Los Pleneros de La Cresta: "Rayo de Sol" - Tiny Desk Contest 2025

Details

Description

We bring the vibrant sounds of Puerto Rican Plena to life with our energetic performance of "Rayo de Sol" - a ray of light, a burst of energy, and a celebration of Puerto Rican culture. The intro features an instrumental hand drums piece that speaks deeply without words, setting the tone for the entire performance. As we say, "Porque el tambor habla'"- "because the drum speaks" - feel the rhythm and energy in every beat.

We enjoy blending traditional rhythms with contemporary messages. This live rendition showcases our deep connection to our roots, blending infectious rhythms, powerful percussion, and rich harmonies. Featuring our iconic "cuatro puertorriqueño", a traditional Puerto Rican string instrument, we add an authentic and soulful touch to the song. The dynamic interplay between the bass, piano, and guitar creates a fresh and exciting new version of our song.

Recorded in Pasillo Sonoro [Río Piedras - Puerto Rico], in an intimate setting, this town (Río Piedras) holds significant meaning in our lives—it was where we first came together as a group.
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Los Pleneros de la Cresta are a group of independent artists who promote Puerto Rican culture and identity worldwide through "Plena". Thank you for listening to our music, created with love from Ciales, Puerto Rico, to the world.

Los Pleneros de La Cresta:
Joseph Ocasio Rivera - Requinto/Backing Vocals
Joshuan Ocasio Rivera - Seguidor/Backing Vocals
Jeyluix Ocasio Rivera - Güiro/Lead Vocals
Josué Román Figueroa - Punteador/Backing Vocals

Guest Musicians:
Josué "Messy" Deprat - Electric Bass
Antonio Caraballo - Guitar
Luis Amed Irizarry - Piano
Christian Nieves Maldonado - Puerto Rican Cuatro

Videographer:
Jowy Santiago Miranda - Video/Camera