Suraya Mohamed : NPR

Jamila Woods performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Nov. 14, 2017 (Jennifer Kerrigan/NPR). Jennifer Kerrigan/NPR hide caption

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Jennifer Kerrigan/NPR

Jamila Woods: Tiny Desk Concert

January 29, 2018 • In three songs celebrating black ancestry and self-love, Woods demonstrated just how adept she is at creating songs rich with philosophical meaning that also move and groove.

Lo Moon performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Nov. 8, 2017 (Christina Ascani/NPR). Christina Ascani/NPR hide caption

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Christina Ascani/NPR

Lo Moon: Tiny Desk Concert

January 5, 2018 • The LA band's signature sound is intimate and demonstrative, haunting yet uplifting, an old-fashioned rock beat under glimmering guitar and keys. And at the Tiny Desk, it was at ease.

Ledisi performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Sept. 20, 2017. Ron T Young/NPR hide caption

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Ron T Young/NPR

Ledisi: Tiny Desk Concert

November 21, 2017 • In person, the master R&B vocalist impresses not just with her exquisite artistry, but with her radiant spirit of contentment and grace. Just ask her makeup artist.

The Nate Smith Band performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Sept. 14, 2017. (Christina Ascani/NPR) Christina Ascani/NPR hide caption

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Review

Nate Smith + KINFOLK: Tiny Desk Concert

November 3, 2017 • The drums take center stage at this Tiny Desk. Watch veteran jazz percussionist Nate Smith dazzle the NPR audience in a transfixing performance.

Aww Yeah, Summertime — With The Robert Glasper Experiment

Dennis Manuel/Courtesy of the artist

Jazz Night In America: The Radio Program

Aww Yeah, Summertime — With The Robert Glasper Experiment

August 11, 2017 • This special summer festival episode features a clever synthesis of hip-hop, R&B and soul, recorded live across two music festivals in New York City.

Aww Yeah, Summertime — With The Robert Glasper Experiment

56:40

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New Mix: Turning The Tables Takes Over All Songs Considered

Clockwise from upper left: Lauryn Hill, Joni Mitchell (Blue album cover), PJ Harvey (Rid of Me album cover), Nina Simone, Ofra Haza (Fifty Gates of Wisdom album cover), Aretha Franklin. Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Mix: Turning The Tables Takes Over All Songs Considered

August 9, 2017 • Five critics join forces on this week's All Songs Considered to unpack the some of the highlights of Turning The Tables.

New Mix: Turning The Tables Takes Over All Songs Considered

Listen · 41:36 41:36

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Earl St. Clair Sings I 'Ain't Got It Like That,' But He Actually Does

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All Songs TV

Earl St. Clair Sings I 'Ain't Got It Like That,' But He Actually Does

July 28, 2017 • Watch Earl St. Clair tell a personal story of redemption and fortitude with his raw and soulful style of R&B.

Rare Essence performs a Tiny Desk Concert on June 9, 2017. (Liam James Doyle/NPR) Liam James Doyle/NPR hide caption

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Liam James Doyle/NPR

Tiny Desk

Rare Essence: Tiny Desk Concert

July 19, 2017 • Rare Essence has been bringing go-go to the world since 1976 — the group brought that pedigree, and the genre's massive meld of funk, rhythm and blues and soul, to this raucous hometown Tiny Desk.

Ravi Coltrane Quartet: Tiny Desk Concert

Ravi Coltrane performs a Tiny Desk Concert on May 4, 2017. (Claire Harbage/NPR) Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption

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Claire Harbage/NPR

Tiny Desk

Ravi Coltrane Quartet: Tiny Desk Concert

June 26, 2017 • Artistic legacy, evolution and studied ease coalesced at this Tiny Desk Concert, with Coltrane offering four interpretations of his and others' works.

Maysa's new album, Love Is A Battlefield, is out May 26. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

First Listen

Review: Maysa, 'Love Is A Battlefield'

May 18, 2017 • The Incognito vocalist performs covers of her favorite songs, including Luther Vandross' "Because It's Really Love," Natalie Cole's "Inseparable" and more.

Logic tackles race on his new album Everybody. Alex J. Etling/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alex J. Etling/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Stream Logic's New Album, 'Everybody'

May 5, 2017 • The bi-racial rapper embodies humanity and race in his latest LP.

Basking In Sin: Some Initial Thoughts On Kendrick Lamar's 'DAMN.'

Kendrick Lamar at Music Hall of Williamsburg on December 16, 2016, in Brooklyn, New York. Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for American Express hide caption

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Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for American Express

Review

The Record

Basking In Sin: Some Initial Thoughts On Kendrick Lamar's 'DAMN.'

April 14, 2017 • The NPR Music staff spent Friday morning listening to the rapper's new album. Here are eight reactions to what will likely go down as one of the best albums of 2017.

Harriet Tubman's 'Blacktal Fractal' Lets Freedom Ring

Harriet Tubman's new album, Araminta, is out now. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Songs We Love

Harriet Tubman's 'Blacktal Fractal' Lets Freedom Ring

February 27, 2017 • The trio joins up with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith for a jazz-rock track that reverberates with moments of victory.

Harriet Tubman, 'Blacktal Fractal'

5:15

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Gallant performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Jan. 10, 2017. (Claire Harbage/NPR) Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption

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Tiny Desk

Gallant: Tiny Desk Concert

January 30, 2017 • The rising R&B star performs three falsetto-drenched highlights from his 2016 debut, Ology — including "Bourbon," which features a guest rap from Chance The Rapper collaborator Saba.

The Fred Hersch Trio performs at Blue Note Beijing on Oct. 28, 2016. Zhang Dongdong hide caption

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Zhang Dongdong

Jazz Night In America

Ring In The New Year With Jazz

WBGO

December 30, 2016 • Celebrate the New Year from Blue Note venues around the world. The lineup includes The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Joshua Redman and Brad Meldau, Fred Hersch, Ron Carter, Buika and Dee Dee Bridgewater.