Chances are I’m not the only person who has discovered new artists through NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series.
The American public broadcaster has taken a shockingly simple concept – “Hey let’s shoot video of someone playing a few songs in our office” – into a beloved institution.
Recent performers include Bono and the Edge.
In honour of Latin Heritage Month, NPR has launched a Latin music Tiny Desk Concert series called El Tiny, and one of the first artists featured is Grammy winner Alex Cuba.
The four-song set was just released yesterday and already has around 50,000 views.
Alex Cuba starts his turn behind the Tiny Desk with the barest of musical essentials: a percussive guitar rhythm, the soft scratch of a güiro and a miniature choir.
“Ciudad Hembra (La Habana),” a lament for his hometown, sets a deliberate slow burn for this performance.
