This Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, NPR Music celebrates artists from all corners of Latinidad with an 'El Tiny' takeover.

Sheila E. is a portrait of motion.

Not just the movement of her body as one of the world’s most recognized drummers, but also as a versatile musician who glides easily from genre to genre with the ease of a master. For her time behind the Desk, she assembled a team of musicians to play tracks from her first ever salsa album Bailar.

From the first notes of “Rumba Percussion Jam,” Sheila E.’s bona-fides performing true rumbera (traditional Afro-Cuban drumming and singing) are on full display with her conga chops. The entire set is a reflection of her long standing ability to meld Afro-Caribbean, jazz and funk into a danceable celebration that caps off with shots of tequila for her final track “Playa Tequila.”

Any amount of time spent with Sheila E. is a reminder that high caliber musicianship is always first and goes down easier when presented with the joyous energy of an icon.

SET LIST

• “Rumba Percussion Jam”

• “Mi Amor”

• “The Way That You Do”

• “Possibilities”

• “Playa Tequila”

MUSICIANS

• Sheila Escovedo: lead vocals, percussion 

• Raymond McKinley: bass, tour management, production management

• Myke Davison: guitar

• Bertron Curtis: keys

• Rose Ann Dimalanta: keys

• Daniel Rodriguez: drums

• Fausto Cuevas: percussion

• Johny Ayquipa: trumpet

• Percy Recavarren: trombone

• Lynn Mabry: vocals

• Rebecca Jade: vocals

• Debi Nova: vocals

• Jean Rodriguez: vocals

TINY DESK TEAM

• Producer: Felix Contreras 

• Director/Editor: Maia Stern

• Audio Technical Director: Josephine Nyounai

• Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter

• Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Alanté Serene

• Audio Engineer: Ted Mebane

• Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer

• Photographer: Michael Zamora

• Tiny Desk Team: Hazel Cills, Josh Newell

• Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed

• Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson

• VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

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