Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet: Tiny Desk Concert

Jazz may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of The Juilliard School, but perhaps this series of Tiny Desks will change that. Tiny Desk and Jazz Night in America celebrate the 20th anniversary of Juilliard Jazz with three Tiny Desk concerts featuring performances by current students and alumni of the prestigious institution. Nikki Birch | August 31, 2022 Before Isaiah J. Thompson walked into NPR’s office, special preparations for his Tiny Desk concert were already underway: the arrival and tuning of a piano for the Steinway artist, who performed the final concert in our Juilliard Jazz 20th anniversary series. When the soft-spoken pianist and his sharply-dressed bandmates touched down, I knew we were in for a treat. A common thread throughout the group’s musical selections is a commitment to honoring the fibers that make up the rich fabric of African American culture. Thompson’s first composition, “Maestros of the Community,“ is an uptempo dedication