Awesome Npr

Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland dropped by the NPR offices with a nine-member gospel choir, who provided backing vocals for soulful performances of “Cry Cry Cry,” “Viva La Vida,” “Broken,” a cover of Prince’s “1999,” and their 2019 track “Champion of the World.”

One of the things we love about NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert is that it embraces all kinds of music. In this episode, musician Bridget Kibbey wows us with her incredible harp-plucking skills, and fills our ears with the most soothing of sounds.

Christmas arrived early in October when Los Lobos released Llegó Navidad. For a special holiday edition of NPR’s Tiny Desk, the beloved group performed four festive tunes: “Dónde Está Santa Claus,” Freddy Fender’s “It’s Christmas Time In Texas,” the record’s title track, and Llegó Navidad’s sole original, “Christmas and You.”

The always amazing Sheryl Crow and her ensemble stopped by NPR Music’s studios to perform a true mini concert, playing seven tunes, including classics like All I Wanna Do, A Change Would Do You Good, and If It Makes You Happy, along with tracks off of her collaborative album Threads.

The members of the jazz collective Snarky Puppy turned in a downright funky mix of keyboards, horns, bass, guitar, violin, and percussion during their appearance at the NPR Music offices. They performed their instrumental tracks Tarova and Xavi, the latter’s complex rhythms with the assistance of the audience.

Listen up as NPR’s offices are filled with rich and vibrant sounds made by musician Kian Soltani and his rare Giovanni Grancino cello, made way back in 1680. The tracks are Hungarian Rhapsody by Popper, Nacht und Träume by Schubert (arr. Soltani), and Persian Fire Dance, by Soltani himself. That’s Christopher Schmitt on piano.

Public television meets public radio with a celebration of Sesame Street’s 50 years on TV, as Big Bird, Ernie, Bert, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Rosita, Abby Cadabby and a few people from the neighborhood regale us with 15 minutes of our childhood favorite earworms.

Rivers Cuomo and gang dropped by the NPR office and turned in a wonderfully underproduced, all-acoustic set, including Longtime Sunshine, a rare 1994 track, the Pinkerton classic Across the Sea, and two tunes off of their recent Black Album.

(PG-13: Language) Songwriter and producer Dev Hynes and his amazing band prepared soulful renditions of Blood Orange songs for their NPR Music set. They started off with a chilling performance of By Ourselves before launching into a trio of songs from Negro Swan.

(PG-13: Language) Mac Miller shows how much he’s grown both as a rapper and as a person in his sweet visit to NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert. He performed Small Worlds, What’s the Use and 2009, the latter two from his new album Swimming.

A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad and composer Adrian Younge visited NPR Music as the jazz fusion band The Midnight Hour. They played Black Beacon, There Is No Greater Love, Bitches Do Voodoo and Mission, all from their debut album.

“I don’t waste ink, brother, I think. I drop megaton bombs more faster than you blink. ‘Cause rhyme thoughts travel at a tremendous speed.” Watch the Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA perform three tracks from his classic album Liquid Swords alongside brass band The Soul Rebels.

(PG-13: Language) ’90s alt-rock sensation The Breeders return to the lineup that gave them hits like Cannonball and Divine Hammer. This three song set offers a stripped down and fuzzed-out mix of folk and garage rock, including two from their new album All Nerve.

“So just swing or fling a gathering, try to cling, ’cause It’s a Big Daddy thing.” The Juice Crew’s Big Daddy Kane showed NPR Music that swag is immortal with pared down renditions of Smooth Operator, Ain’t No Half Steppin’ and Raw. Long Live the Kane!

Funk’s living legend George Clinton and his band the P-Funk All Stars spread good vibes and infectious energy at NPR Tiny Desk Concert. They performed a trio of classics: Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On, One Nation Under A Groove and Give Up the Funk.

(PG-13: Language) Odd Future co-founder Tyler, The Creator graced NPR Music’s first ever nighttime Tiny Desk Concert. He and his band performed Boredom, See You Again and Glitter from his amazing new album Flower Boy.

He’s turning into a creepy uncle, but nothing can change the fact that Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins helped define alternative rock. He recently dropped by NPR Music’s office to perform Tonight, Tonight and two songs from his new solo album, Ogilala.

NPR Music introduces us to a talent we weren’t acquainted with before, but now that we’ve heard Benjamin Booker’s raspy, soulful voice, we want every single one of his songs. He’s joined by vocalist Saundra Williams, whose gospel sound is a perfect complement.

(PG-13: Language) “Looking for justice and it’s just us. It ain’t fair. There’s a riot going on out there, and it ain’t fair. When your protector is your predator – it ain’t fair.” The Roots and Bilal dropped by NPR to perform their contribution to the soundtrack of Detroit.

The legendary and inimitable singer/songwriter dropped by the NPR Music offices to turn in a captivating performance, filled with the perfect blend of sardonic wit, sentimentality, and raspy vocals we’ve come to appreciate over many decades. Even at age 73, he’s still got it.

“In my sleep, I build machines. Nobody wants to hear about my dreams.” Singer-songwriter Jason Isbell and his band The 400 Unit dropped by NPR and turned in a relaxed, yet soul-stirring set of three songs about life and love from their wonderful album The Nashville Sound.

“Just an old fashioned kiss, it gets me hot even in winter. How can I resist? Oh, how you tease me.” British singer-songwriter ALA.NI’s voice is like a perfectly preserved antique from the 1920’s. Watch her perform songs from her debut album You & I.

Tuxedo – the side project of hip-hop producer Jake One and soul artist Mayer Hawthorne – dropped by NPR Music to ooze out pure funk and disco. They played Do It from their debut album, and 2nd Time Around and July from Tuxedo II.