raymond gonzalez

BIO:

A professional guitarist from the age of 16, Raymond Gonzalez has performed in styles from classical to folk, blues and jazz to rock, traveling extensively from California to New England. Raymond began composing for solo guitar, piano, and small ensembles at a very young age, which ultimately lead to a Master's degree in Composition from the New England Conservatory of Music.

He has written and produced eight albums of original songs and solo guitar pieces. Curly-Headed Humans (1989), and On the Water (1993) were both recorded with Amy Malkoff; since going solo, Raymond has recorded Thieves (1997), the company you keep (1999), Moonlight and Sage (2004), tunes from the blue fish (ballads, breakdowns and tributes) (2006), tunes from the blue fish II (2008), Night Sky (2008). A song of Raymond's was selected for When October Goes, a compilation released on Rounder Records. He also continues to compose and perform in the classical and modern music arena, recently premiering a piece for guitar and flute at the first University of Massachusetts - Boston Faculty Composer's Forum.

 Raymond has returned with new enthusiasm to the acoustic stage after a hiatus of some years spent teaching and composing. 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 Renbourn Brooks Williams Patty Larkin Dar Williams David Wilcox Peter Lang The Story (Jonatha Brooke) Chris Smither Jonathan Edwards Eddie From Ohio Richard Shindell Christine Lavin Vance Gilbert Susan Werner Cliff Eberhardt Hugh Blumenfeld Geoff Bartley Ellis Paul Bill Stains Northern Lights Cheryl Wheeler Peter Mulvey Pete Kennedy Lucy Kapalansky Natalia Zukerman 

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

 “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 in New England” - 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