*Singer/Songwriter/Multi-instrumentalist Raul Midón has been creatively shattering boundaries in the Jazz and Pop worlds for the last decade.
His soulful and funky artistry goes way beyond any notion of genre – it is musicianship, charisma, timing, songwriting and personality that unmistakably solidify the context of his songs.
His music commands listeners with open minds, open ears and open hearts.
Blind at birth, he is often compared to Stevie Wonder and Jose Feliciano and while those comparisons are indeed flattering you also will hear influences of Steely Dan, Sting and the late great Al Jarreau. Raul still early in his career has already been endorsed by greats as diverse as Grammy Nominated Louie Vega and the living legend Bill Withers (appearing in his documentary “Still Bill”).
His guitar playing is masterful and enables him to move effortlessly, while creating a sound that’s both warm and familiar.
“He plays with such freedom and joy that his hands smile. His slapping style allows him to play a melody while creating percussion as he plays without disrupting either sound, and busts out his improvisational mouth-horn technique, in which he creates a bebop “trumpet” solo entirely with his lips, earning himself a spontaneous burst of mid-song applause from the audience in the process” – Huffington Post.
On his latest effort Bad Ass and Blind he attests to enduring ambitions. Raul was a featured artist with the 2016 Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour, which also included the likes of stars Nicholas Payton, Gerald Clayton, and Gregory Hutchinson, whom he tapped to play this project along with Joe Sanders and others.
There are songs on Bad Ass and Blind sure to please fans of Midón’s earlier albums, beginning with the title track, which in fact was written and recorded after the album was almost completed. The tour de force piece finds Midón celebrating blindness with a ripping guitar solo, a fierce spoken word rhyme, slamming bass by Richard Hammond (Hamilton) and drumming by Lionel Cordew (Spyro Gyra). These musical gems come with a story that Raul himself breaks down for us. “Bad Ass and Blind is a kind of personal coming out party for me. Believe it or not I am a shy person especially when it comes to my blindness. This album, in general, and this song in particular, represents a sea change for me when it comes to communicating with the public about my disability. I am what I am. I travel the world, write, produce, sing, play and, do it all without the benefit of sight. I’m a bad ass.”
This is the 2nd album that Raul has both produced and engineered. His work is bold, and dynamic and demonstrates his abilities in the manner of a genius. This latest release is sure to leave a lasting impression on both existing fans and new fans alike.
Upcoming Raul Midón Performances:
March 24 | Highline Ballroom | New York, NY
March 25| David Friend Recital Hall- Berklee, Boston
March 26| Ridgefield Playhouse- Ridgefield, CT
March 29| Centerstage- Reston, VA
April 2| Singa Jazz- Singapore
April 4-6| Blue Note – Tokyo
April 9| Nighttown – Cleveland
April 14| Jazz Café at Music Hall- Detroit
April 16| Space- Evanston, IL
April 17| Dakota- Minneapolis
April 19| Soiled Dove- Denver
April 21& 22| Blue Whale- Los Angeles
April 23| Yoshi’s- Oakland
April 26| Tin Pan- Richmond
May 2| L’Entrepot- Le Haillan, France
May 3| Paul B- Massy, France
May 4| L’Avant Seine- Colombes, France
May 5| Salle des Fetes de Vernouillet- Vernouillet, France
May 6| Espace Michel Berger- Franconville, France
May 9| Salle Nougaro- Toulouse, France
May 11| Theatre National De Bretagne- Rennes, France
May 12| Casino De Saint-Julien- St Julien En Genevois
May 16| ElMediator- Perpignan, France
May 18| Under The Bridge- London
May 19| New Morning- Paris
May 21| Lantern Venster- Rotterdam
May 22| Paradiso- Amsterdam
Raul Midón · Bad Ass and Blind Artistry Music · Release Date: March 24, 2017
For more information on Raul Midón, please visit: RaulMidon.com
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