raymond gonzalez

BIO:

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 and composition since the mid 80's (yikes!) - taught guitar (all styles) at the University of Massachusetts, Boston for 11 years. He currently teaches, classical and fingerstyle 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 eleven 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). 

 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."

ONE-SENTENCE BIO:

Armed with a quirky sense of humor and “dazzling guitar work” (Boston Globe), Raymond combines classical, jazz, Celtic 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.

HAS SHARED THE STAGE WITH:

John Rebourn, Beppe Gambetta, Adam Miller, Sean de Burca, Peter Lang, Brooks Williams, Patty Larkin, Pete Kennedy, Dar Williams, David Wilcox,  The Story (Jonatha Brooke) Chris Smither, Jonathan Edwards, Eddie From Ohio, Richard Shindell, Christine Lavin, Vance Gilbert, Susan Werner, Cliff Eberhardt, Hugh Blumenfeld, Steve Lamb, Ellis Paul, Bill Stains, Northern Lights, Cheryl Wheeler, Peter Mulvey, Lucy Kapalansky, Natalia Zukerman, Peter Janson, Cozy Sheridan, Ken Bonfield.

OTHERS SAY:

“One of America’s finest guitarists and composers” "A triple threat" - Dave Palmater / WUMB

“It’s hard to say which is better, his way with a six string or his way with a pen”  - Neil Fagan, Performing Songwriter Magazine

"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, Eastern Woods Music. World/New Age guitarist

“What’s a great songwriter like you doing here?!” - Bob Franke, songwriter

“One of the premiere guitarists” - Mare Streetpeople, producer

“You don’t learn to play guitar like that by eating chicken wings and watching TV” - Hugh Moffet, songwriter

“...dazzling guitar work” – The Boston Globe