Tiny Desk Concerts

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

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.

The French electronic duo turns distressed dreams into symphonies plucked from cotton candy clouds. Yet to see Air's members perform live, everything looks so effortless.

Brandi Carlile has a way of making any performance feel like a tête-à-tête, a deep emotional exchange between friends that just happens to take place in a crowd.

In matching, brilliant blue suits, David Byrne and his band squeeze behind the Desk to perform four songs, including Talking Heads' "Life During Wartime."