Suraya Mohamed : NPR

Arlo Parks' "Eugene" spins a stinging reminder of getting left for convention. Charlie Cummings/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Charlie Cummings/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Heat Check: Répéter, Répéter

February 18, 2020 • Nigerian trap, New York drill, London soul, Chicago dance — this week's Heat Check playlist switches up quick, but keeps the trance consistent.

Victoria Monét melds fantasy with reality for her latest, "Moment." Dana Trippe/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Dana Trippe/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Heat Check: Going All Out

February 10, 2020 • The slow asphyxiation of heartache. The deep resonance of bravado. Heat Check's playlist returns with Victoria Monét, Denzel Curry and Kayla Steen.

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra: Tiny Desk Concert

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra performs during tiny desk on December, 4, 2019. (Photo by Mhari Shaw/NPR) Mhari Shaw/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Mhari Shaw/NPR

Tiny Desk

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra: Tiny Desk Concert

February 7, 2020 • Here's a first: Steelpans at the Tiny Desk. It's true. Nearly a thousand performances into the series and the instrument has never been featured, until now.

Jordan Rakei performs during Tiny Desk on Nov. 15 2019. (Photo by Mhari Shaw/NPR) Mhari Shaw/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Mhari Shaw/NPR

Tiny Desk

Jordan Rakei: Tiny Desk Concert

January 13, 2020 • Despite some unexpected gear problems, the soulful R&B artist and his band locked-in and played a phenomenal set behind the Tiny Desk.

Toast Of The Nation 2020: The Jazz Collective Edition

The SFJAZZ Collective, performing live from the Robert N. Miner Auditorium in San Francisco. Don Dixon/SFJAZZ hide caption

toggle caption

Don Dixon/SFJAZZ

Toast Of The Nation

Toast Of The Nation 2020: The Jazz Collective Edition

WBGO and Jazz At Lincoln Center

December 26, 2019 • Jazz Night in America's Christian McBride hosts this special, ringing in the New Year with four hours of jazz from the SFJAZZ Collective, Carlos Henriquez and more.

The SFJAZZ Collective

58:59

Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/787762117/790738657" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Leslie Odom Jr. plays a Tiny Desk Concert Ben de la Cruz/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Ben de la Cruz/NPR

Tiny Desk

Leslie Odom Jr.: Tiny Desk Concert

November 12, 2019 • The Tony- and Grammy-winning singer, actor, author and Hamilton star performs three songs from Mr, his genre-bending new solo album.

How Ella Fitzgerald Turned Forgotten Lyrics Into One Of Her Best Performances Ever

Ella Fitzgerald NPR hide caption

toggle caption

NPR

Jazz Night In America

How Ella Fitzgerald Turned Forgotten Lyrics Into One Of Her Best Performances Ever

September 6, 2019 • Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife is master class in why Fitzgerald is such a legend. Jazz Night In America breaks down the grace under pressure and improvisational skills on display in this performance.

Tasha Cobbs Leonard plays a Tiny Desk Concert on June 4, 2019 (Shuran Huang/NPR). Shuran Huang/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Shuran Huang/NPR

Tiny Desk

Tasha Cobbs Leonard: Tiny Desk Concert

June 24, 2019 • Tasha Cobbs Leonard is widely regarded as one of the best gospel singers performing today. Her set at the Tiny Desk moved many at the NPR offices to tears.

Karine Polwart Trio performs a Tiny Desk Concert on March 22, 2019 (Amr Alfiky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Amr Alfiky/NPR

Tiny Desk

Karine Polwart Trio: Tiny Desk Concert

April 10, 2019 • Scottish singer, songwriter and essayist Karine Polwart seldom comes stateside, eschewing air travel to reduce her carbon footprint. But on a rare, recent visit, she stopped in D.C. for a Tiny Desk.

The Nicholas Payton Trio performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Oct. 10, 2018. (Cameron Pollack/NPR) Cameron Pollack/NPR/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Cameron Pollack/NPR/NPR

Tiny Desk

Nicholas Payton Trio: Tiny Desk Concert

November 2, 2018 • After back-to-back performances in South Africa, Argentina, Chile and New York, Payton hit the Tiny Desk, where he dazzled the audience, simultaneously playing his trumpet and a Fender Rhodes.

Cécile McLorin Salvant: Tiny Desk Concert

Cécile McLorin Salvant performs a Tiny Desk concert on August 8, 2018. (Samantha Clark/NPR) Samantha Clark/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Samantha Clark/NPR

Tiny Desk

Cécile McLorin Salvant: Tiny Desk Concert

September 25, 2018 • The jazz singer, who used to be into radical feminist punk, now composes and sings beautiful jazz ballads.

Helen Sung Spins Dana Gioia's Poetry Into Jazz On 'Sung With Words'

Helen Sung's Sung With Words comes out Sept. 14. Yasunari Rowan/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Yasunari Rowan/Courtesy of the artist

Review

First Listen

Helen Sung Spins Dana Gioia's Poetry Into Jazz On 'Sung With Words'

September 6, 2018 • The pianist merges jazz and poetry together to make a multi-movement work that explores themes of the human condition.

Drummer, Allison Miller Colin Marshall/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Colin Marshall/NPR

Jazz Night In America: Video Episodes And Shorts

More Than Keeping Time: A Melodic Drumming Demo

WBGO and Jazz At Lincoln Center

August 17, 2018 • Drummers usually make sure beats don't speed up or slow down. But drummer Allison Miller does more than keep time. Watch a demonstration of her unique style of playing called melodic drumming.

More Than Keeping Time: A Melodic Drumming Demo

56:08

Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/639233311/639346419" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

'Keep The Evenings Long': Dermot Kennedy Shares His Go-To Playlist

Dermot Kennedy at NPR's Tiny Desk. Eslah Attar/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Eslah Attar/NPR

Slingshot

'Keep The Evenings Long': Dermot Kennedy Shares His Go-To Playlist

August 15, 2018 • 2018 NPR Slingshot artist Dermot Kennedy shares an intimately curated playlist he created for late nights on the tour bus.

Jazz Giants Take The Stage At The NEA Jazz Masters Listening Party

Joanne Brackeen and Jason Moran at NPR's Studio One in Washington, D.C. Eric Lee/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Eric Lee/NPR

Jazz Night In America: The Radio Program

Jazz Giants Take The Stage At The NEA Jazz Masters Listening Party

WBGO and Jazz At Lincoln Center

May 4, 2018 • Jason Moran sat down with the NEA Jazz Masters to talk about their careers and listen to music that played important roles in their lives.

Jazz Giants Take The Stage At The NEA Jazz Masters Listening Party

57:05

Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/608093895/608239849" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">