When Los Lobos' Steve Berlin sent me an audio file of a band he was producing, I stopped what I was doing and listened closely. There was something about the energy coming from Enrique Chi's vocals as the rest of Making Movies enveloped him in sound.

The band has been making fans across the country one gig at a time, one song at a time — whether singing in English or Spanish, whether playing guitars or stringed instruments that come directly from Making Movies' ancestral Panama, whether playing drums or dancing a Mexican zapateado.

One of the joys of co-hosting Alt.Latino for the last four and half years has been the way the show has helped me discover new artists who make me feel as if I've been listening to them for years. It's going to a fun ride watching this young band grow and develop from such a strong start. Watch the video here and join us on the ground floor.

Set List

"Pendulum Swing"

"Cuna De Vida"

"Chase Your Tail"

Credits

Producers: Felix Contreras, Maggie Stabrard; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Colin Marshall, Maggie Starbard; Assistant Producer: Susan Hale Thomas; photo by Susan Hale Thomas/NPR