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Felix Contreras Felix Contreras is host of Alt.Latino, NPR's program about Latin Alternative music and Latino culture.
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Felix Contreras

Alt.Latino Lays Out A Sonic Altar For Dia De Los Muertos

Join us as we celebrate Day Of The Dead, Alt.Latino style. Omar Torres/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Omar Torres/AFP/Getty Images

Alt.Latino

Alt.Latino Lays Out A Sonic Altar For Dia De Los Muertos

Celebrate Saturday's holiday (and, by extension, lost loved ones) with laughter, tears and music.

Alt.Latino Lays Out A Sonic Altar For Dia De Los Muertos

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Bio Ritmo: Tiny Desk Concert
Colin Marshall/NPR

Tiny Desk

Bio Ritmo: Tiny Desk Concert

The 10-piece salsa band has burnished its reputation on dance floors, where it never fails to make people move. So push some furniture out of the way, press play on this video, and enjoy.

Bio Ritmo: Tiny Desk Concert

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Puerto Rican Princesses And Mexican Centaurs

Princess Nokia. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Alt.Latino

Puerto Rican Princesses And Mexican Centaurs

This week on Alt.Latino, hear a wide-ranging mix of new music, with everyone from young Nuyorican performer Princess Nokia to Brazilian legend Sergio Mendes.

Puerto Rican Princesses And Mexican Centaurs

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Irene Diaz: Tiny Desk Concert

Irene Diaz performs a Tiny Desk Concert. NPR hide caption

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NPR

Tiny Desk

Irene Diaz: Tiny Desk Concert

With her musical partner Carolyn Cardoza strumming a ukulele intently, Diaz conjures a place where emotions run deep and beauty is unmistakable. Watch them perform four songs in the NPR Music offices.

Irene Diaz: Tiny Desk Concert

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The Undeniable Strength Of A Great Song

Guatemalan rapper Kontra causes a stir at Alt.Latino this week. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alt.Latino

The Undeniable Strength Of A Great Song

A gloriously unexpected cover of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" is just one surprise on this week's episode of Alt.Latino.

The Undeniable Strength Of A Great Song

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Quetzal: Tiny Desk Concert

Tiny Desk Concert with Quetzal on June 27, 2014. Sarah Tilotta/NPR hide caption

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Sarah Tilotta/NPR

Tiny Desk

Quetzal: Tiny Desk Concert

The East L.A. band's mix of old and new sounds from across Mexico and the U.S. will penetrate the intellect even as it makes your hips sway. The resulting sound inspires as much as it entertains.

Quetzal: Tiny Desk Concert

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From Alt.Latino, Five Conversations With Latin Music's Finest

Los Rakas. Raka Pitufo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Raka Pitufo/Courtesy of the artist

Alt.Latino

From Alt.Latino, Five Conversations With Latin Music's Finest

Los Rakas, Jorge Drexler, Viento Callejero and other musicians join co-host Felix Contreras to discuss their latest musical projects.

From Alt.Latino, Five Conversations With Latin Music's Finest

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Guest DJ With Adrian Quesada, A Man Who Needs Four Bands

Adrian Quesada of Ocote Soul Sounds, Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath, The Echocentrics, and Spanish Gold. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alt.Latino

Guest DJ With Adrian Quesada, A Man Who Needs Four Bands

Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath, The Echocentrics, Ocote Soul Sounds and Spanish Gold all capture the vision of the Austin musician. This week on Alt.Latino, Quesada spins some of his favorite music.

Guest DJ With Adrian Quesada, A Man Who Needs Four Bands

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First Listen: Rolê, 'New Sounds Of Brazil'

Lucas Santtana appears on the new compilation Rolê: New Sounds Of Brazil, out June 24. Cristiano Caniche/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Cristiano Caniche/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Rolê, 'New Sounds Of Brazil'

This album, like so many others being made in Brazil these days, upends traditional sounds with music that is vaguely familiar but also so very new and vital.

Rolê: New Sounds Of Brazil

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.
First Listen: Meridian Brothers, 'Salvadora Robot'

Meridian Brothers' new album, Salvadora Robot, comes out June 16. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen

First Listen: Meridian Brothers, 'Salvadora Robot'

The Colombian band thoroughly understands musical traditions. How better to eviscerate them? Meridian Brothers' off-kilter melodies veer from the inviting to the dissonant in a matter of seconds.

Salvadora Robot

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.