Felix Contreras | May 16, 2025
Carín León is an old soul. There is no other way to account for the power of the emotion in his voice. His 16-piece band tests the limited space behind the Tiny Desk, but when the brass takes over to punctuate a performance, Leon's commanding presence shows why he's one of the best at what he does.

Regional Mexican music is based upon song forms from another era, but León's lyrics add a new spin on heartbreak and love lost. This set opens with "Ese Vato No Te Queda," followed by two songs from the 2024 album Palabra De To's. Previously, León premiered "Primera Cita" for his Tiny Desk (home) concert, which became a major hit. That song "left a mark on our lives and completely shaped our careers," he shares. For good luck, León here premieres "Por la Suave," which was also written by Alejandro Lozano. "A poem that I love," León says.

SET LIST
"Ese Vato No Te Queda"
"Lado Frágil"
"El Amor de Mi Herida"
"Por la Suave"

MUSICIANS
Carín León: vocals
Arturo Garcia: guitar 
Luis Diaz de Leon Huez: guitar
Miguel Abraham Nayares Moreno: 12-string guitar
Alan Ortega: dobro 
Javier Humberto Sesma Rivera: tololoche
Daniel Fuentevilla: keys
Servando Quijada: alto horn
Marcos Barbosa: alto horn
Sebastián Quintero: saxophone, harmonica, clarinet 
Jhonatan Velázquez Villegas: clarinet
José Angel Avila Llunez: trumpet
Ismael Mendoza: trumpet
Carlos Leon: trombone
Abel Anguiano: trombone
Antonio Zepeda: tuba
Luis Carlos Pérez: drums

TINY DESK TEAM
Producers: Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Alanté Serene
Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna
Production Assistants: Dora Levite, Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Grace Raver
Tiny Desk Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#nprmusic #tinydesk #carinleon 

Support for NPR Music comes from Capital One. Presenting sponsor of the 2025 Tiny Desk Contest. What's in your wallet? Learn more at CapitalOne.com.

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