John Tejada

John Tejada (born 21 April 1974) is an Austrian-born American electronic music producer and composer. Tejada's output of music began in 1994, including four albums for Kompakt, plus releases on Pokerflat, Cocoon, Plug Research, Seventh City, Playhouse, Defected, and his own label of 22 years, Palette Recordings.^[1]^[2]

Early life

Tejada was born on 21 April 1974 in Vienna, Austria, and moved to Los Angeles in 1982 with his parents, both classically trained professional musicians. After learning the piano at age 4 and drums at age 8, Tejada was introduced to hip-hop music, and at age 12 received his first turntable and mixer. His first gig was that same year, when he began DJing the school dances. By 1991, he was already creating his own recordings, and in 1994 he released a single with Arian Leviste.^[3]

Disc jockey career

Tejada began traveling internationally in 1997 to showcase his DJing skills around the globe. He has traveled to more than 25 countries and performed live at clubs and festivals around the world, including the Detroit Electronic Music Festival (aka Movement), Sónar (in Spain and Tokyo), Decibel Festival (Seattle), Dance Valley (Netherlands), Sync Festival (Greece), Mutek (Montreal and Mexico), as well as internationally known spaces such as Berghain (Berlin), Fabric (London), Yellow (Tokyo), Rex Club (Paris), Output (NYC), Dekmantel (Amsterdam), Guggenheim (Bilbao), The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (Los Angeles), and twice at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.^[3]

Collaborations

Tejada has also been responsible for remixing dozens of acts including The Postal Service,^[4] Télépopmusic,^[5] The Field,^[6] Bomb the Bass,^[5] Way Out West,^[7] Kevin Saunderson,^[4] Darren Emerson, Gui Boratto,^[6] and Simian Mobile Disco. Tejada's latest venture is as Wajatta (with international star Reggie Watts) with their debut album being released on May 11, 2018.^[8]

Discography

Albums

Little Green Lights and Four Inch Faders (1998) – A13
The Matrix of Us (2000) – Defocus
Daydreams In Cold Weather (2002) – Plug Research
The Toiling of Idle Hands (2003) – Immigrant Records
Logic Memory Center (2004) – Plug Research
Cleaning Sound is a Filthy Business (2006) – Palette Recordings
Where (2008) – Palette Recordings
Parabolas (2011) – Kompakt
The Predicting Machine (2012) – Kompakt
Signs Under Test (2015) – Kompakt
Dead Start Program (2018) – Kompakt
Live Rytm Trax (2018) – Palette
Year of the Living Dead (2021) – Kompakt
Resound (2023) – Palette

EPs

Ebonics (1997) – Palette Recordings
Genre (1998) – Palette Recordings
Sonic Life (1998) – Ferox Records
Song Forms & Freedom (2000) – Mosaic
The Cover Up (2000) – 1200 Music
Connection Remixes (2001) – Sheep Records
Mating Rhythm (2001) – Mosaic
The Toiling of Idle Hands (2004) – Immigrant
Voyager (2005) – Palette Recordings
Sweat (On the Walls) (2004) – Poker Flat Recordings
Not That, But This (2011) – Trapez
Acid Test 10 (2016) – Absurd Recordings
Therapy (2016) – Palette Recordings
Acid Test 12 (2017) – Absurd Recordings

Compilation albums

Fabric 44 – John Tejada (2009) – Fabric (London)
The 7th City Years (2012) – Palette Recordings

Collaborative albums

Wajatta

Casual High Technology (2018) – Comedy Dynamics
Don't Let Get You Down (2020) – Brainfeeder

References

^ Roberts, Randall (7 March 2018). "Reggie Watts and John Tejada announce release of "Casual High Technology," their debut album as Wajatta". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
^ "In pictures: John Tejada's gear-stuffed studio". Music Radar. 12 February 2015.
^ ^a ^b "John Tejada". Decibel Festival. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
^ ^a ^b Bein, Kat (27 February 2019). "Reggie Watts & John Tejada Share Their Favorite House Tracks: Exclusive". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
^ ^a ^b Brooks, Dave (24 November 2017). "First Listen: Reggie Watts and John Tejada's 'Runnin'". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
^ ^a ^b Matos, Michaelangelo (26 August 2020). "A Guide to All 20 Volumes of Kompakt's "Total" Series". Bandcamp. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
^ "Tracks by Way Out West". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
^ Orlov, Piotr (3 May 2018). "Reggie Watts' New Electro-Pop Album With John Tejada Is Wajatta Fun". NPR. Retrieved 20 November 2020.

External links

Palette Recordings
John Tejada at AllMusic
John Tejada discography at Discogs
RBMA Radio On Demand – Train Wreck Mix – John Tejada (Palette Rec., LA)
(in French) Interview John Tejada – Actualites Electroniques
(in English) Interview John Tejada – Actualites Electroniques

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[latimes-1] Roberts, Randall (7 March 2018). "Reggie Watts and John Tejada announce release of "Casual High Technology," their debut album as Wajatta". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 November 2020.

[musicradar-2] "In pictures: John Tejada's gear-stuffed studio". Music Radar. 12 February 2015.

[decibel-3] "John Tejada". Decibel Festival. Retrieved 20 November 2020.

[billboard-4] Bein, Kat (27 February 2019). "Reggie Watts & John Tejada Share Their Favorite House Tracks: Exclusive". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 20 November 2020.

[billboard2-5] Brooks, Dave (24 November 2017). "First Listen: Reggie Watts and John Tejada's 'Runnin'". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 20 November 2020.

[bandcamp-6] Matos, Michaelangelo (26 August 2020). "A Guide to All 20 Volumes of Kompakt's "Total" Series". Bandcamp. Retrieved 20 November 2020.

[7] "Tracks by Way Out West". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 20 November 2020.

[npr-8] Orlov, Piotr (3 May 2018). "Reggie Watts' New Electro-Pop Album With John Tejada Is Wajatta Fun". NPR. Retrieved 20 November 2020.

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