Raymond Gonzalez is a composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist. A professional guitarist since the age of 16, he has traveled extensively throughout the US performing on concert stages, festivals, radio, TV, coffeehouses, house concerts, and most things in between. Classical, celtic, jazz, folk, blues, rock and the avant-garde are all in Raymond’s arsenal of musical styles. He began composing for solo guitar, piano, and classical ensembles at a very young age, which ultimately lead to a Master's degree in Composition from the New England Conservatory of Music.  He continues to compose and perform in the classical and modern music arena as well as fielding a number of commissions each year. Raymond has been teaching guitar, composition and arranging since the mid 80's (yikes!) - taught guitar (all styles) at the University of Massachusetts, Boston for 11 years. He currently teaches, composition, classical, fingerstyle and jazz guitar - songwriting and music industry classes at Salem State University, Salem MA.

In addition to his commercial writing and production work at blue fish sound productions (see the production tab), Raymond has written and produced twelve solo albums of original songs and solo guitar pieces. Thieves (1997), the company you keep (1999), Moonlight and Sage (2004), tunes from the blue fish-ballades, breakdowns and tributes (2006), tunes from the blue fish II (2008), and Night Sky (2008), Carols (2011), Open Tuning (2012), One Bright Light (2013), Unknown Mariner (2017), Juniper (2021), Not That Far (2023).

ONE-SENTENCE BIO(S):

"One of America's finest guitarists and composers"    -Dave Palmater, WUMB Radio Boston
 

Armed with a quirky sense of humor and “dazzling guitar work” (Boston Globe), Raymond combines Classical, Jazz, Celtic, Renaissance, Blues and Latin influences into his songs and solo guitar compositions. His topics range from ethereal to- well, songs about pigs and mermen and most things in between. 

Check your local and national acoustic radio and web programs for listings of Raymond’s tunes. They are out there...

 According to Neil Fagen in Performing Songwriter magazine, "It's hard to say which is better, his way with a six string or his way with a pen." 

"Raymond Gonzalez proves himself to be a world class artist worthy of recognition beyond our humble seaside state" - Brian Owens, Metronome Magazine, Boston.
 

“A world class Musician” Peter Janson, Acoustic Guitarist, Eastern Woods Music.

"Open Tuning" listed in the top 20 Albums for 2012 - Metronome Magazine

Raymond on the Web: 

edclaxtonguitars.com Artist endorsements
spodarykguitars.com Artist endorsements
elixirstrings.com/index.html Artist endorsements
shubb.com/artists Artist endorsements

fishman.com Artist Endorsements