Season 2010

In a solo show at NPR Music, John Darnielle's twitchy energy serves his fearless songwriting well.

In a performance at NPR, the talented singer's voice is powerful without unnecessary melodrama.

The band's sullen, spacious music was a perfect fit for the intimacy of the NPR Music offices.

The string quartet showcases a small sample of its visceral fire at the offices of NPR Music.

A longtime session guitarist, Rawlings takes the lead, playing his own music at NPR Music's offices.

The harpist crafts a transporting mix of tradition and improvisation in this desk-side performance.

With roots in Greece, Turkey, Armenia and France, Abaji has a passion for music from many countries.

The singer-songwriter performs music from Mo' Beauty, accompanied only by two guitars.

The singer treated the NPR Music offices to three songs that invited us into her warm musical world.

The Cuban singer performs two boleros, which transport the listener to another time and place.

The Brooklyn-based trio strips down its wall of noise for an intimate performance at NPR Music.

The talented Baltimore duo didn't have to travel far to liven up a day at the NPR Music offices.

Jakob Dylan, Neko Case and Kelly Hogan perform a mesmerizing set at the Tiny Desk.

The violinist plays traditional African melodies, re-imagined through her own jazz sensibilities.

The classical guitarist showcases his warm, lyrical tone in three staples of the repertoire.

The unusual jazz guitarist and his drummer perform at the NPR offices, literally with bells on.

Fredrik's lush harmonies are stripped to guitar, snare drum and maraca in this intimate performance.

Moby gives a live performance of his Project Song creation, "Gone to Sleep," at NPR's offices.

The singer performs three harmony-drenched reggae songs with Dean Fraser and a guitarist.

Hear instantly recognizable hits such as "1901" and "Lisztomania," stripped down and reassembled.

The veteran soul singer blew into the NPR Music office and conquered it before she'd sung a note.

Seven authors (Roy Blount Jr., Scott Turow and others) perform with a big-time ringer.

Hear the acclaimed musician play Bach on his amazingly resonant cello, built in 1693.

Laura Burhenn's new band performs a soulful Tiny Desk Concert at the NPR Music offices.

The venerable, multimillion-selling pop parodist plays three acoustic originals in the NPR offices.

The frenetic gypsy punk band performs the most rollicking and insane Tiny Desk Concert of all time.

The whip-smart sometimes bawdy U.K. band performs a clamorous ruckus in this Tiny Desk Concert.

The reggae icon performs classics from the film The Harder They Come in this acoustic performance.

Villagers' Conor O'Brien performs a beautiful and memorable solo set in the NPR Music offices.

The three demonstrate the way musical mastery can become an exercise in wordless communication.

Hear the band play inspired soul from its latest album, Feed My Soul, at the NPR Music offices.

The soul icon performs songs from her latest album, You Are Not Alone, at the NPR Music offices.

The singer came to NPR Music with just her guitar to play four beautiful tunes from Obadiah.

The Minneapolis duo performs songs from its stormy debut album, Inter-Be.

The New Zealand band plays four songs from its album Chant Darling at the NPR Music offices.

The gospel singer sounds like somebody you know — somebody you know with stage presence for days.

With these intimate songs, the French-born Chilean rapper proves that hip-hop has no boundaries.

The ever-adaptable guitarist creates challenging and expressive music in the NPR Music offices.

The singer and his band feed off the audience's live energy in a concert at the NPR Music offices.

The young cellist plays Bach with elegance and a new piece by Golijov with Technicolor brilliance.

Barzelay, maybe the most underrated songwriter in the business, performs at the NPR Music offices.

The band showcases its cinematic blend of storytelling and strings at the NPR Music offices.

The legendary group performs its pop hits in a rare acoustic set at the NPR Music offices.

Watch Jana Hunter bring her delicate, haunting voice and hypnotic sound to the Tiny Desk.

It doesn't take more than four minutes to fall in love with this utterly charming seven-piece band.

The 12-person ensemble performs from the NPR Music offices.

At 61, Lowe is part crooner, part country and a little crotchety, but with a heart of pure pop.

In honor of the Day of the Dead, Santacruz performs at the NPR offices in traditional mariachi garb.

In an intimate four-song set, Daniel Lanois and Trixie Whitley sound warm, vulnerable and ferocious.

This set from the NPR Music office has something new, something old and something to dance to.

In this lovely Tiny Desk performance, Van Etten plays beguiling songs from her latest album, Epic.

Watch Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl perform songs from Acoustic Sessions in the NPR offices.

Watch the Icelandic singer perform a lovely, folk-flavored set from the NPR Music offices.

Watch Mali's queen of desert rock unveil her stunning vocal chops at the NPR Music offices.

Watch the inventive and unpredictable duo play a joyfully pummeling set from the NPR Music offices.

Watch the harpist give a powerful and intimate performance at the NPR Music offices.

Watch the 10-member band squeeze behind the Tiny Desk for an elegant, stripped-down performance.

What better way to celebrate our 100th Tiny Desk Concert than by discovering an artist worth loving?

Though heavy on puns, the extraordinary jazz drummer's merry band isn't light on musicianship.

The Brazilian singer floats and sprinkles notes onto just the right places at the NPR Music offices.