This Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, NPR Music celebrates artists from all corners of Latinidad with an 'El Tiny' takeover.

Felix Contreras | October 11, 2024
Sheila E. is a portrait of motion.

Not just the movement of her body as one of the world’s most recognized drummers, but also as a versatile musician who glides easily from genre to genre with the ease of a master. For her time behind the Desk, she assembled a team of musicians to play tracks from her first ever salsa album Bailar.

From the first notes of “Rumba Percussion Jam,” Sheila E.’s bona-fides performing true rumbera (traditional Afro-Cuban drumming and singing) are on full display with her conga chops. The entire set is a reflection of her long standing ability to meld Afro-Caribbean, jazz and funk into a danceable celebration that caps off with shots of tequila for her final track “Playa Tequila.”

Any amount of time spent with Sheila E. is a reminder that high caliber musicianship is always first and goes down easier when presented with the joyous energy of an icon.

SET LIST
“Rumba Percussion Jam”
“Mi Amor”
“The Way That You Do”
“Possibilities”
“Playa Tequila”

MUSICIANS
Sheila Escovedo: lead vocals, percussion
Raymond McKinley: bass, tour management, production management
Myke Davison: guitar
Bertron Curtis: keys
Rose Ann Dimalanta: keys
Daniel Rodriguez: drums
Fausto Cuevas: percussion
Johny Ayquipa: trumpet
Percy Recavarren: trombone
Lynn Mabry: vocals
Rebecca Jade: vocals
Debi Nova: vocals
Jean Rodriguez: vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Felix Contreras
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Technical Director: Josephine Nyounai
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Alanté Serene
Audio Engineer: Ted Mebane
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Michael Zamora
Tiny Desk Team: Hazel Cills, Josh Newell
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins