Inspired by traditional son jarocho music of Veracruz, Mexico, and spiked with urban rhythms, rock and R&B, East LA Chicano group Quetzal will release Imaginaries, its 5th album and 1st for Smithsonian Folkways, on Feb. 28, 2012.

Listen to the title-track, "Imaginaries"

Quetzal, called "provocative, heartfelt and strikingly original" by the LA Times and founded by guitarist Quetzal Flores, rose from the ashes of uprisings in LA in 1992 as a vehicle for social commentary and activism

Imaginaries is the 35th release in the Smithsonian Folkways Tradiciones/Traditions series since 2002. The series, a co-production with the Smithsonian Latino Center, showcases the diverse musical heritage of the 50 million Latinos living in the USA. Quetzal will be performing in LA on January 6 @ Fais Do Do. West Coast tour dates for spring will be announced soon.