Long before “sync licensing” became a buzzword and San Diego started getting its long-overdue shine, Josquin Des Pres was already laying the foundation for the city’s global music footprint.
A French-born bassist, composer, producer, publisher, and all-around sonic architect, Josquin has quietly built one of the most diverse and successful music careers you’ll find rooted in Southern California. With over 2,000 placements in TV, film, and multimedia—from Deadliest Catch, The Bachelor, Ellen, Oprah, American Idol, and nearly 500 tracks for MTV shows alone—his soundtracks have touched every corner of pop culture. But what might surprise you is that much of it comes straight out of San Diego.
“I’ve always had a deep, sometimes obsessive, love for music—and not just the art, but the business behind it,” Josquin says. “What kept me in the game all these years was a mix of survival and that relentless passion.”
From progressive jazz fusion in Europe in the ’70s to L.A.’s hard rock scene in the ’80s, Josquin has played with some of the greats—Edition Speciale, Didier Lockwood, Jerry Goodman, Jimmy Crespo of Aerosmith—as well as most prominent studio musicians of the past four decades—and yet it’s San Diego where he’s chosen to build his empire.
“By the ’90s, I landed in San Diego producing talent for Cargo Music,” he recalls. “That chapter was special. I brought in world-class musicians I’d worked with around the globe to elevate local acts and help shape what became the San Diego sound.”
And elevated it, he did. He’s worked with a who’s who of SoCal music: Lisa Sanders, The Young Dubliners, Slightly Stoopid, Jason Mraz, Sara Petite—and also global stars like Bernie Taupin, Jack Johnson, and various members of the Gipsy Kings. “For me, it always comes down to the artist and the song—what they’re trying to say and where it’s coming from,” he explains. “I’m not here to leave my fingerprints all over someone’s soul. My job is to guide, not shape.”
That artist-first approach is on full display at Track Star Studios, Josquin’s creative sanctuary perched atop Mount Helix. “It’s not just about music—it’s about understanding the person behind it,” he says. “I only work with artists I genuinely connect with. The surroundings—art, nature, panoramic views—they all help keep the spark alive.”
It’s not just the studio work that defines him. Josquin is an educator, a tech innovator, and a futurist. He’s authored 18 books through Hal Leonard Publishing, developed guitar and bass apps, and co-created digital music tools like Instant PopStar and Nomad Factory plugins for DAWs. “Every day feels like a renaissance to me,” he says.
“I start my mornings with new music—I want to be inspired by what’s next, not what’s behind.”
That forward-thinking ethos powers his latest venture, Utonium Music – Songs Without Borders, a label he co-founded with business partner Roxanne Stone that blends top artists across borders and genres. The idea for Utonium Music was sparked by the success of a duet Josquin and songwriter Michael Natter orchestrated between Grammy-winner Jason Mraz and Reneé Dominique—an artist Josquin discovered singing in a Samsung commercial. The song went on to rack up over 200 million streams. “It’s about creating global hits with real meaning,” Josquin says. “Music doesn’t recognize borders—why should we? Still, for all his global reach, Josquin remains committed to the San Diego scene. Sometimes, I think it’s not the outsiders who don’t get San Diego—it’s the locals who underestimate it,” he notes. “Being 100 miles from L.A. can be intimidating, but the talent here is undeniable. San Diego just has to believe in itself.”
And maybe that’s Josquin’s greatest production—building confidence in a city full of creative giants who don’t need outside validation. With his decades-long career, endless reinvention, and sharp ear for what matters, Josquin Des Pres proves that the professional music industry isn’t just passing through San Diego. It’s being rewritten from here.
https://dot.cards/josquindespres
