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Hailed as one of the breakout releases of 2005, blind guitarist Raul Midón's major-label debut generally justifies the hype. He is a stunning acoustic guitarist with a percussive, at times Latin style, and a silky, inviting singer straight out of the Stevie Wonder/Donny Hathaway school. (Wonder plays on one track and Hathaway is the subject of another.) Midón's major-label debut was co-helmed by Arif Mardin, the legendary producer behind Norah Jones' successful first release. While musically there isn't much common ground between the two artists, Mardin's subtle, airy approach works perfectly here. He lets Midón's expressive voice and nimble acoustic guitar set the tone, adding hints of percussion, flute, vibraphone, acoustic bass, wispy keyboards, and occasional backing vocals to flesh out the songs. It's a successful formula, beefing up the music without making it overly slick. Despite the vocal similarity to Wonder, Midón establishes his own sound, singing uplifting songs of love and life with Latin and jazz flourishes that marinate in the stripped-down, acoustic arrangements. It's pleasant enough, but even with a few left turns such as the fiery conga- and flute-driven spoken word "I Would Do Anything," the style and songs tend to get a little repetitious as the album creeps past its midpoint. Unlike Wonder, Midón's lovely, smooth quiet storm voice doesn't shift often enough to a harsher side, something that would help this album shift gears out of cruise control and Sunday morning brunch mode. Regardless, this remains a beautifully focused and mature work. Midón has already found his voice and the intermingled jazz/Latin/folk/soul qualities indicate a musician who can move in any one of a number of directions after this impressive start.
© Hal Horowitz /TiVo
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Arif Mardin, Producer - Michael O'Reilly, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Mardin, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Trumpet, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Shedrick Mitchell, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records, a division of Capitol Records
Jonathan Maron, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Arif Mardin, Producer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Mardin, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Daniel Saownick, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Arif Mardin, Producer - Jason Mraz, Composer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Whistle, MainArtist, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Mardin, Producer, Piano, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Arif Mardin, Producer - Lisa Fischer, Bells, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Daniel Sadownick, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Mardin, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Richard Hammond, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Raul Midon, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Island Rec. Inc.
Jerry Barnes, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Arif Mardin, Producer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Daniel Sadownick, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Mardin, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Shedrick Mitchell, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Arif Mardin, Producer - Lisa Fischer, Uilleann Pipes, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Stevie Wonder, Harmonica, MainArtist, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bryan Pugh, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Mardin, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Femi Jiya, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Stefon Harris, Vibraphone, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Vargo, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Jerry Barnes, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Arif Mardin, Producer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Daniel Sadownick, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Mardin, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Arif Mardin, Producer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Daniel Sadownick, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Mardin, Producer, Drums, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Richard Hammond, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Arif Mardin, Producer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Daniel Sadownick, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Mardin, Producer, Recording Engineer, Palmas, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Richard Hammond, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Shedrick Mitchell, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Arif Mardin, Producer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Mardin, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Albert Sterling Menendez, Composer - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cyro Baptista, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Gregoire Maret, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Luis Vega, Composer - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Revis, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Arif Mardin, Producer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Mardin, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dan Feiszli, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Valentine, Flute, AssociatedPerformer - Sammy Figeroua, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Arif Mardin, Producer - Lisa Fischer, Bongos, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael O'Reilly, Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Mardin, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Yohei Goto, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raul Midon, Composer, MainArtist - Maria Triana, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Matt Boynton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Stefon Harris, Vibraphone, AssociatedPerformer - John Fournier, Composer
(C) 2005 Manhattan Records ℗ 2004 Manhattan Records
Album review
Hailed as one of the breakout releases of 2005, blind guitarist Raul Midón's major-label debut generally justifies the hype. He is a stunning acoustic guitarist with a percussive, at times Latin style, and a silky, inviting singer straight out of the Stevie Wonder/Donny Hathaway school. (Wonder plays on one track and Hathaway is the subject of another.) Midón's major-label debut was co-helmed by Arif Mardin, the legendary producer behind Norah Jones' successful first release. While musically there isn't much common ground between the two artists, Mardin's subtle, airy approach works perfectly here. He lets Midón's expressive voice and nimble acoustic guitar set the tone, adding hints of percussion, flute, vibraphone, acoustic bass, wispy keyboards, and occasional backing vocals to flesh out the songs. It's a successful formula, beefing up the music without making it overly slick. Despite the vocal similarity to Wonder, Midón establishes his own sound, singing uplifting songs of love and life with Latin and jazz flourishes that marinate in the stripped-down, acoustic arrangements. It's pleasant enough, but even with a few left turns such as the fiery conga- and flute-driven spoken word "I Would Do Anything," the style and songs tend to get a little repetitious as the album creeps past its midpoint. Unlike Wonder, Midón's lovely, smooth quiet storm voice doesn't shift often enough to a harsher side, something that would help this album shift gears out of cruise control and Sunday morning brunch mode. Regardless, this remains a beautifully focused and mature work. Midón has already found his voice and the intermingled jazz/Latin/folk/soul qualities indicate a musician who can move in any one of a number of directions after this impressive start.
© Hal Horowitz /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:49:50
- Main artists: Raul Midón
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Manhattan Records
- Genre: Jazz
© 2004 Manhattan Records ℗ 2005 Manhattan Records
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