About Luquado
Luquado
Live electronic music performer, producer, vocalist, and songwriter
Luquado is a New York City-based electronic music artist/vocalist, songwriter, and live performer. His music blends electronic, melodic, ambient, cinematic, and acoustic piano soundscapes into a genre-fluid style. Driven by the belief that music moves & connects us, he creates sonic journeys that connect people through a shared experience of sound and storytelling.
Telling Stories
Luquado approaches production, songwriting & composing as "storytelling production," allowing his music to transcend genre.
He often weaves common themes and emotional arcs into his work, creating a unified experience whether the listener is hearing a synth-heavy dance track, a raw acoustic piano & vocal song, a sweeping ambient piece, or electronic music combined with orchestral elements. His approach ensures that his music is not just a collection of songs but at times a series of interconnected narratives, often serving as a chapter in a larger narrative to be seen when looking back at the whole. He wants to give listeners a cohesive yet dynamic experience, inviting fans to follow along on a journey that is both sonically and emotionally rich.
Musical History
Luquado's musical journey began early, teaching himself piano by ear at age five growing up in Ohio and reading chords a few years later.
This foundation of independent learning extended to electronic music, which he began exploring in his teens. His forward-thinking mindset was evident in the late '90s, when he was one of the first independent artists to leverage emerging technologies for fan engagement. His early CDs featured hidden data tracks that gave fans access to exclusive online content and private fan club experiences, and he was an early adopter of web technologies to make being a one-man-show possible. This dedication to connecting with his audience continued in 2004 when he became the first artist to use podcasting for self-promotion, and he was invited as a speaker & panelist about the future of podcasting at music conferences & events such as SXSW and CMJ.
This history of embracing new platforms to enable connection with his audience continues today with his live improvised music streams on Twitch.
Genre-Spanning Producer, Arranger, & Educator
While Luquado is known for his work in electronic genres including house- & trance-influenced grooves, progressive & deep techno, and melodic/ambient, his creative scope is much wider.
Luquado has worked in funk, rock, pop, hip-hop, jazz, a cappella, and more. As the co-founder and musical/creative director of the New York Holiday Singers, he has directed the group in high-profile performances, including opening for Pentatonix and multiple national television appearances including several Good Morning America featured performances, interviews on CBS Sunday Morning & New York Friday Night Live, and more.
He has been invited to lecture at numerous private events and public & private conferences (including the Brooklyn Synth & Pedal Expo) about creativity & improvisation both in general non-musical terms and in music, and he is the creator of Groove Academy, a NYC-based program designed to help vocal performers improve rhythm & “groove” sensibilities within an ensemble. This broad experience gives his solo work a unique depth, allowing him to blend diverse influences into a sound that is both complex & layered while still being accessible.
A Complete Creative Vision
Luquado’s music is a reflection of his all-encompassing approach to his work.
As a self-taught musician, producer, composer/arranger, and designer, he maintains full creative control over his creative output. He not only produces and records his music but also currently creates his own videos, photos, and artwork, ensuring that every piece of the project aligns with his artistic vision. This complete creative process is at the heart of his music, allowing him to craft a singular experience for his audience.
Et Alia
Luquado is also a coffee & cocktail aficionado, avid home chef, video editor & motion graphics designer, and technologist.
His consulting & development agency Mattermind specializes in helping small- and medium-sized businesses find technological solutions to their business operations, often crafting management platforms from scratch. He resides in New York City, where he loves to cook and experiment with different ways of making delicious coffee when he's not creating music as Luquado, his holiday & pop-rock alter ego Greg Kefalas, or his prog-folk/rock passion project Conspiracy of Violet.
Equipment List
Streaming Rig
Keyboards & Hardware
- Kawai MP7se
- Roland SYSTEM-8
- Korg minilogue xd
- Yamaha TG-500
- Yamaha SY-85
- Waldorf Blofeld
- Behringer TD-3
- Korg wavestate module mk II
- Commodore 64 with MSSIAH cartridge
Software & VSTs i
- Ableton Live + FX
- Devious Machines Pitch Monster
- Fracture Sounds
- Woodchester Piano
- Glacier Keys
- Midnight Grand
- Spitfire Audio
- BBC Symphony Orchestra Professional
- LABS
- Albion
- Felt Instruments
- Lekko
- Blisko Cello
- Helenko
- Teletone Audio
- Scarbo
- Le Gibet
- Postcard Piano
- Custom Ableton drum rack
- Future Audio Workshop SubLab XL
- Tina Guo Cello
- Nami Audio Quasar
- FXpansion Strobe 2
- Karanyi Sounds Continuo & Continuo 2
- e-instruments Desolate Guitars
- Emergence Audio
- Violin Textures
- Infinite Upright
- Cherry Audio
- Dreamsynth DS-1
- Rigid Audio Grainstates
- VCV Rack Pro
- Erased Notes MIDI Matrix
- nativeKONTROL ClyphX Pro + custom scripts
- Purple Audio MC 77
- Valhalla DSP
- Supermassive
- VintageVerb
- Room
- NoiseAsh FrozenVerb
Controllers & Other
- M1 Mac mini
- Ableton Push 3
- Akai MPK249
- LaunchPad X
- 3x LaunchControl XL
- Behringer FCB1010
- Akai LPD8
- RME Digiface USB
- Focusrite Scarlett 18i20
- Focusrite Octopre
- Behringer ADA8200
- iConnectivity mioXL
- Vanguard Audio V13 microphone
- Great River ME-1NV preamp
- Shure PSM300 Wireless Monitor System
- Moondrop Blessing 3 IEMs
Live/Touring Rig
Keyboards & Hardware
- Roland TR-8s
- Moog Minitaur
- Roland SE-02
- Access Virus-C
- Korg minilogue xd module
- Waldorf Blofeld Desktop
- 1010music nanobox tangerine
- Roland S-1
Software & VSTs
- Ableton Live + FX
- Devious Machines Pitch Monster
- Valhalla DSP
- Supermassive
- VintageVerb
Controllers & Other
- M2 Macbook Pro
- RME Fireface UCX II
- Roland MX-1
- OXI One MKII
- OXI One
- Faderfox PC4
- M2 Macbook Pro
- Ableton Live (FX & routing)
- Conductive Labs MRCC
