New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Today, on the heels of his acclaimed Boleros Psicodélicos LP, Adrian Quesada announces the release of Jaguar Sound. Out November 18th on ATO Records, the twelve-track collection marks the second new album of the year from the Grammy-winning guitarist, producer and
Black Pumas co-founder, further showcasing his singular and signature ability to build a bridge between seemingly disparate worlds of music. Steeped in a heady fusion of hip-hop, psychedelic soul and the opulent orchestration of Italian film scores from the 1970s, the LP draws inspiration from life during the first few isolated months of the pandemic, as well as his experience growing up on the border of multiple countries, cultures and languages. Featuring a special appearance from Ikebe Shakedown, as well as harp by Mary Lattimore, Neal Francis on piano, keys from
David Garza and an array of strings, horns and percussion, Jaguar Sound was produced, written, engineered, mixed and largely performed by Adrian Quesada at his own Electric
Deluxe studio in Austin, TX.
Pre-order Jaguar Sound and listen to lead single "Noble Metals," out today:
https://atorecords-ffm.com/noblemetals
Originally conceived during the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown, Jaguar Sound is an instrumental opus filled with musical themes, motifs and an amalgamation of genres that reflect a particular time, emotion and personal set of obsessions in Adrian Quesada's life. "I just rode my bike every single day and listened to The Alchemist," he says. "I'd come back home and crank out beats. Film scores and 1970s library music have always played a big part in my musical language as they paint a cinematic picture without words and that is very much something I draw influence from. It eventually got to the point where I wanted to bring them to life in my own way and turn them into songs. I started setting some aside that matched thematically, and I began recording live instrumentation. I find as I get older that sometimes I feel a responsibility to show the possibility to build bridges and coexist between different worlds. I want someone to discover something they normally wouldn't entertain."
Recording for Jaguar Sound took place alongside the making of Boleros Psicodélicos, released earlier in 2022 to praise from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, NPR Music, Variety and more, as well as appearances on NPR Morning Edition, Broken Record, The Takeaway, World Cafe and beyond. While hip-hop has been the most significant influence on Adrian Quesada and his evolution as a producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has worked with the likes of Prince, Los Lobos and Wu-Tang's GZA, Boleros Psicodélicos served as a sweeping tribute to his longtime love for Latin American balada music. Uniting a community of collaborators such as
Angelica Garcia, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Gaby Moreno, Girl Ultra, iLe, Marc Ribot, Money Mark, Tita and numerous others, the album "does for psychedelic boleros what the Buena Vista Social Club did for the Cuban son. It's a perfect recreation of a lost era, demonstrating that its source material has transcended the limitations of time" (Rolling Stone).
Following a special performance of Boleros Psicodélicos highlight "Mentiras Con Cariño"at The Kennedy Center last week, accompanied by iLe and the American Pops Orchestra in honor of The Hispanic Heritage Foundation's 35th Anniversary of Hispanic Heritage Month, Adrian Quesada is preparing to bring the music of both his 2022 albums to Austin City Limits this weekend. On Saturday, October 8th, he will be joined by featured Boleros Psicodélicos vocalists
Angelica Garcia, Girl Ultra, iLe, Mireya Ramos,
Natalia Clavier, Rudy De Anda and Tita, as well as Clemente Castillo, for a hometown set at Austin City Limits
Music Festival. The same lineup of guest artists will return with Quesada on Sunday, October 9th, at a taping of the 48th Season of Austin City Limits' PBS program that will also include the live debut of multiple songs from Jaguar Sound.
Jaguar Sound Tracklist
Reflection with Two Children
Noble Metals
Rise of the Have Nots
Spirits feat. Ikebe Shakedown
Starry Nights
Alberto's Loop
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Woman
Fireflies
Turk's Cap
The Inquisitor
DG on the Keys
Final Portrait
