Though his appearance at the NPR Music office qualifies as the first-ever hip-hop Tiny Desk Concert, Somali-born rapper K'naan isn't one to adhere to a single genre. With the help of a crack backing band, his three-song set exuded shimmery grace while incorporating the sounds of soul, pop and reggae.

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]]> Sondre Lerche: Tiny Desk Concert Known as a varsity-level banterer on stage, Lerche puts his considerable magnetism to good use in this charming Tiny Desk Concert in the NPR Music offices. Performing three songs from his recent album <em>Heartbeat Radio</em>, he conveys all the lilting sweetness his fans have come to expect. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:03:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114336123&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114336123&ft=1&f=92071316 Known as a varsity-level banterer on stage, Lerche puts his considerable magnetism to good use in this charming Tiny Desk Concert in the NPR Music offices. Performing three songs from his recent album Heartbeat Radio, he conveys all the lilting sweetness his fans have come to expect.

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]]> Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros: Tiny Desk Concert At 10 members, this is the biggest band ever to play a Tiny Desk Concert in the NPR Music offices. But singers Alex Ebert and Jade Castrinos still find a way to command attention, as they trade vocals amid a warm, shambling concoction of keyboards, percussion, guitars, accordion, trumpet and more. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:03:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113758518&ft=1&f=92071316 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113758518&ft=1&f=92071316 At 10 members, this is the biggest band ever to play a Tiny Desk Concert in the NPR Music offices. But singers Alex Ebert and Jade Castrinos still find a way to command attention, as they trade vocals amid a warm, shambling concoction of keyboards, percussion, guitars, accordion, trumpet and more.

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