RAUL MIDÓN

“ ...a one-man band who turns a guitar into an orchestra and his voice into a chorus.” — New York Times

Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist and Engineer, Raul Midón established himself as a first-call session singer upon graduation from the prestigious Studio Jazz program at the University of Miami in 1991. He sang background vocals on more than 60 Latin recordings, many Grammy winning. In 1999 he was asked to join the touring band of Shakira. During that time, he was creating his own original music and was signed to a development deal with Warner Chappel. He left Shakira’s band to move to NYC to pursue his own career. Within a year he debuted at Carnegie Hall with the Movie Music of Spike Lee. Spike engaged him to write the end credit song for “She Hate Me.” At the same time Raul was signed by legendary producer Arif Mardin to his label under the Blue Note moniker, Manhattan Records. Together with his son Joe Mardin they produced and released two albums, the acclaimed “State of Mind” and “A World Within A World.” Raul made his television debut on The David Letterman Show, followed with performances on Leno, Ferguson, & Jimmy Kimmel. In England, Later with Jools Holland and in France, One Shot Not with Manu Katche.

Raul has worked with countless legends in the industry including Bill Withers, Herbie Hancock, Sting, Terence Blanchard, & Dianne Reeves to name several. He received two Grammy nominations back-to-back in 2017 and 2018 for his albums “Bad Ass and Blind” and “If You Really Want” in the Best Jazz Vocal Category. Since moving to the DMV he established himself as an accomplished recording engineer, recording all the vocals for both of the aforementioned in his home studio. In 2019 he was invited to speak at his high school Alma Mater Santa Fe Prep and also was given the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Miami. In 2021 his latest album released on March 20, 2020 The Mirror was nominated for Best Jazz Album from the A2IM Libera Awards. Also, in 2021 he was awarded the Disability Rights Ambassador of the year award, presented to him in a virtual ceremony by his friend and colleague Jason Mraz.

During the lockdown Raul continued to collaborate with colleagues and appears in a duet on the Grammy winning album “Mendo” by Alex Cuba. He chose to pursue a long-time dream of recording a guitar duets album with some of his favorite guitarists including Mike Stern, Dean Parks, Lionel Loueke, Julia Bailen, Stephane Wrembel, Alex Cuba and more. This album ‘Eclectic Adventurist’ is scheduled to be released on his own label, ReKondite ReKords on 11/11/ 2022. He continues to tour, write, record and is working on a novel, ‘Tembererana.’