New York, NY — Singer/Songwriter/Multi-instrumentalist Raul Midón is delighting his fans once again with the release of his tenth album, If You Really Want, which is out now.
The album features the talents of GRAMMY® Award-winning Dutch ensemble, Metropole Orkest, under the direction of Vince Mendoza, a multiple Grammy® Winner, which has collaborated with artists from Al Jarreau and Elvis Costello to Laura Mvula and Snarky Puppy.
The orchestra compliments Midón’s soulful vocals, presenting a collaborative arrangement that transcends many genres.
Conductor/Arranger Vince Mendoza states “Raul Midón has so many lessons and stories for us. With this project we are given a great gift of Raul’s songs, his magnificent voice and guitar. To paint these stories with the shades and rhythms of the Metropole Orkest is quite simply a match made in heaven. I am so happy to have been a part of the process and that this recording is finally going to be heard in full multicolor splendor.”
The album is a wave of transitioning tempo, charming the listener with each new track. A flash of funky staccato precedes an expressive ballad. A jazzy electric guitar solo leads into a soft acoustic strum. If You Really Want displays Raul Midón’s unique power to facilitate consistency amongst many different sounds.
Midón wrote the album’s title track years ago before moving to New York in pursuit of a career in music. The lyrics channel this time of perseverance and persistence. Midón says …
“I really had this song in my back pocket, and I’m glad I found the ideal place for it as the new album’s title track.” He adds, “it’s about the power of positive thinking to fulfill your dreams, as I was able to do by becoming a professional musician, making records and touring the world. Here I am, recording with a great European orchestra. This, like so many things in my career, has been a dream come true.”
The singer’s ambitious character is reflected in many of the songs on the album.
Midón says the album was the product of “both an exciting live experience and a thoughtful, meticulous process.” He further explains, “the recording started with me singing guide vocals and playing guitar live with the Metropole ensemble in the studio in Holland – that gave the orchestra the real vibe of the songs. Then, once the ensemble parts were tracked, I took the recordings home, taking my time to re-cut the vocals and guitar so that they were as nuanced as possible.”
The orchestra fully expresses Midón’s groovy aesthetic, offering brassy pulses, smooth harmonies and rumbling percussion.
Last March, Midón released Bad Ass and Blind, which went on to receive a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. The singer, who has been blind since birth, has proven that his disability cannot hinder his talent, nor his passion. Moving forward, he embodies that attitude.
Midón is currently on tour to promote the new album. Looking forward to the release, he says, “right now, I’m thrilled with how If You Really Want came out. I hope my fans dig the album as much as I do, and it brings some new listeners along for the journey, too.”
If You Really Want track listing:
- Ride On A Rainbow
- God’s Dream
- If You Really Want
- All Love Is Blind
- Sunshine (I Can Fly)
- Ocean Dreamer
- Pick Somebody Up
- Everyone Deserves A Second Chance
- Sittin’ In The Middle
- Suddenly
Upcoming Raul Midón Performances:
Nov 30 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Yardbird Suite
Dec 1 – Winnipeg, Manitoba @ Berney Theatre
Dec 7 – Wichita, KS @ Grumpy Old Men Fundraiser
Dec 27-30 – NYC @ Jazz Standard
Jan 17 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Capital Jazz SuperCruise
Jan 26 – South Bend, IN @ DeBartolo Performing Arts
Feb 2-9 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ The Smooth Jazz Cruise
Feb 15 – Park Forest, IL @ Freedom Hall
Feb 16 – Des Moines, IA @ Temple Theatre
Feb 23-March 2 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @The Smooth Jazz Cruise
Mar 23 – Freiburg, Germany @ Private Party
Mar 28 – Saint-Martin des Champs, France @ Espace du Roudour
Mar 29 – Bois-Colombes, France @ Salle Jean Renoir
Mar 30 – Brugieres, France @ Le Bascala
Mar 31 – Saint-Arnoult en Yvelines, France @ TBD
Apr 3 – Elyria, OH @ Stocker Center for the Arts
Apr 9 – Boulogne Billancourt, France @ Carre Belle Feuille
Apr 12 – Penmarch, France @ Salle Cap Caval
June 15 – Davie, FL @ Bailey Hall
Raul Midón • If You Really Want
Artistry Music, a Mack Avenue Music Group Label – Release Date: September 14, 2018
For more information on Raul Midón, please visit:
RaulMidon.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
source:
Fiona Bloom
The Bloom Effect • [email protected]
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