If you were to ask Joey Quiones where he found inspiration for his music, you wouldnt have to look far from where the East LA son grew up. Listen to his work, and youre transported to a two-block radius of his neighborhoodfrom the liquor store to Sign of Music record store on Whittier Boulevard and back to a homies house. In those two blocks, you hear cumbia blaring from the stores, punk rehearsals from a garage, oldies drifting from a neighbors yarda sensory overload that follows you home, all those genres singing in your head at once.
This isnt a revelation to longtime fans of Quiones music. He has established himself as a premier interpreter of his generation, dedicating his career to offering his unique perspective on the Chicano soul songbook. But before Thee Sinseers, before the lush orchestrations and pitch-perfect harmonies that became his signature, Quiones cut his teeth leading various backing bands for visiting Jamaican ska and dancehall acts touring Southern California. He describes those years as reggae college, getting yelled at by every Jamaican artist who had a record out. Those years of apprenticeship in rock steady and roots reggae would inform everything that followedand on his new solo record Inna Soul Steady Situation, Quiones finally showcases those influences front and center.
That quintessential blending of styles rings out immediately on the opening track Soul Steady SituationQuioness vocals enter like a selector toasting over the riddim, an alarm call announcing his intentions with an urgency that feels club-ready and immediate. Then comes the classic drum fill, dropping into a rock steady groove that establishes the vibe: this is dancehall-infused soul meant for movement, not just contemplation. Its a deliberate departure from Thee Sinseers lush orchestrations, stripped down to showcase the Jamaican foundations that have always lived beneath Quioness work.
Before you know it, youve taken off on a sonic soul spaceship with Quiones at the helm, supported by his two-person crew: Eric Johnson from Thee Sinseers on saxophone and Eleazar from the Brown Boyz on piano, as you cruise across silver-lined clouds and dip your toes into dreamy moonlit grooves found on Dont Let Go, Driftin and One More Night.
What Quiones manages to do on this recordwith the full support of Colemine Records, the defining label for contemporary soul music happening right nowis prove time and time again that he is an artist willing to take risks and continue to show his prowess when it comes to experimenting with different styles, while still being able to authentically express himself. Its a partnership built on trust: Colemine has established itself as the premier destination for modern soul artists pushing the genre forward, recognizing that genre-blurring isnt a gimmick but the natural evolution of soul music itself.
With that authentic self-expression, Quiones and his crew manage to squeeze in some lighthearted fun as well, establishing a sense of equilibrium to counteract the heavier emotional overtones found on previous Sinseers efforts. A perfect example is Bolsita, a tongue-in-cheek party song paying homage to iconic anthems like Tequila by The Champs and Tighten Up by Archie Bell & the Drells. But Quiones doesnt stop therehe folds in electric boogaloo, early Ray Charles big band energy, and the Latin soul flourishes of Joe Cuba and Willie Coln, creating something that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Eric Johnsons saxophone takes center stage, adding playful solos that widen the sonic spectrum. The term bolsita, which translates to little bag, serves as the lingua franca for lets get the party startedits admittedly corny, Quiones will tell you, but its the kind of song where everybodys going to shout along whether they like it or not. And thats precisely the point.
By the time you reach the end of the record, having followed Quiones across various genres and eras, you realize youve witnessed an artist in his prime doing what the best always do: capturing something deeply specificChicano identity, East LAs sonic DNAand in that specificity, revealing something universal. Its music that transcends age, race, geography, and class precisely because it refuses to sand down its edges. Cross-generational talent building timeless appeal, one genre-blurring groove at a time.

Format / LP
Released /05/29/2026
Catalogue /CLMN-12047lp-C1
Barcode / 648564358337
Artist / Joey Quiones
Label /Colemine Records
Genre /Funk / Soul