Álvaro Díaz: Tiny Desk Concert

Puerto Rican rapper Álvaro Díaz’s fresh take on his greatest hits at the Tiny Desk brought all the sal and soul of the Isla to NPR.

Opening with jazzy piano and synth riffs that evoked a sweet ocean breeze on “Todo Bien,” he quickly set the tone for the concert, throwing a shoutout to his mama, the inspiration for the track. Switching to “Chicas de la Isla,” he used smooth, electric guitar and stunning background vocals for a rendition of the first song he ever made, conveying a relaxed energy fit for a jam with friends.

After years of collaborating with all kinds of Puerto Rican artists from Jowell & Randy to Bad Bunny and everyone in between, despite being center stage for his Tiny Desk, Díaz took the opportunity to share the space with a whole crowd of Tiny Desk veterans and newcomers from all across the island. The community feel of his music fueled the energy and excellence of every single musician he shared the Desk with.

SET LIST

• “Todo Bien”
• “Chicas de la Isla”
• “Miles De Mujeres”
• “Groupie Love”

MUSICIANS

• Álvaro Díaz: lead vocals
• Ben Aler: piano 
• Manuel Lara: drums
• Félix Lara: programming
• Elisent Massanet: vocals 
• Tanicha López: vocals 
• Luis Alfredo Del Valle: bass
• Xavier Rodriguez: guitar
• Bebo Dumont: vocals, vocal arrangement

TINY DESK TEAM

• Producer: Anamaria Sayre
• Director/Editor: Maia Stern
• Audio Technical Director: Hannah Gluvna
• Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
• Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Zayrha Rodriguez
• Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
• Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
• Photographer: Keren Carrión
• Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
• Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
• Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
• VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins