NPR Tiny Desk Concert

As soon as Coco Jones stepped behind the Desk, donning a beautiful silver dress and a bright, warm smile, it was apparent that we were about to witness a star shine.

Great Grandpa writes lullabies for the restless. The indie rock band's thoughtful intensity remains intact at the Tiny Desk, just at a quieter volume.

An upright piano, a guitar and Daniel Caesar, lifted by a 12-piece choir. The presentation is simple, but the effect is transcendent.

Which Tiny Desk made an audio engineer question everything? Which one made a producer want to cry? Touch grass? Look back on the year in Tiny Desk, with the people who make them.

GIVĒON treats performance as therapy, pouring out his heart like a bottle of wine. The R&B singer treats us to ballads and anthems of heartache, backed by strings and horns.

So much of the holiday season is about finding a balance between bright lights and dark nights. Sixpence None the Richer's music finds depth in the in-between.

Right from the first note, Odeal instantly transports us to the warm, soulful pocket that we never leave.

Guitarist Sean Shibe pushes his instrument to the limit in new music written for him by Thomas Adès, and softens the vibe with intimate pieces by Bach, Mompou and the eccentric street musician Moondog.

The bluegrass virtuoso brings back the spirit of Tiny Desk's early days: fewer microphones to capture "the way these instruments are meant to sound."

It's always summer somewhere. Annie DiRusso and her band offer a five-song pageant full of clever costuming, synchronized dance moves and even a few behind-the-back guitar riffs.