Grupo Frontera, which was headlining backyard bailes well before stadium shows, feels perfectly made for Tiny Desk. Beneath the glow of fluorescent office lights and backed against trinket-stuffed shelves, the match feels divinely ordained.
Normally, jazzy vocal trills and norteño cumbia rhythms are star-crossed lovers, but not at the Tiny Desk. At the center of a pop-infused reinvigoration of traditional Mexican sounds, the members of Grupo Frontera are masters of unlikely pairings. Mega-producer and songwriter Edgar Barrera discovered Grupo Frontera at a quinceañera in his hometown, enthralled by the band's authenticity. He encouraged the band's Texas-bred beats, killer melodies and contemporary lyrics.
There's no better space to highlight the impressive musicality of the group and stunning vocals of Payo Solis than in a stripped-down setting. "Yo nací pa' querer a la que no me quiere (I was born to love the one who doesn't love me)," Payo coos. But it's hard to feel heartbroken when desamor sounds so smooth.
SET LIST
- "un x100to"
- "Hecha Pa' Mi"
- "Ángel"
- "Por Qué Será"
- "EL AMOR DE SU VIDA"
MUSICIANS
- Payo Solis: vocals
- Juan Cantú: accordion
- Julián Peña: congas, bongos
- Beto Acosta: bajo quinto
- Carlos Guerrero: drums
- Daniel Uribe: pedal steel, guitar
- Patricia Ligia: bass
- Monty Rivera: keys, background vocals
- Catherine "Cathia" Ochoa: background vocals
- MJ Songstress: background vocals
- Ella Bric: trumpet
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Anamaria Sayre
- Director: Joshua Bryant
- Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
- Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
- Video Editor: Maia Stern
- Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Grace Raver
- Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
- Production Assistants: Ashley Pointer, Dora Levite
- Photographer: Michael Zamora
- Tiny Desk Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
- VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
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