Felix Contreras
Felix Contreras is co-creator and host of Alt.Latino, NPR's pioneering radio show and podcast celebrating Latin music and culture since 2010.
In addition to his post behind the mic, Contreras programs music from the Latin diaspora for the acclaimed Tiny Desk concerts and hosts a weekly Instagram Live interview with a wide-ranging roster of guests.
A knowledgeable international ambassador for Latino heritage and arts, "Tio Felix '' travels extensively in search of new talent and new music and captures important legacy performers in jazz and Latin genres. Various national and international publications have quoted his expertise on the contemporary influences of Latin culture, music, and media.
His a recovering TV journalist whose first post at NPR in 2001 was as a Producer/Reporter for the NPR News Arts Desk. He is also NPR's resident Deadhead and performs around the DC area with his Latin music Beatles cover band, Los Day Trippers.
-
Two songs with regional Mexican ties are currently in the Top 10 on the American pop charts.
-
Alt.Latino cues up some new music for the new year, including a piece from a Colombian musician with a flair for the accordion and another from a Brazilian artist mixing folk with electronic music.
-
Earlier this month, Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir took the stage with the National Symphony Orchestra. Their collaboration had attendees in tie dye and tuxedos dancing in the aisles.
-
NPR's Alt.Latino is featuring some of the summer's hottest releases in Latin music.
-
To kick off summer, NPR's Ayesha Rascoe and Felix Contreras, host of Alt.Latino, discuss an album by Cuba musician X Alfonso.
-
The Spring Playlist from NPR Music's Alt.Latino podcast highlights "Cadê Zé" by Maga Bo, "Bom Bom" by Batida featuring Mayra Andrade, "Exito" by Flores and "Que Sufras" by Doris Anahi.
-
NPR's Alt Latino predicts that Marchita, the new album by singer/songwriter Silvana Estrada, will end up on a top album list when the year's new music is considered at the end of 2022.
-
NPR's Alt.Latino podcast has a selection of 2021's most appreciated Latin music releases.
-
There were a few surprises at Thursday night's ceremony that reflected how certain musicians are pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a pop musician.
-
It's National Hispanic Heritage Month and NPR Music is marking it with a Latin Music showcase at Tiny Desk.