John Mayer joins Tom Misch for a super-smooth NPR Tiny Desk jam

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The neo-soul pair performed Misch’s Nightrider via video link

The idea of a bunch of musicians crammed together and jamming behind a desk in NPR’s offices seems downright insane these days.

But throughout the current COVID-19 pandemic NPR has continued its popular Tiny Desk series with home concerts that present musicians hooking up via video link.

If nothing else, the video version allows for the easy appearance of special guests, which was the case when John Mayer and his PRS Silver Sky electric guitar joined producer/guitarist Tom Misch and drummer Yussef Dayes to add a closing solo to the smooth, jazzy jam Nightrider.

Misch and Dayes also performed a second, Mayer-less tune, Tidal Wave, featuring bassist Rocco - son of Pino - Palladino.

This isn’t the first time Mayer and Misch have joined forces. The two shared the stage at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2019, where they also performed Nightrider.

You can view that performance below.

Richard Bienstock
Richard Bienstock

Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.