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Raul Midon

State Of Mind

Manhattan Records

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Raul Midon - State of Mind
Raul Midon - Slap Attack
1 State of Mind 3:23  
2 If Your Gonna Leave 3:52  
3 Keep on Hoping 4:33  
4 Mystery Girl 4:21  
5 Waited All My Life 4:36  
6 Everybody 4:00  
7 Expressions of Love 2:49  
8 Sittin' In the Middle 3:32  
9 Suddenly 3:32  
10 Never Get Enough 3:45  
11 Sunshine 4:34  
12 I Would Do Anything 3:34  
13 All in Your Mind 3:18  
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It's rare that an artist arrives onto the pop music scene so fully loaded with the kind of hit-making potential that singer-composer-guitarist Raul Midon possesses. The New Mexico-born, New York-based Midon makes his recording debut with State of Mind, produced by Arif Mardin and Joe Mardin for Manhattan Records. The 13-track collection of Midon originals is a remarkable collection of soul, R&B, pop, folk, jazz and Latin. The CD places on display his earnest, lyrical songwriting; full-bodied vocals steeped in soul; a singular syncopated, flamenco- and jazz-infused acoustic guitar style; a unique vocal trumpet improvisation; and hopeful disposition.

As for working with the Mardin's, Midon says, "We're coming from the same place. Arif is really into melody and comes from a jazz background, but with a firm foot in pop. I love good melodies and lyrical hooks, but I'm also musically trying to play something interesting. Joe is versed in all aspects of the recording process, from the notes to the sounds.  That is to say he knows what mic to use to get a particular kind of guitar sound.  He has the vision, discipline and training to bring out the best in the studio and you know that when you are done you will have something that sounds superb."

State of Mind is a revelation. The CD not only trains the spotlight on Midon's buoyant delivery, but also boasts a guest roster featuring Stevie Wonder (a guest harmonica performance on  "Expressions of Love") and Jason Mraz (a vocal duet on their collaborative song, the reggae-inflected "Keep on Hoping").  In addition there are contributions from Latin jazz flutist Dave Valentin and percussionist Sammy Figueroa (on the Afro-Cuban sizzling "I Would Do Anything."), harmonica ace Gregoire Maret and percussionist Cyro Baptista (on the exuberant "Sunshine") and jazz vibraphonist Stefon Harris, who performs on the sublime "All in Your Mind." This last song is Mid n's way of opening a window on what it's like to be blind.  "I wrote 'All in Your Mind' to talk about how, when you're blind, you perceive everything through your imagination."

Even before he entered the studio with the Mardins, Midon was accumulating the kind of accolades reserved for seasoned pros. The New York Times called him a "virtuoso," while Newsday heralded him as a showstopper. The Washington Post commented that Midon's "style is a febrile amalgam of Stevie Wonder vocals, feel-good pop songwriting, sophisticated jazz harmonies and a ferociously aggressive way of playing acoustic guitar."

  • Raul Midon channels Bob Dylan and songs of self discovery on 'Lost & Found' / American Songwriter
    Posted At: July 26, 2024 12:00 AM
    American Songwriter's TINA BENITEZ-EVES writes…..Raul Midón remembers when he first heard a cassette recording of Bob Dylan reciting “Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie.” He was captivated by Dylan’s ode to his idol, Woody Guthrie, who was nearly at the end of his life, after a long battle with Huntington’s Disease (Guthrie died in 1967). The poem followed Dylan’s first tribute, “Song to Woody,” released on his...
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  • Raul Midon talks with metro PHILADELPHIA about his new album ahead of World Cafe Live show
    Posted At: April 16, 2024 12:00 AM
    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 ...
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  • Alex Cuba is joined by Raul Midon for Toronto: Koerner Hall performance / exclaim!@#$%&
    Posted At: March 25, 2024 12:00 AM
    The April concert at Koerner Hall kicks off Cuba's Paralelo tourexclaim!@#$%&'s MEGAN LAPIERRE writes….Cuban-Canadian Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Alex Cuba has announced the Paralelo tour, which will see him perform his latest album, 2023's El Swing Que Yo Tengo, across North America — including a special Toronto show next month.Presented by the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), Cuba will be joine...
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  • YCPAC cabaret series commences with an intimate encounter featuring Raul Midon / KUDOSAZ.com
    Posted At: August 24, 2022 12:00 AM
    KUDOSAZ.com writes….While many theaters open with splash and fury, Yavapai College Performing Arts Center’s star-studded ’22-23 season commences with an intimate encounter, an unforgettable artist, and a format that has become a local favorite.Be there when YCPAC brings its audience in close and cranks up the star power Aug. 26-27, when Grammy-nominated jazz guitarist Raul Midón launches the eighth season o...
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  • Raul Midon set for Emory University's Jazz Fest / 90.1WABE
    Posted At: February 3, 2022 12:00 AM
    WABE's Adron McCann | WABE….Emory University’s Jazz Fest returns this month with free lectures, masterclasses, and concerts, Feb. 3-5. The acclaimed guitarist and Grammy-award nominated artist Raul Midón is a guest soloist, performing with the Gary Motley trio. Professor and jazz performer Gary Motley is also the director of Emory’s jazz studies program and joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes via Zoom al...
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  • Raul Midon and Lionel Loueke join forces for 'Kuumbwa Jazz Center' and 'Freight & Salvage' / The Mercury News
    Posted At: June 14, 2019 12:00 AM

    Raul Midón first met Lionel Loueke when the Benin-born guitarist/vocalist was a member of trumpeter Terence Blanchard's band, which was working on the score of Spike Lee's 2004 film "She Hate Me." Midón was a rapidly rising star hired to write and perform the movie's theme song, "Adam n' Eve n' Eve," a piece that captured Lee's tangle of sexual politics. Midón, a singular vocalis...
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  • Watch Raul Midon in-studio to perform 'If Only'
    Posted At: February 13, 2019 12:00 AM

    The New York Times has called Raul Midón "a one-man band who turns a guitar into an orchestra and his voice into a chorus." Midón's voice and guitar ride the waves of an actual orchestra: the acclaimed Metropole Orkest, the GRAMMY® Award-winning Dutch ensemble that has collaborated with artists from Al Jarreau and Elvis Costello to Laura Mvula and Snarky Puppy. Midón – who ...
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  • Raul Midon multi-tasks his DeBartolo: PAC one-man show / South Bend Tribune
    Posted At: January 31, 2019 12:00 AM

    Music fans who braved the snow and bad roads to attend Raul Midón's concert Saturday at the University of Notre Dame's DeBartolo Performing Arts Center expected to see a one-man show. That one man stood in middle of a stage that included a piano and bongo drums. Midón held the acoustic guitar that helped him earn Grammy nominations in 2018 and 2019. He was backed by the Netherlands-base...
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  • Raul Midon plays 2018 A2IM's Libera Awards
    Posted At: August 12, 2018 12:00 AM

    Raul Midon live performance of his song Badass and Blind (Mack Avenue Records), live Performance at A2IM's Libera Awards 2018. The A2IM Libera Awards are sponsored by SoundExchange in celebration of Merlin's 10 Year Anniversary in partnership with The Orchard, ADA, Spotify, INgrooves, DISCO, Symphonic. Distribution, Fox Rothschild LLP,  Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP and Songtrust. Watc...
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  • Listen to Raul Midon's 'Sunshine (I Can Fly)' in billboard exclusive
    Posted At: August 10, 2018 12:00 AM

    Raul Midón's background is an elaborate tapestry of influences. Born in New Mexico, the Grammy-nominated songwriter is of Argentinian and African American descent. He's been a Latin session singer for icons like Shakira, Christina Aguilera, Johnny Mathis and studied jazz at the University of Miami. "Sunshine" (I Can Fly)" from his upcoming album, If You Really Want, is a summation of influ...
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  • New Morning brings Raul Midon to Paris / BLOUIN ARTINFO
    Posted At: April 12, 2018 12:00 AM

    Known as the eclectic adventurer, Raul Midón blends feeling with a devil's voice making it an all vibrant evening full of soul. His style is often compared to greats like Al Jarreau and Stevie Wonder. Raul Midón has constructed a universe of his own, that has been a melting pot of jazz, folk, soul, R&B, Latin music and blues.A performer and composer par excellence, he takes centre stage...
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  • Raul Midon on NPR: Tiny Desk
    Posted At: March 15, 2018 12:00 AM

    Raul Midón lives in a world of sound - blind since birth, Midón's interpretation of his surroundings is borderless. He sings with the passion of the best classic soul singers, and his instrumental chops stand along side the most accomplished jazz musicians. Normally backed by a band that straddles styles just as well as he does, for his turn behind Bob Boilen's desk Midón str...
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  • A 2018 GRAMMY nominee, Raul Midon is bad-ass and blind and certainly does things his own way
    Posted At: January 12, 2018 12:00 AM

    The greatest musicians are superlative because they are authentic. They do their own thing. They take the elements of music, art and culture that move them and spin it all into something new, along the way developing an artistic vision that is unique and unwavering. Raul Midón certainly does things his own way.   Originally from the Land Of Enchantment - New Mexico - Midón bega...
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  • Raul Midon brings his unique sound to Concord NC's Davis Theatre / Independent Tribune
    Posted At: October 10, 2017 12:00 AM

    To watch Raul Midón perform is to feel like your ears are tricking your eyes. He can play the trumpet without a brass instrument and the drums without a kit. He just needs his two hands, his voice and an acoustic guitar. Audiences will understand when they see Raul perform live in downtown Concord NC, on the Davis Theatre stage Friday, October 20 at 8 pm as part of the Cabarrus Arts Council's On S...
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  • Raul Midon plays Bethesda Blues and Jazz / Montgomery County Sentinel
    Posted At: July 1, 2017 12:00 AM

    Raul Midón, midway through his concert Thursday night at Bethesda Blues and Jazz, showed off his ability to play bongos, guitar, and sing at the same time.  The crowd erupted in applause, and people grabbed their phones to record the feat.  Raul, however, didn't see the flashing of cameras, or the cheering faces of his audience, because he is blind. Midón has been blind since birt...
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  • NBCBLK feature with Raul Midon
    Posted At: May 12, 2017 12:00 AM

    Raul Midón may have lost his sight but even a blind man can recognize his vision. His new album entitled, "Bad Ass And Blind" isn't some artist gimmick. Midón was born premature and says that complications experienced thereafter when the hospital didn't cover his eyes - took his sight. Don't feel bad for him because he's not. The guitarist infuses soul, jazz, R&B, latin ...
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  • Don't miss Raul Midon at Jazz Cafe / Detroit Metro Times
    Posted At: April 13, 2017 12:00 AM

    Detroiters who chose to attend Raúl Midón's concert at the Music Hall's Jazz Cafe this Friday are in for a extraordinary treat. Midón's vocal and instrumental talents are breathtaking; his unique artistry transcends genre category, blending brilliant elements of Latin, jazz, flamenco and R&B.  His debut album, State of Mind (Manhattan/EMI, 2005) received critical acclaim...
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  • Raul Midon premieres 'Gotta Gotta Give' video on billboard
    Posted At: March 28, 2017 12:00 AM

    Last week Raul Midón sat with billboard and discussed his new album, Badass and Blind. Midon describes it as "the deep jazz" entry in his catalog. Several songs feature musicians he played with on the 2016 Monterey Jazz Festival tour, including Nicholas Payton on trumpet and Gregory Hutchinson on drums, who help Midón explore linear modal composition, where instrumentalists improv...
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  • Raul Midon premieres 'Pedal to the Metal' video on Guitar World
    Posted At: March 24, 2017 12:00 AM

    Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the exclusive premiere of "Pedal to the Metal," a new song and music video by guitarist Raul Midón. The track is from Midón's new album, Bad Ass and Blind, which will be released this Friday, March 24, via Artistry Music. As for his guitar playing, there's plenty to get excited about in "Pedal to the Metal" and the rest of Bad Ass and Blind. Mid&oacut...
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  • Raul Midon set for Ridgefield Playhouse. Q&A with Westport Magazine
    Posted At: March 21, 2017 12:00 AM

    Regarded as one of music's most distinctive and searching voices-"a one-man band," according to The New York Times-singer-songwriter and guitarist Raul Midón recently announced the release of his ninth studio album since he began his career in 1999. Fittingly, he entitled it Bad Ass and Blind. Blind since birth, the New Mexico native has dedicated his life to fighting stereotypes and creating exce...
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  • Raul Midon releases 'Pedal to the Metal' from upcoming Bad Ass and Blind / People
    Posted At: March 14, 2017 12:00 AM

    Gearing up for his genre-spanning new album Bad Ass and Blind, out March 24, Raul Midón has released his catchy new single, 'Pedal to the Metal,' "an expression on the importance of persistence in my life," the singer-songwriter and guitarist exclusively tells PEOPLE of the track. "It could have been called ‘Never Give Up.'" The New Mexico native, who has been blind since bi...
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  • Raul Midon announces 9th album / Glide Magazine
    Posted At: March 7, 2017 12:00 AM

    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...
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  • Raul Midon set for Dubai Jazz Festival / The National
    Posted At: February 20, 2017 12:00 AM

    The title of Raúl Midón's upcoming album reads like a mission statement, and Bad Ass and Blind is a refrain the soul-funk singer-songwriter repeatedly asserts on the opening title track. It is hard to argue with him. Midón's phenomenal chops, baritone croon and unique one-man-band stage show would indeed colloquially be described as "bad". And the 50-year-old veteran has li...
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  • Raul Midon set for Melbourne's Birds Basement, stops by 3AW
    Posted At: January 31, 2017 12:00 AM

    Singer-songwriter and guitarist Raul Midon joined 3AW's Denis Walter in-studio with his new album 'Bass Ass & Blind'. Starting out as a back-up singer for artists including Shakira, Julio Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera, Midon has since carved out his own unique sound blending elements of flamenco, jazz and R&B. "Jazz is a big part of what I do because I'm an impro...
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  • Raul Midon is a musical powerhouse / Concert Blogger Q&A
    Posted At: September 18, 2016 12:00 AM

    Raúl Midón is a musical powerhouse, having released seven albums since 1999 and performed and collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music and entertainment business such as Jason Mraz, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Spike Lee, Shakira, DJ Little Louie Vega and many more. And Adele even opened for Raúl during a performance at the St. James Church in London. Raúl is cur...
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  • Raul Midon talks persistence and culture with 'rollingout'
    Posted At: September 12, 2016 12:00 AM

    Singer/guitarist Raul Midón is an accomplished musician and natural born performer. Listening to his music gives you an opportunity to dwell inside of the mind of a genius. His expression is musical and his dexterity is mind blowing. A contemporary soul singer whose impassioned acoustic guitar playing -- a mix of rock, classical, and flamenco -- has gotten him just as much attention as h...
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  • Raul Midon set for Portland's Jimmy Mak's / Oregon ArtsWatch
    Posted At: September 6, 2016 12:00 AM

    Put Raul Midón in a box and he'll jump right out. Songwriter, instrumentalist, mouth-musician, soul singer, jazz improvisor, Latin songster, guitarist, baritone. None of those identifiers works alone to define his musical strengths. He is all, and more of them, and there's no box that will contain him. His ribbons of talent overflow; they don't tie him up. Amazing we haven't heard Midón, 50...
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  • Raul Midon talks Monterey Jazz Fest and upcoming new album / rollingout
    Posted At: March 9, 2016 12:00 AM

    Often referred to as a one-man band, musician Raul Midon has been wowing audiences across the world since his 1999 debut album, Gracias a la vida. The 49-year-old native of Embudo, New Mexico, is one of the most versatile artist in music today with his ability to play a number of different genres including blues, folk, jazz, R&B and more. Currently on tour with the Monterey Jazz Fest, which...
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  • Raul Midon: Live at the Paste Studio
    Posted At: March 3, 2016 12:00 AM

    Multi-talented musician Raul Midón joined us recently for a session in the Paste Studio. With a little bit of funk, a little Latino influence and a ton of intricate guitar-picking, the New Mexico native gave us an incredibly unique and inspirational performance. Blind since birth, the artist produces lyrics, styling and musical ability that a level of artistry and intelligence that not too many pe...
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  • Raul Midon feature / Guitar World
    Posted At: February 4, 2016 12:00 AM

    This past month, cyber-savvy guitarists rejoiced in yet another exciting guitar video gone viral, this one featuring blind acoustic picker Raul Midón ripping though John Coltrane's "Giant Steps," ( in all 12 keys ) playing chords beneath his trademark "mouth trumpet" one moment, and the next dropping the jaws of jazz connoisseurs with his unaccompanied single-note lines, unleashed on his Traugott ...
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  • Raul Midon set to perform Maryland's Strathmore AMP / Washington Life interview
    Posted At: June 3, 2015 12:00 AM

    Guitarist and singer-songwriter Raul Midón is set to perform two shows at Maryland's Strathmore AMP this Friday and Saturday. Midón transforms a single guitar "into an orchestra and his voice into a chorus" - New York Times, and has earned renown collaborating with such icons as Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder, and contributed to recordings by Jason Mraz, Queen Latifah, ...
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  • Raul Midon releases self-produced Don't Hesitate / WBUR: Here & Now interview
    Posted At: September 22, 2014 12:00 AM

    Raul Midon discusses his self-produced album - Don't Hesitate on WBUR's Here & Now. Blind since birth, Midon recorded this music in his home studio using software created especially for the blind. With eight albums under his belt, he has worked with a variety of major artists, including Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, and Snoop Dogg. "I love playing with bands," Midon says, "but I also really ...
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  • Raul Midon teams with Bill Withers / USA Today - Premiere
    Posted At: August 16, 2014 12:00 AM

    The 2009 documentary Still Bill shows R&B great Bill Withers writing a song called Mi Amigo Cubano with singer and guitarist Raul Midón. Fans have wondered about the song's fate for years, since the reclusive Withers, whose hits include Ain't No Sunshine, Use Me and Lean on Me, hasn't released an album since 1985. It's finally here. Mi Amigo Cubano, premiering at USA TODAY, wil...
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  • Lizz Wright joins Raul Midon TONIGHT!!@'Ordway' / St. Paul MN
    Posted At: October 25, 2013 12:00 AM

    On the heels of a successful European tour, the two masters of song share their effortlessly magnetic stage presence with the Ordway audience, TONIGHT!! Friday October 25 in St. Paul MN.  READ THE Insight News ARTICLE...
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  • Raul Midon brings a vibrant sound steeped in classic soul in 'A World Within A World'
    Posted At: July 24, 2007 12:00 AM

    Raul Midon brings a vibrant sound steeped in classic soul to the pop arena, because pop is where a singer and a song can have the biggest and most widespread impact. When an envelope-pushing song becomes a pop hit, it shifts the entire musical landscape, forcing out the shopworn and cliched while opening the windows of change to let in fresh ideas. The notion of shifting the landscape is this artist'...
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  • Raul Midon: State Of Mind. Fully loaded with music driven hits
    Posted At: May 15, 2005 12:00 AM

    It's rare that an artist arrives onto the pop music scene so fully loaded with the kind of hit-making potential that singer-composer-guitarist Raul Midon possesses. The New Mexico-born, New York-based Midon makes his recording debut with State of Mind, produced by Arif Mardin and Joe Mardin for Manhattan Records. The 13-track collection of Midon originals is a remarkable collection of soul,...
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