Photo by Jackie Lee Young
Today, Grammy-winning guitarists, Black Pumas co-found and producer Adrian Quesada announced his second LP of 2022, Jaguar Sound, will release on Nov. 18 via ATO Records. In celebration of the project, which follows his acclaimed release Boleros Psicodélicos, Quesada will release the lead single titled “Noble Metals” tomorrow, Oct. 5.
The new instrumental album once again sees Quesada show his signature ability to bridge hip-hop with psychedelic soul while tapping into his own personal experiences. Jaguar Sound also features influences from 1970s Italian film scores and came together during isolation during the pandemic.
In a press release, Quesada outlined his time during the pandemic and the inspiration behind the LP. “I just rode my bike every single day and listened to The Alchemist. I’d come back home and crank out beats,” said Quesada. “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.”
Jaguar Sound was produced, written, engineered, mixed and performed at Quesada’s Electric Deluxe Studio in Austin, Texas. The project features additions from Ikebe Shakedown, harp by Mary Lattimore, piano from Neal Francis, David Garza on keys and an array of strings, horns and percussion. The recording of Jaguar Sound happened alongside the creation of the aforementioned Boleros Psicodélicos, which Quesada showcased last week at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., last week in honor of The Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s 35th Anniversary of Hispanic Heritage Month.
It’s also notable that Quesada is getting ready to bring both of his 2022 LPs to Austin City Limits this weekend. On Saturday, Oct. 8, he’ll 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, the following day, the same line up will appear for 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.
