2022 Tiny Desk Contest Entries We Love: Jazz Night in America Edition

Pocket Queen & The Royal Flush, "WE CAME TO MOVE"

Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Pairs well with: Caipirinhas under the peek-a boo shade of trees

Drummer and vocalist Taylor Gordon (aka The Pocket Queen) delivers a sensual bossa nova track, complete with the flute flirting with us. The song will have you swaying thanks to the groove thrown down by upright bassist Chris Thigpen and guitarist Mauricio Guererro Jr., and lyricist Ryck Jane adds even more flavor when she joins on the track.

Brassville, "Bring Yo' Brass"

Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
Pairs well with: A plate of red beans and rice precariously balanced in your hand while you dance

Who doesn't love a good brass band? The moment drummer Derrick Greene kicks off this song, there is no question that Brassville is about to deliver. With trombonist MarVelous Brown's spirited drawl, swinging horns and a solid rhythm section, every note is designed to entice you to the floor.

Tivon Pennicott, "Off the Cuff"

Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Pairs well with: Childlike giggles while running around a playground

Saxophonist Tivon Pennicott's sly smile invites you into "Off the Cuff." Improvised with looping and a drum machine, Pennicott experiments and builds the song in real time, giving the listener a sneak peek into the joyful process of creation.

Salome Hajj, "Pursuit"

Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Pairs well with: Self-reflection brought on by a solo stroll

Salome Hajj's entry tells a story of recovering from disappointment and growing in the aftermath. Hajj's sultry voice and hypnotic harp are perfectly accompanied by an understated but meaningfully rich performance on the bass and drums from Jermaine Paul and Myles Martin, respectively.

John Ferrara, "Perhaps Everything, Perhaps Nothing"

Hometown: Wickford, R.I.
Pairs well with: Daydreaming while gazing at a stormy skyline as rain drops slide down the windowpane

Bassist John Ferrara makes his five-string bass sing in this solo entry. The myriad of sounds Ferrara pulls from his instrument construct the type of multilayered storytelling you'd expect from more than one musician.

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