Season 2012

2012/01/05

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

2012/01/09

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

2012/01/17

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

2012/01/19

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

2012/01/23

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

2012/01/26

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

2012/01/30

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

2012/02/03

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

2012/02/06

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

2012/02/09

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

2012/02/14

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

2012/02/16

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

2012/02/20

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

2012/02/23

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

2012/02/27

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

2012/03/01

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

2012/03/05

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.

2012/03/08

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

2012/03/12

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

2012/03/24

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

2012/03/28

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

2012/04/02

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

2012/04/05

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

2012/04/10

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

2012/04/12

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

2012/04/16

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

2012/04/23

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

2012/04/26

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

2012/04/30

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

2012/05/03

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

2012/05/07

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

2012/05/10

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

2012/05/14

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

2012/05/16

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

2012/05/17

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

2012/05/21

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

2012/05/26

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

2012/05/31

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

2012/06/04

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

2012/06/07

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

2012/06/11

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

2012/06/17

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

2012/06/21

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

2012/06/25

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

2012/07/02

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

2012/07/09

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

2012/07/12

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

2012/07/15

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

2012/07/16

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

2012/07/22

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