Ben Folds: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Watching Ben Folds perform his songs on piano at the Tiny Desk, there seems to be a direct line between thought and expression, except perhaps when he stumbles or forgets a line or two. Folds has a knack for plainspoken, smartly crafted words that sometimes sting and always seem to speak the truth like these words from Phone In A Pool : Seems what s been good for the music Hasn t always been so good for the life At the Tiny Desk, Folds opened with three sharp songs from his most recent album So There, a collaboration with six musicians who straddle the line between pop and classical music; they re known as the yMusic Ensemble. When he finished those tunes, he asked the crowd for requests, at which point he banged out two favorites on piano: Emaline, which dates back to the 80s, and a footstomper from his second album with Ben Folds Five, One Angry Dwarf And 200 Solemn It s a memorable performance recounting memorable moments from second grade and beyond, as simple and direct as its closing