Rita Payés: Tiny Desk Concert

Anamaria Sayre | October 2, 2024
Admiration is the spellbinding tenor of Rita Payés’ Tiny Desk performance.

Flanked by mother Elisabeth Roma and husband Pol Batlle, the Spanish multi-instrumentalist’s presence at the Desk reflects the way she creates and lives her music: in the cradle of familial love.

Payés performs a variety of Spanish jazz that is contemporary and nimble in its delivery, yet leans heavily on tradition. Born to a musical family in the same coastal town in Northern Spain where she now resides, she was raised surrounded by deep, musical tradition which she was able to identify as ripe for revival.

Across earlier, softer songs composed alongside her mother, to her now more grandiose string-laden, percussively rich arrangements, authentically representing her home and creating music fit for intimate exchange is always central to Payés’ craft. In the longing trill of her trombone or her sweetest vocal note, a sense of generational respect and understanding is born anew in Payés’ revered harmonies.

SET LIST
“El Cervatillo”
“Por qué Será”
“Nana Per Les Mamas”
“Quien lo diría”

MUSICIANS
Rita Payés: lead vocals, trombone, guitar, composing, arranging
Pol Batlle: guitar, palm tree leaf
Elisabeth Roma: guitar
Horacio Fumero: upright bass
Juan R. Berbín: drums, percussion
Jonathan David Lewis: violin
Turkkan Osman: violin
Anna Arnal Ferrer: viola
Cristina Arista: cello

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Anamaria Sayre
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Sofia Seidel
Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Michael Zamora
Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#nprmusic #tinydesk #ritapayes

[HerEvilTwin]

Give that sound engineer a raise immediately

[xaevy]

I have never clicked on a video faster in my life

[fliprim]

Rita composed all that we hear here. She even arranged the strings. People will rightly point to the scores of brilliant performances on Youtube with the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, from ages 14 to 23, others may mention her first album with Elisabeth, world class folk, fado and world music given world class performances. Still others will champion the second album, fantastic, popular compositions of her own being the jewels in the crown of an NPR Latin favorite album. But I will point to the lesser known material the insanely experimental (but exciting!) jazz she sneaks off to perform in Madrid with jazz group Kaleidoscope. ("KALEIDOSCOPE feat. RITA PAYÉS & JAVIER COLINA - AC Recoletos Jazz - 21.01.23" 11minutes in for 15 minutes) I will point to the extraordinary concerts of world music with her great friend Lucia Fumero ("Recoletos Jazz Madrid: Rita Payés & Lucia Fumero 7 oct" 41 minutes in). I will point to a Poet in the making, daring and Whitmanesque and a writer of string music like early Bartok (Tantas Cosas (live video)). Rita's adventures in music have been so wide ranging and so accomplished that, like her "Fairy Godmother", Silvia Perez Cruz, she will push change upon cultures, and perhaps on an even wider scale.

[danielvicente]

The third song is in catalan, her mother tongue. We, catalans, feel very proud when an artist spread our language around the world.
And I feel double pride because she studied in Sant Andreu, which is my neighbourhood.
Moltes gràcies Rita!

[davidrusca]

Having ads in the middle of this wonder is criminal

[koenbierens]

Enjoy life like this drummer enjoys playing his rhythm.

[YouTubeaccount]

One of the best Tiny Desks of all time.

[DarkoRomanov]

Every time, I wonder what new jewel will bring this channel. This time it's a diamond.

[Anna-nouh]

I am kind of shocked that something so pure and beautiful even exists. She must be protected at all costs.

[miguelberezo]

Pero ¿qué rayos es esto?...
No había oído hablar de Rita Payés en mi vida, pero he caído automáticamente enamorado de lo que acabo de ver. Pedazo de músicos hay en ese Tiny Desk Concert.

[MatheusMoraes-ybpb]

Finding this on youtube after a long day is like unwrapping an unexpected gift from someone you love.

[timc.]

Rita is a superstar.

But she is also a testament to the extraordinary ability of the Sant Andreu School to identify, nurture and develop world class jazz talents, Joan Chamorro is massively underrated.

If you love Rita, Checkout Alba Armengou and Andrea Motis amongst other. Truly sensational.

[eagleear]

So pleased to hear/see Rita Payés on NPR! I've been following her for about ten years and have always been entranced with every aspect of her music making. One of numerous very talented young musicians who have come out of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band of Barcelona, I am totally in awe of what Joan Chamorro, the leader of this group has been able to do. Rita is especially blessed being the daughter of Elisabeth Roma. As the saying goes, "The apple falls not far from the tree!"

[xr]

No tengo dudas; Si crearamos más de esta música, si escucharamos más de esta música, encontraríamos más paz interior, armonía, significado.
Y esque no importa cuantas veces escuche las composiciones de Riya Payés, siempre me atrapan en un mundo al que pensé que no tenía acceso. Increíble.

[kevinwarrick]

So pure and honest... These songs touch my heart. I hope Rita keeps the strings while she is on tour.

[staffanolofsson]

It is astonishing how well this string quartet contributes to the music. And Rita says they only met a few days ago. I say this is a marriage made in heaven.

[josevinent]

El món és més polit perque hi ha gent com vosaltres que fa tot tengui sentit. Celebrau la música amb tota la seva grandesa, amb tot l´amor que sous capaços d´entregar. Només tenc gratitut per tu, Rita i tots el músics que t´acompanyen. Som afortunat de poder gaudir d´aquesta meravella. Gràcies!

[Bearhawk]

This is probably the best music the Tiny Desk ever had on. That bass player is amazing and so is the mom on guitar. I am glad their is still inspired music being made.

[philippegontier]

Congrats to Josephine Nyounai, Audio Engineer in NPR !! Great job Josephine !!

[rodriguezvictor]

There should be a "double like" button just for this video.