NPR Tiny Desk Concerts
Season 2011
201183 episodes
Episode 1
Abigail Washburn
Jan 3, 2011
Watch the singer-songwriter mix American bluegrass and Chinese folk from the NPR Music offices.
Episode 2
Gyptian
Jan 5, 2011
The reggae star performs his hit "Hold You" and more from the NPR Music offices in Washington, D.C.
Episode 3
David Wax Museum
Jan 9, 2011
The band brings a frenetic, infectious blend of American and Mexican folk to the NPR Music offices.
Episode 4
Ballake Sissoko And Vincent Segal
Jan 17, 2011
The masterful kora-and-cello duo performs a transfixing set combining African and European strings.
Episode 5
Iron And Wine
Jan 21, 2011
Sam Beam gives a fresh side of his new songs at NPR, and tops it off with a devastating 2004 gem.
Episode 6
Basia Bulat
Jan 24, 2011
The Canadian singer-songwriter sings highlights from her two albums, plus a surprise from Poland.
Episode 7
Richard Thompson
Feb 1, 2011
Watch the folk-rock legend perform songs from his 20th solo album, Dream Attic, at NPR Music.
Episode 8
Stars
Feb 3, 2011
Watch Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell transform three of Stars' songs into spare, pretty folk music.
Episode 9
Ivan And Alyosha
Feb 7, 2011
The band showcases its Beatles-esque pop harmonies and sweet melodies from the NPR Music offices.
Episode 10
Esperanza Spalding
Feb 12, 2011
The jazz bassist, singer and Best New Artist Grammy winner performs in the NPR Music offices.
Episode 11
Turtle Island Quartet
Feb 16, 2011
With an eclectic palette of sounds and styles, the Turtle Island Quartet swings at NPR Music.
Episode 12
Adele
Feb 17, 2011
In a three-song set at the NPR Music offices, the U.K. pop star showcases her brilliant voice.
Episode 13
Local Natives
Feb 21, 2011
The L.A. band brings its euphoric choruses and clattering Afrobeat rhythms to the NPR Music offices.
Episode 14
Damien Jurado
Feb 28, 2011
Hear Jurado's raw, time-worn, authentically graceful music, performed in the NPR Music office.
Episode 15
Steve Riley And The Mamou Playboys
Mar 7, 2011
Watch the Grammy-nominated Cajun band play an upbeat yet bittersweet set from the NPR Music offices.
Episode 16
Lizz Wright
Mar 14, 2011
In this two-song set at the NPR Music offices, Wright channels the gospel and soul of her past.
Episode 17
Nellie McKay
Apr 4, 2011
McKay's bold, audacious personality shines in this set recorded at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 18
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
Apr 6, 2011
Hear the Refugee All Stars' upbeat reggae grooves, performed live at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 19
Josh Ritter
Apr 11, 2011
Ritter can't hide his enjoyment of a performance, even when his songs convey obsession or disaster.
Episode 20
Otis Taylor
Apr 13, 2011
Watch the banjo player perform his trademark trance-inducing blues at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 21
Mount Kimbie
Apr 18, 2011
Watch the dubstep duo perform our first-ever electronic Tiny Desk Concert at the NPR offices.
Episode 22
Pokey LaFarge
Apr 20, 2011
Watch LaFarge play '20s- and '30s-inspired music with the help of his band, The South City Three.
Episode 23
Steve Earle
Apr 25, 2011
A singer, author, actor and activist, Earle showcases many of his talents at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 24
Wu Man
Apr 27, 2011
Watch the world's reigning pipa virtuoso play ancient music from her Chinese homeland.
Episode 25
Booker T. Jones
May 2, 2011
Jones' name is synonymous with the Hammond B3 organ. Watch him play one in the NPR Music offices.
Episode 26
Julieta Venegas
May 9, 2011
After six albums, including last year's Otra Cosa, Venegas is still defying expectations.
Episode 27
Neil Innes
May 11, 2011
Watch the Rutles alumnus play three of his classic satirical songs in the NPR Music offices.
Episode 28
Future Islands
May 16, 2011
Watch the band's short but intense and cathartic set, performed live in the NPR Music offices.
Episode 29
Low
May 22, 2011
Singers Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker perform three songs from their gorgeous new album, C'mon.
Episode 30
Jackie Evancho
May 23, 2011
Watch the 11-year-old perform Handel's "Ombra mai fu" at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 31
The Kopecky Family Band
Jun 6, 2011
The Tennessee band's sweet, swollen folk-rock songs keep blooming into something irresistible.
Episode 32
The Black Angels
Jun 8, 2011
Hear a bold and surprising mix of sensibilities — at once icy and rustic, cavernous and confined.
Episode 33
Chris Thile And Michael Daves
Jun 13, 2011
Watch Thile and Daves play traditional bluegrass with New York intensity at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 34
Charlie Siem
Jun 15, 2011
Watch the stylish young violinist pull out a bag of tricks in music by Paganini.
Episode 35
The Decemberists
Jun 20, 2011
With Chris Funk and Sara Watkins, Colin Meloy plays three sparkling songs from The King Is Dead.
Episode 36
YACHT
Jun 22, 2011
Watch the electro-pop band's striking and infectious performance at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 37
The Civil Wars
Jun 27, 2011
Watch Joy Williams and John Paul White's swooning chemistry and stirring harmonies at NPR Music.
Episode 38
Milos
Jun 30, 2011
Watch the newcomer from Montenegro play Spanish standards and a passionate ode to his homeland.
Episode 39
The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Jul 5, 2011
Hear the gospel greats' mix of polished blues, swinging soul and from-the-gut expressions of faith.
Episode 40
Julian Lage Trio
Jul 7, 2011
The guitarist, 23, was once called a prodigy. But he's maturing into a distinctive bandleader, too.
Episode 41
Ben Sollee
Jul 11, 2011
The genre-bending cellist and songwriter has created a unique take on folk music.
Episode 42
Joe Boyd And Robyn Hitchcock
Jul 18, 2011
Boyd reads from White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s, while Hitchcock plays songs from the era.
Episode 43
Y La Bamba
Jul 21, 2011
Watch Luzelena Mendoza and Y La Bamba craft joyfully rich vocal harmonies in the NPR Music offices.
Episode 44
Givers
Jul 24, 2011
At the NPR offices, the band plays a sunny, exuberant set, suitable for dancing and bobbing along.
Episode 45
They Might Be Giants
Jul 28, 2011
Watch the band perform two of its brand-new songs, as well as "Fingertips," a classic 1992 chestnut.
Episode 46
Amanda Shires
Aug 3, 2011
The singer plays a charming set featuring songs from Carrying Lightning at the Tiny Desk.
Episode 47
Noah And The Whale
Aug 10, 2011
The London band plugs in its drum machine, but sweet simplicity still reigns in the NPR offices.
Episode 48
Paul Jacobs
Aug 12, 2011
Watch the miraculous hands (and feet) of the Grammy-winning organist in an all-Bach performance.
Episode 49
Gaby Moreno
Aug 15, 2011
Watch the Guatemalan singer's breathtaking and passionate set at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 50
Other Lives
Aug 18, 2011
The Oklahoma band brings its spacious minor-key hymns to the NPR Music offices.
Episode 51
James Vincent McMorrow
Aug 25, 2011
The Irishman has one of the most arresting voices of any young singer you're likely to hear.
Episode 52
CALLmeKAT
Aug 29, 2011
Watch the synth-pop musician perform a hauntingly beautiful set at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 53
Phosphorescent
Sep 1, 2011
Watch Matthew Houck play a stirring, road-ragged solo Tiny Desk Concert at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 54
King Creosote And Jon Hopkins
Sep 4, 2011
Diamond Mine's unassuming creators lose little of their charm and mystique in the NPR Music office.
Episode 55
Foster The People
Sep 9, 2011
Armed with the summer song of 2011, the band brings "Pumped Up Kicks" and more to NPR Music.
Episode 56
Diego Garcia
Sep 12, 2011
Watch the former Elefant frontman perform songs from his album Laura at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 57
Sean Rowe
Sep 16, 2011
Rowe brings his booming voice and ever-louder acoustic-guitar set-ups to the NPR Music offices.
Episode 58
Jeremy Messersmith
Sep 19, 2011
The Twin Cities singer is a pop genius, with creative ambition to match his considerable charm.
Episode 59
Beirut
Sep 21, 2011
Beirut performs worldly, inspired songs from its new album The Rip Tide at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 60
Jenny Lin
Sep 26, 2011
The pianist usually plays eight-foot Steinways. See what she does on an electronic keyboard.
Episode 61
The Klezmatics
Sep 28, 2011
Ring in Rosh Hashanah with three globe-trotting tunes from one of the world's greatest Jewish bands.
Episode 62
Trombone Shorty
Sep 29, 2011
The New Orleans native achieved stardom with his voice and his horn. But he just wants you to dance.
Episode 63
Mates Of State
Oct 5, 2011
The band's performance in the NPR Music offices creates a vibe of ragged, awkward intimacy.
Episode 64
Fountains Of Wayne
Oct 6, 2011
These songs showcase a band with tremendous narrative gifts and a flair for subtle beauty.
Episode 65
JEFF The Brotherhood
Oct 8, 2011
Of course, the power-punk duo took off their shirts at the NPR Music offices, because why not?
Episode 66
Grouplove
Oct 11, 2011
The upstart band brings youthful, infectious energy to the NPR Music offices.
Episode 67
Chris Bathgate
Oct 14, 2011
The Michigan native's deliberately paced music is too rustic and pretty to be a true downer.
Episode 68
Wilco
Oct 17, 2011
Armed with tiny amps and a ton of grace, Wilco plays new songs and an old favorite at the Tiny Desk.
Episode 69
Hilary Hahn
Oct 21, 2011
The classical violinist blends Bach and Charles Ives with flair, then tops it off with a fedora.
Episode 70
Ben Williams And Sound Effect
Oct 24, 2011
The jazz star and his band perform two songs from their album State of Art at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 71
Lisa Hannigan
Oct 29, 2011
Exuding both musical and personal warmth, the Irish singer mesmerized at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 72
Juanes
Nov 3, 2011
Watch the charismatic Colombian superstar give an intimate performance at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 73
Jens Lekman
Nov 7, 2011
The Swedish singer shows off his humor and charm in this intimate set at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 74
Marketa Irglova
Nov 10, 2011
At the NPR Music offices, Irglova mixes the exotic and the familiar; sweetness and longing.
Episode 75
Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile And Stuart Duncan
Nov 17, 2011
The genre-bending cellist heads a dream team of string players who borrow from bluegrass.
Episode 76
Joe Henry
Nov 21, 2011
Asking the fearless, easygoing singer to perform in a crowded office never felt like an imposition.
Episode 77
Hospital Ships
Nov 23, 2011
Hospital Ships' beautiful, crushing songs pack an emotional punch in this performance at NPR Music.
Episode 78
Gabriel Kahane
Nov 26, 2011
Hear the agile musician's rigorously crafted songs, which fall somewhere between classical and pop.
Episode 79
tUnE-yArDs
Dec 1, 2011
tUnE-yArDs sings of rage and inequality, but also celebrates the joy of letting out a wild sound.
Episode 80
I Wayne
Dec 12, 2011
As the cameras rolled, the reggae star came to life, showcasing his smooth voice and vibrant energy.
Episode 81
Gem Club
Dec 16, 2011
Maybe you couldn't hear a pin drop when Gem Club played, but you could hear the click of a keyboard.
Episode 82
The Music Tapes
Dec 20, 2011
The Elephant 6 alum plays a holiday set compete with bowed banjos, singing saws and tape machines.
Episode 83
Maria Volonte
Dec 27, 2011
The Argentine singer blends tango, Latin blues and the traditional music of Brazil and Peru.