Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'desks'

Woven Hand: Tiny Desk Concert

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:59:00 EST

On tour with a full band, Woven Hand's David Eugene Edwards went solo at Bob Boilen's desk with his mandolin-banjo hybrid, a unique instrument made in 1897 by the Pullman Palace Car Company. He performs his fiery Americana, as well as a plaintive take on Bob Dylan's "As I Went Out One Morning."

In Meetings, Obama Pushes Stimulus Plan

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST

Democrats and President-elect Barack Obama are putting together a short-term stimulus package of up to $1 trillion aiming to jolt the economy and create jobs. It includes about $300 billion in tax cuts for workers and businesses, but it probably won't be on Obama's desk when he takes office.

David Dondero: Tiny Desk Concert

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:31:00 EST

He should be a name everyone knows by now. Instead, troubadour David Dondero returned to NPR having slept the night before in his car. Dondero travels from club to club, singing his well-crafted songs — songs that have his signature lyrics at their core. His lyrics can make you smile with their wit and hurt with their bite, all at the same time.

Viking's Choice: A Year Of Beautiful Noise

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:02:00 EST

For the past month, NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich laid out multiple strips of paper on his desk, with names like Uncle Owen Aunt Beru, Extra Life and Erykah Badu printed on them. It turns out he was working on his list of the year's top CDs, analog-style. He shares his unique sense of music in this episode of All Songs Considered.

'Hill Street Blues' Actor Robert Prosky, 1930-2008

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:02:00 EST

The veteran actor Robert Prosky was perhaps best known for his role as the big-hearted desk sergeant Stan Jablonski on Hill Street Blues. He died Monday at the age of 77.

Cyber Monday: Click Till You Drop

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST

Retailers came up with the concept of Cyber Monday three years ago when online merchants offer big bargains. Monday is when workers are back in the office after Thanksgiving, and can shop online at their desks. According to a recent survey, three out of 10 workers plan to holiday shop while on the job. But employee beware: According to that same poll, half the employers surveyed said they'll monitor workers' Internet use.

Shearwater: Tiny Desk Concert

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:36:00 EST

We've come up with many excuses to have artists come in and perform Tiny Desk Concerts at the workspace of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. Some are too quiet to be well-served by traditional live concerts, while others are little-known staff favorites who wouldn't ordinarily receive a large-scale webcast presentation. Usually, it's just an opportunity to bring in artists who, for one reason or another, haven't gotten as much of our attention as we'd like to give them.

Jim White's Tiny Desk Concert

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:22:00 EST

Jim White is a storyteller first and a musician second. It's a kind of storytelling rooted in his own unusual history: He grew up in Florida in a deeply Pentecostal community and fell in love with the white gospel music he heard. But from there, White took a surprising path to becoming a full-time musician. He was a professional surfer, a boxer, a fashion model in Milan and a cab driver in New York City. White's travels recently took him to Washington, D.C., where he stopped by the offices of NPR Music for this live performance.

Dr. Dog's Tiny Desk Concert

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:34:00 EDT

Dr. Dog isn't an obvious choice for one of NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concerts. For one thing, it's a pretty big group, at least for the small space behind Bob Boilen's desk. The band's music can be pretty chaotic — loud and rumbling, with multiple instruments fighting to be heard. And singer Toby Leaman likes to belt out his vocals in a window-rattling, raspy growl.

Obama, McCain Sit Down For Final Debate

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain meet Wednesday night for the final presidential debate. With less than three weeks to go before the election, McCain needs to have a strong performance because polls show Obama leading nationally and in battleground states. McCain and Obama will be seated at a desk with the moderator, Bob Schieffer of CBS..

Lambchop's Kurt Wagner: Tiny Desk Concert

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:21:00 EDT

Kurt Wagner writes and sings beautiful songs with Lambchop, a hefty Nashville ensemble with a calm, restrained sound. When Kurt Wagner came by our office to play a Tiny Desk Concert, he came alone, with just an acoustic guitar, a stack of lyrics and his humble, good-natured sense of humor.

House Nears Second Vote On Financial Bailout

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:18:00 EDT

The House edged closer toward a final vote Friday on the $700 billion financial rescue package it rejected earlier. Congressional leaders were still counting votes but expressed confidence that they would be able to muster the support they need to get the bill on President Bush's desk by day's end.

'The Fly' Stirs New Buzz — On The Operatic Stage

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:36:00 EDT

Science fiction isn't typical source material for opera. Which is why Placido Domingo was a little surprised when The Fly landed on his desk. But David Cronenberg and Howard Shore's opera opens Sept. 7 in Los Angeles.

Thao Nguyen's Tiny Desk Concert

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:05:00 EDT

Thao Nguyen makes captivating music. Her songs are raw and infectious, her voice has a distinctive swagger, and she's a remarkably nimble guitarist. Nguyen's songs come from very real and jarringly honest places. The singer-songwriter stopped by NPR's offices recently to give an intimate performance at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen.

Daley May Outlast Father As Chicago Mayor

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:54:00 EDT

The lessons Richard M. Daley learned from his father's missteps during the chaos of the 1968 Democratic Convention helped him claim — and hold — the seat behind the Chicago mayor's desk where his father served for 21 years.

Housing Bill Clears Senate, Awaits Bush's Signature

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:38:00 EDT

The Senate met in a rare Saturday session and gave final congressional approval to a wide-ranging housing bill. The bill aims to bolster the sagging housing market and includes measures aimed at shoring up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The president says he'll sign it when it reaches his desk, early next week.

Saying Good-Bye to NPR's Gary Smith

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EDT

Our dear NPR colleague, Gary L. Smith, died this week at age 57. For the past four years, Smith presided over NPR's front desk, greeting everyone who walked through with a giant smile. The loveliness that lit up his face was his determination to see the beauty in everyone.

Sera Cahoone: Tiny Desk Concert

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:21:00 EDT

Sera Cahoone got her start playing drums for a few widely adored bands in the Pacific Northwest, most notably Band of Horses and the spell-checker-defying Carissa's Wierd. But her self-titled, self-released 2006 album marked her as a fully formed talent — a warm and inviting singer whose songs convey world-weariness and homespun grace. Cahoone stopped by the NPR offices to perform a few songs at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen.

Sam Phillips: Tiny Desk Concert

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:06:00 EDT

Not enough people have heard the music of Sam Phillips and we want to change that. Sam Phillips writes perfect under 3 minute mini drama's and shapes them into singable stories. We asked her to sing some of her songs and invited her to play an intimate concert at my desk. After hearing our Tiny Desk Concert with Laura Gibson she was eager to do it. Little did we know that our air conditioning would die on a record breaking heat wave of a day. Sam Phillips performs 4 songs with help from Erik Gorfain on electric guitar and his tiny cigarette boxed size amps. He also plays a Stroh violin. You have to see this contraption to believe it.

Vic Chesnutt: Tiny Desk Concert

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:17:00 EDT

Athens, Ga., songwriter Vic Chesnutt is on tour in support of his latest album, North Star Deserter. In Washington, D.C., for a concert at the Black Cat, he stopped by NPR to perform live at All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen's desk. Chesnutt played five songs, including two entirely new ones.

Senate Passes Ban on DNA Discrimination

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:00:00 EDT

The Senate passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act on Thursday. It mandates equal treatment in employment and insurance. Congressional observers say the House will likely pass the bill. If it reaches his desk, President Bush plans to sign it.

Laura Gibson Gives 'Tiny Desk Concert'

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:12:00 EDT

Portland, Ore. folksinger Laura Gibson was a good sport when we invited her to play a mini-concert for us at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. She drew a small crowd of curious office workers while playing a handful of delicately crafted songs from her latest CD, If You Come to Greet Me.

After the Techno Lust, There's Always E-Cycling

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:01:00 EDT

Americans are using -- and getting rid of -- more electronic devices than ever. As technology improves and gets cheaper, old cell phones, computers, iPods and digital cameras end up in desk drawers, basements -- or on the curb.

Treadmill Desk Heats Up Office Jobs

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:32:00 EST

The Walkstation is a computer desk with a built-in treadmill. What does this say about our multi-tasking society?

Connecticut Man Arrested for Marijuana Cigar

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 06:00:00 EST

Scott Snow walked into a police station in Danbury, Conn. He puffed on a cigar. And at the front desk, he blew smoke through an opening in the bullet-proof glass. Police noticed a distinctive odor. They arrested the man, whose cigar was filled with marijuana.