Season 2012

Jan 5, 2012

Even in a stripped-down acoustic set, Tinariwen's trance-inducing desert music doesn't disappoint.

Jan 9, 2012

Watch singer Teri Gender Bender transform from a soft-spoken musician into a rock 'n' roll beast.

Jan 17, 2012

The band's keen sense of song prevails, especially in a new song called "It All Means Nothing."

Jan 19, 2012

Banjo master Schepps and friends create an intriguing goulash of Bartók, bluegrass and bebop.

Jan 23, 2012

Watch the masterful folk guitarist perform a lovely instrumental set at the NPR Music offices.

Jan 26, 2012

Calvi plays songs from her self-titled debut in this powerful performance at the NPR Music offices.

Jan 30, 2012

The San Antonio trio gets back to basics to explore its songs' forms and the soul of its lyrics.

Feb 3, 2012

The brilliant and nimble guitarist reinvents the songs of John Lennon at the NPR Music offices.

Feb 6, 2012

The group has revitalized a long-lost culture through music performed entirely in Haitian Creole.

Feb 9, 2012

The Hold Steady singer's stark side is nicely conducive to barren arrangements at the NPR offices.

Feb 14, 2012

The dance-friendly, India-inspired funk group performs a high-energy set at the NPR Music offices.

Feb 16, 2012

"The Duke of Bachata" gives a raw but beautiful interpretation of bachata at the NPR Music offices.

Feb 20, 2012

Hear the fresh-faced opera singers perform Puccini at the NPR Music offices.

Feb 23, 2012

In this performance at the NPR Music offices, the Irish pop band mixes new songs with early hits.

Feb 27, 2012

A band of selective minimalism, Milagres gets the most of simple sounds at the NPR Music offices.

Mar 1, 2012

Through her insightful lyrics, Sandra Velasquez conjures the sounds of the Mexican desert.

Mar 5, 2012

Her gorgeous, whispery voice inspired the Tiny Desk Concerts series in 2008. Now, Laura Gibson returns with her band to perform four songs from her new album, La Grande.

Mar 8, 2012

The saxophonist's new repertoire salutes electric funk, South Indian modes and swarming solos.

Mar 12, 2012

Real Estate wears placidity well: It's a band born and bred to convey and celebrate laconic comfort.

Mar 24, 2012

A soulful master musician from Iran, Kalhor performs a beautiful improvisation at the NPR offices.

Mar 28, 2012

Sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg make charming, folk-infused pop music that lulls and enchants.

Apr 2, 2012

The ensemble employs all kinds of toys, from an amplified cactus to a mug filled with spare change.

Apr 5, 2012

The Canadian singer performs four sweet, warm, relatable songs that soothe as they nourish.

Apr 10, 2012

Caveman writes guitar-based pop songs full of space and melodies you can carry around in your head.

Apr 12, 2012

At the NPR offices, the band plays in a lean, funky configuration that gets the room grooving along.

Apr 16, 2012

The group fuses the music of many Christian cultures, with nods to African songs of celebration.

Apr 23, 2012

Holland plays songs with an unadorned tone that makes the voice and lyrics all the more touching.

Apr 26, 2012

The venerable band sounds as poignant and tender as ever in this performance at the NPR offices.

Apr 30, 2012

The group doesn't overwhelm so much as it wears listeners down with a subtle charm offensive.

May 3, 2012

The guitarist displays intricate fingerpicking in two songs inspired by Kentucky Derby racehorses.

May 7, 2012

The jazz quartet draws from post-bop, 20th-century chromaticism and New Orleans funeral marches.

May 10, 2012

K Ishibashi is a master at building songs from live violin loops, layered singing and beatboxing.

May 14, 2012

The improvisational music of the father-son, guitar-cello duo functions as a beautiful conversation.

May 16, 2012

The Godfather of Go-Go died Wednesday. In 2010, he brought his full band to the NPR Music office.

May 17, 2012

Rooted in acoustic traditions, the music of Arborea stands out for its calm beauty and rough edges.

May 21, 2012

Tiersen's rich, liltingly eccentric pop music is constructed from lots of sweet, intricate pieces.

May 26, 2012

The venerable brass quintet sports virtuosic, fresh-faced players in tried-and-true repertoire.

May 31, 2012

Watson has a lovely voice and a gift for wringing evocative sounds out of everything he touches.

Jun 4, 2012

The unflappable singer performs three songs with seeming effortlessness and easygoing charm.

Jun 7, 2012

The drummer dedicates tunes to her friends, including her first teacher — a "sometimes great guy."

Jun 11, 2012

Watch three songs by a troubled soul with a talent for writing honest, disarmingly direct music.

Jun 17, 2012

Hansard flexes his neck muscles a bit as he performs new songs and deep cuts at the NPR offices.

Jun 21, 2012

The band plays with just the right mixture of passion and pathos in a fun set at the NPR offices.

Jun 25, 2012

The comedian and musician performs spontaneous improvisations full of killer grooves and humor.

Jul 2, 2012

The band plays a beautifully buzzing, nuanced set, marked by gorgeous grace and stirring melodies.

Jul 9, 2012

At the NPR offices, Carlile and her band sing from-the-gut songs about messy lives, loudly lived.

Jul 12, 2012

Two songs from A Creature I Don't Know bookend a gorgeous new, unreleased song called "Once."

Jul 15, 2012

A soulful yet steely singer-songwriter from Algeria charts her own course in these four songs.

Jul 16, 2012

Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale sing sweet but intricate folk-pop songs in the NPR offices.

Jul 22, 2012

Feder marries classical and folk techniques with otherworldly guitar textures and sounds.