Felix Contreras
Felix Contreras is co-creator and co-host of Alt.Latino, NPR's pioneering radio show and podcast celebrating Latin music and culture since 2010 and a curator for the acclaimed Tiny Desk Concert series.
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. He appears regularly on NPR's award-winning newsmagazines, All Things Considered and Morning Edition. Various national and international publications have quoted his expertise on the contemporary influences of Latin culture, music, and media.
He's 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 the other NPR Music resident Deadhead and an Afro Caribbean percussionist who performs around the DC area with various jazz and Latin jazz bands.
- The keepers of the Grateful Dead's history
- The Ripple Effect
- The best Latin music entries in the 2026 Tiny Desk Contest
- Victor Willis, former voice of The Village People and co-writer of 'Y.M.C.A.,' has died
- Celebrating legendary trumpet player Miles Davis' 100th birthday
- Remembering salsa legend Willie Colon
- Willie Colón, salsa pioneer, has died at 75
- Playing Grateful Dead songs with Bob Weir: Don Was remembers