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Bon Iver: Full Concert | NPR MUSIC FRONT ROW 0 (0)

On Dec. 4, just before Bon Iver took the stage at Pioneer Works, an old ironworks warehouse turned nonprofit arts and culture space, these prophetic words from Union Army officer Sullivan Ballou echoed off the Civil War-era brick walls: “Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with all these chains to the battlefield.” A week after writing those lines, Ballou was mortally wounded, dying for a [See More…]

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Ta-ku & Wafia: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Cameron Robert | November 7, 2016 — The chemistry between Australian singer-producer Ta-ku and his fellow Aussie singer-songwriter Wafia becomes apparent the instant you hear their voices intertwined in song. On their first collaborative EP, (m)edian, they draw on their individual experiences to touch on subjects like compromise in relationships as they trade verses and harmonize over hollow melodies. Ta-ku and Wafia live within the sonic landscape of artists like Drake or Bryson Tiller, but their style puts them in a world all their own. With production characterized by weary low-end rumbles and resonant keys, the two float above the [See More…]

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Common At The White House: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

October 4, 2016 by BOB BOILEN • We’ve never done a Tiny Desk Concert that wasn’t behind my desk at NPR. But when the White House called and said they were putting on an event called South by South Lawn, a day-long festival filled with innovators and creators from the worlds of technology and art, including music, we jumped at the chance to get involved. We chose Common as the performer and the White House library as the space. This Tiny Desk Concert was a convergence of art and soul, mixing politics with heart. Common’s choice of songs dealt with [See More…]

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Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Watch Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals play “Come Down”, “Heart Don’t Stand A Chance”, “Put Me Thru” and “Suede” at the Tiny Desk. Did you know you can watch new Tiny Desk Concerts on npr.org ONE WEEK before they go up on YouTube? Click here: https://www.npr.org/tinydesk Follow NPR Music: Twitter: https://twitter.com/nprmusic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nprmusic August 15, 2016 by BOBBY CARTER • Good luck trying to classify Anderson .Paak and his band The Free Nationals. Much of their sound is layered atop a soulful hip-hop foundation; from there, your safest bet is to call it a hodgepodge of genres in the [See More…]

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Los Hacheros: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

June 30, 2016 by FELIX CONTRERAS • Sometimes it’s necessary to get back to basics. In the case of Los Hacheros, that means returning to the deep groove of Afro-Caribbean music that provides the source material for modern salsa and all of its permutations. As you’ll see in this video, the band’s dedication to authenticity is masterfully executed with a serious dose of sabor. In fact, the band was so swinging, it was impossible to sit on the sidelines and pass up my own chance to jump in during “Bambulaye” and perform with the band myself. So clear out the [See More…]

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Mac Demarco: NPR Music Field Recordings 0 (0)

“I like living by the water. It’s new and crazy for me,” says Mac DeMarco, smoking and peering out at the bay in Far Rockaway, Queens. All around, nature blends with reminders of civilization: Behind him, sun-dappled waves are chopped up by freighter boats and the occasional jet ski passing by. Across the water sits JFK airport, with its distant engine hum of planes taking off and landing at a steady, rhythmic clip. The crisp, salty sea breeze mingles with wafts of stagnant water, decaying debris and dead horseshoe crabs that wash ashore. For the charismatic 26-year-old songwriter who grew [See More…]

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Anthony Hamilton: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

March 28, 2016 by BOBBY CARTER Anthony Hamilton’s soul sound was refined in the churches of Charlotte, N.C. Watching the Grammy winner perform, you get the hunch that it’s harder for him to keep the soul inside than it is to actually unleash it. What he and his backup singers, The Hamiltones, do would be better classified as a musical purge, with a stage show that can double as couples therapy and church service. Their warm harmonies have the ability to shrink theaters and stadiums, so we knew this intimate setting was perfect for them. Following a spot at the [See More…]

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Monsieur Periné: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

March 4, 2016 by FELIX CONTRERAS Monsieur Periné hails from Colombia, a country known for its Afro-Colombian cumbia, as well as New York-style salsa. Instead, however, the band has embraced 1920s-era, guitar-driven jazz from the U.S. The unlikely inspiration has resulted in a large and international following, as well as a Latin Grammy not too long ago: Monsieur Periné was named 2015’s Best New Artist. Words don’t do this band justice. Play the video and discover Monsieur Periné’s magic for yourself. Caja De Música is available now iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/caja-de-musica/id1000830433 Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Caja-De-Musica-MONSIEUR-PERINE/dp/B00YJKH3AM Set List: “Nuestra Canción” “Sabor A Mi” “La Muerte” [See More…]

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Aurora: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

November 09, 2015 by BOB BOILEN The first time I saw Aurora sing, it appeared so new to her that each note, and each hand gesture accompanying each note, seemed like a discovery and an adventure for the singer. She was 18 when I first saw her in New York City, and now the Norwegian singer is 19; take a look at this Tiny Desk Concert, and her sense of innocence and discovery still rings as true as ever. Aurora has just one EP and some singles out so far, and ever since seeing her at CMJ in 2014, I’ve [See More…]

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The Internet: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

September 29, 2015 by TIMMHOTEP AKU The Internet is both an anomaly and a sign of the times. No, I’m not talking about the actual Internet you’re using to read this text (though that Internet is pretty special, too), I’m talking about the L.A. band featuring founding members Syd The Kid (vocals/production) and Matt Martians (keys/ production), as well as Pat Paige (bass), Jameel Bruner (keys) and Chris Smith (drums). The band might just be the oddest thing to come from Odd Future, the collective known for its irreverence — and, of course, for making hip-hop. The Internet doesn’t stand [See More…]