美国国家公共电台 NPR--Adrian Quesada pays psychedelic tribute to boleros in his new album

Adrian Quesada pays psychedelic tribute to boleros in his new album

Transcript¹

Adrian Quesada is musical royalty² in Austin, Texas – a former leading member of the Grammy-winning Latin funk orchestra Grupo Fantasma, central wrangler³ of the Echocentrics and most recently as one-half of Black Pumas⁴, with Eric Burton.

But the origin of Quesada's latest project, an album he's titled Boleros Psicodélicos, is to be found well before much of that – on a road in Austin, some 20 years ago.

To hear the broadcast version of this conversation, use the audio player at the top of this page.

A Martínez, Morning Edition: So Adrian, take us back to that moment when you first heard the music that inspired this new album – a couple of decades ago.

Adrian Quesada: I was driving and I was just kind of shuffling⁶ through radio stations. And I remember hearing Los Pasteles Verdes's "Esclavo Y Amo." I'd never heard anything like that. I'd never heard that band. Usually, when I would turn on those stations it was kind of more regional music. It was, like, cumbia and mariachi, Norteno, stuff like that. And I actually pulled over and had to call the station. I remember the next day I immediately went to look for that stuff, and I couldn't find it anywhere. I thought it would be, like, 'Oh, I could just buy the vinyl at Waterloo Records!' But I had to find a more mom-and-pop shop that sold regional Mexican music. I found it on CD – I found a greatest hits. And I would go back there every once in a while. You really had to go to [a] mom-and-pop type of store.

So this is, like, the turn of the century. You're in your early 20s. As you mentioned, you're driving around Austin, Texas. I mean, what made it a thunderstruck moment to you?

Well, I had a few moments, but I remember specifically as soon as it started, it sounded like a hip-hop beat. It sounded like a Wu-Tang Clan⁷ song. And then the singing was so dramatic and so passionate⁸ and just really psychedelic – it had, like, a slap-back delay and reverb, and it was just amazing. And that was it. You know, at that time I was even more of a psychedelic person than I am now, and it just completely blew my mind. This is the craziest thing I've ever heard. It was so wild.

My producer [Chad Campbell] and I were talking about Boleros Psicodélicos, and he said that if Quentin Tarantino had been born in Mexico, some of these songs would be on the soundtrack of his next movie. So break it down for us. First, what is a bolero? And then, what makes these songs 'psicodélicos?'

So a bolero, in essence, means a ballad⁹ ... I wouldn't personally be playing [them] on my Walkman or Discman or whatever, but I definitely grew up hearing a lot of it around me. It was a much more traditional music, that came from Cuba and had a heavy presence in Mexico. A lot of trios harmonizing vocals¹⁰, and acoustic¹¹ guitar or some light percussion¹². Absolutely gorgeous music. And I have a huge appreciation¹³ for it now that I didn't when I was young.

With Boleros Psicodélicos, it's a little bit of a loose term – people called it The Balada Movement. I just loved the term Boleros Psicodélicos because I read that one time and just kind of ran with it, because it was kind of a worldwide thing where all of a sudden this style of song was electrified¹⁴. Then you had the influence of that psychedelic era, where people were playing these dreamy organs and guitars with tons of reverb that sounded like surf music. And then on top of that, I think the rhythm sections, the drums and the bass¹⁵, were definitely influenced by American soul music. You could tell that the drums would have been easily equally as comfortable on an Al Green record or something like that. So you had this really cool melting pot of a moment that just completely blew my mind.

I'm sure with the success of Black Pumas you're pretty busy. What happened, where you felt that you could devote the time and the energy and the research to put this album together?

Well, the research has been happening for a long time, because I've just been slowly accumulating the music. But honestly the pandemic was, you know – I don't want to ever say that the pandemic was a blessing¹⁶, but in terms of my time, all of a sudden my entire calendar year for 2020 went away ... And also, to be totally honest, it's kind of what was keeping me a little bit sane¹⁷ – from going into a big depression. It was an intense year in 2020. I remember feeling super inspired, cranking out all this music. And everybody was like, 'I got all this free time' and people were making bread and whatever.

Over those two decades, from that moment it struck you on the road in Austin until you had the time to devote to it, how much time would you say you've put into thinking about this project? Or at least, putting something together about this type of music?

I'd say in the last almost-10 years, I've started to kind of think about it. But I just get busy, you know. Touring takes it out of you. I try to explain that to people. If it looks like somebody is on tour and then you see that they're home for one or two months or whatever, it isn't quite how you imagine. It takes a lot to transition out of. And so I've been wanting to do it forever, but work and family life just always kept me from having the time. Like I said, this is the first year where my entire calendar cleared – and everybody else's.

With this style of music and the way you're doing it with this album, what would you say is the instrument that stands out the most? The one that we can really hear that almost has a starring turn?

I would probably say that it's the organ. You know, the organ sounds on these are so ominous¹⁸, beautiful. That's probably the thing that distinguishes this.

I mentioned earlier how you were collaborating¹⁹ with so many different people, so many really great artists. And I know artists have very strong opinions about how they want things to turn out. So what can we hear in this album where maybe you were doing stuff that was new or unfamiliar²⁰ to you? Or that was suggested by one of the artists and said, 'Hey, Adrian, let's try this.'

Oh yeah, "Mentiras Con⁵ Carino" by iLe. That was one of the last songs we did on the album. I had been showing everybody these playlists, and I remember her calling me back and saying, 'I love the playlist, but have you ever heard...?' And she dropped, like, another 10 songs on me that I had not heard. And she actually wanted to break away from the palette of some of the other songs, that organ and guitar. She was like, 'Sandro was an incredible artist who was recording²¹ at that same era and you can hear a little bit of this and that.'

I had some demos that I was going to send her, and after that I was like, 'Oh God, I got to go back to the drawing board and listen to the stuff!' I processed that for about a week or two and came back. I think it was the best thing that could have happened. I'm just still super thankful that she kind of shook me up a little bit. You don't want to get too complacent²² doing something like that.

So now that you finally were able to put this 20-year dream and made it a reality, what do you think might be easier the second time around? If there is a second time.

Oh God, to have people in the same room! You know, I grew up an only child, and so I'm totally comfortable working for days on end by myself. But I do think that at some point, music and art really benefit from having another set of eyes and ears on it. And so some of these collaborations I think would be really special if we could actually be in the room. And just from a technical standpoint, it was a little bit of a bear to wrestle²³ at the end to bring it all home and make it sound cohesive²⁴. Because some people recorded in an apartment, some people recorded in a studio, some people recorded in a corner closet, and it was all over the place. So to have everybody in the room I think would be incredible because there's a certain magic that happens when you actually have people reacting in real time to each other.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

3 wrangler   

n.口角者，争论者；牧马者

参考例句：

• When the strangled wrangler dangles the mangled spangles on the bangle jangle.被绞死的辩论者晃荡时，手镯上撕碎的小金属片发出刺耳的声音。
• A wrangler is a cowboy who works with cattle and horses.牧马者是放牧牛马的牛仔。

4 pumas   

n.美洲狮( puma的名词复数 )；彪马；于1948年成立于德国荷索金劳勒(Herzogenaurach)的国际运动品牌；创始人：鲁道夫及达斯勒。

参考例句：

• Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America. 美洲狮是一种体形似猫的大动物，产于美洲。 来自新概念英语第三册
• But forget that for the pumas and lynx at the Queens Zoo. 而皇后动物园的美洲狮和猞猁却完全不吃这一套。 来自互联网

5 con   

n.反对的观点，反对者，反对票，肺病；vt.精读，学习，默记；adv.反对地，从反面；adj.欺诈的

参考例句：

• We must be fair and consider the reason pro and con.我们必须公平考虑赞成和反对的理由。
• The motion is adopted non con.因无人投反对票，协议被通过。

6 shuffling   

adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Don't go shuffling along as if you were dead. 别像个死人似地拖着脚走。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some one was shuffling by on the sidewalk. 外面的人行道上有人拖着脚走过。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

7 clan   

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

• She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。
• The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。

8 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

9 ballad   

n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲

参考例句：

• This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。
• This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。

10 vocals   

（乐曲中的）歌唱部份，声乐部份( vocal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Also look out for soaring vocals on The Right Man. 另外，也可留意一下《意中人》中的那高亢的唱腔。
• Lazy bass line, lazier drums, lush violins, great piano and incomparable vocals. 懒惰的低音线，较懒惰的鼓，饮小提琴，棒的钢琴和无比的声音。

11 acoustic   

adj.听觉的，声音的；(乐器)原声的

参考例句：

• The hall has a fine acoustic.这个大厅的传音效果很好。
• Animals use a whole rang of acoustic, visual,and chemical signals in their systems of communication.动物利用各种各样的听觉、视觉和化学信号来进行交流。

12 percussion   

n.打击乐器；冲突，撞击；震动，音响

参考例句：

• In an orchestra,people who play percussion instruments sit at the back.在管弦乐队中，演奏打击乐器的人会坐在后面。
• Percussion of the abdomen is often omitted.腹部叩诊常被省略。

13 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

14 electrified   

v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 )；使兴奋

参考例句：

• The railway line was electrified in the 1950s. 这条铁路线在20世纪50年代就实现了电气化。
• The national railway system has nearly all been electrified. 全国的铁路系统几乎全部实现了电气化。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

16 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

17 sane   

adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的

参考例句：

• He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。
• He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。

18 ominous   

adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的

参考例句：

• Those black clouds look ominous for our picnic.那些乌云对我们的野餐来说是个不祥之兆。
• There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.电话那头出现了不祥的沉默。

19 collaborating   

合作( collaborate的现在分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• Joe is collaborating on the work with a friend. 乔正与一位朋友合作做那件工作。
• He was not only learning from but also collaborating with Joseph Thomson. 他不仅是在跟约瑟福？汤姆逊学习，而且也是在和他合作。

20 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

21 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

22 complacent   

adj.自满的；自鸣得意的

参考例句：

• We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
• She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

23 wrestle   

vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付

参考例句：

• He taught his little brother how to wrestle.他教他小弟弟如何摔跤。
• We have to wrestle with difficulties.我们必须同困难作斗争。

24 cohesive   

adj.有粘着力的；有结合力的；凝聚性的

参考例句：

• She sealed the parcel with cohesive tape.她用粘胶带把包裹封起来。
• The author skillfully fuses these fragments into a cohesive whole.作者将这些片断巧妙地结合成一个连贯的整体。