Acoustic Sounds
Raul Midón
By: Michael Fremer

July 1st, 2024

Category:

Interviews

Raul Midón Interviewed at "Making Vinyl" Nashville

followed by a performance you're sure to enjoy

The plan was an on-stage interview with Patrick Leonard, whose new double LP album "It's All Comes Down To Mood" is due end of July. Patrick produced all of Madonna's early Warner Brothers Records, Amused to Death for Roger Waters, two of the final three Leonard Cohen records (he wrote or co-wrote songs on all three), as well as Elton John's Songs From the West Coast. There's more but that's enough!

I wrote an essay published in the "Making Vinyl" show guide about Patrick's breaking free on his new album from his usual collaborative role and going "solo" with help from bassist Tony Levin Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, Wendy Melvoin and other musical greats/friends. But something came up and Patrick was unable to attend—something I found out about after landing in Nashville— so a last minute substitution was made by the show producers who asked me to interview Raul, who would follow with a performance.

I wasn't acquainted with Raul, so I joined him backstage and we talked for about a half hour before taking the stage. Raul has been blind since spending time without the proper eye protection in an incubator along with his twin brother who is also blind. As with many other blind musicians, Raul didn't let that stop him and he eventually became a session singer for Shakira, Julio Iglesia and José Feliciano. He later "went solo" and was signed by Ari Martin to Manhattan Records.

His debut album State of Mind features guest appearances by Stevie Wonder and Jason Mraz. Since then he's released more than a dozen albums. After the interview we made our way over to where Nashville-based Axiss Audio had set up a room with Gauder Akustiks speakers, Soulution electronics and a Transrotor turntable and we played the Who lacquer from 2006 that I bring to shows and that knocked Raul out and then we played Patrick's record for him and for Discog's founder Kevin Lewandowski who was blown away (as were all the others in the room). Playing it for the artist who filled in for Patrick, kind of closed the circle.

Comments

  • 2024-07-02 07:00:49 PM

    Jeff 'Glotz' Glotzer wrote:

    This is amazing! Loved Raul's comments about cd/vinyl, as well as his comments on the Neumann mic. His playing on the first song was incredible, immediate and his great songwriting shown through. I feel convicted that next time won't be there! Great video and I am glad you are having fun for us, Mikey! (Catching up on the W-B GMT One.. wow. Best EVAH!)

  • 2024-07-02 07:19:57 PM

    Paul Robertson wrote:

    Wow very nice save, after the unexpected curveball you were thrown. I have to agree with Jeff, as that was just great. Another convert ;-) Little by little we will win over the world!

    Thanks for this.

  • 2024-07-04 07:39:20 PM

    Jim D wrote:

    He's an amazing talent. I saw him live from the second row and his talent is extraordinary. He plays different elements simultaneously and his singing is heartfelt and superb.

    I have most of his CDs and they sound great. I used one of his songs as a demo for a product I was selling. The buyer listened for a moment and said, "Absolutely awesome."

    What an inspiration!