Blind from infancy, and with more soul than a church choir, Raul Midon has tried everything the music industry has to offer.
The list of artists Raul has collaborated with is impressive both in numbers and stature, ranging from Stevie Wonder to Snoop Dogg. “I've obviously been inspired by Stevie and Herbie Hancock but I don't know if I would say that one has inspired me more than another,” he says. “I think my whole modus operandi is that I am looking to many different kinds of music and different traditions in order to be inspired and to create my music.”
Raul uses strumming, beats and vocal mouth-trumpet sounds, combined with his unique voice, to create his own one-man band. He's released seven acclaimed albums since 1999, earned a standing ovation on The Late Show With David Letterman and has an open invitation to return to The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. He's also given TED Talks in California, and knows all about following your own path.
“There were certain turning points. I suppose when I moved to New York in 2002, it sort of solidified my style as a guitar player. I kind of realised when I got there — ‘wow, there's 100,000 guitar players and singer/songwriters, what makes me different from all these other people?’ It kind of forces you to nurture whatever is unique or different about your approach to music. I think by putting yourself in that melting pot of really, really good musicians, it has this effect of either you find your voice or you leave.”
A radio enthusiast, his love for the old-school communication device hasn’t wavered. “I've been into the hobby of ham radio since I was 12 years old. I think for me it is a sort of way to reach out to people. When I was growing up in rural New Mexico, we didn't even have a telephone so ham radio was my way to keep in touch. It's a strange thing, some people like stamp collecting or whatever, and for me the magic of radio has never worn off. I mean, right now I could sit here in my house and I could talk to somebody in Australia directly from their house to mine, not through the internet.
“People say, ‘Why don't you just use Skype, it's the same thing?’ Well, it's not really. There is something magical about using the ionosphere to communicate directly to somebody. You don't have this massive billion dollar infrastructure that is associated with the internet – that's the only reason why we can talk all over the world on the internet.
“Radio is one radio to another, with a little bit of help from the ionosphere, that’s it. Whatever your antenna situation is, you can spend inordinate amounts of money on that too ... For me it's just magic, it's kind of like music.”
Raul’s forthcoming album sees him expanding on his already extensive mixed-bag of talents to include producer and engineer, with special software for the blind allowing him to host sessions in his own home studio.
“To me, it's my crowning accomplishment. I have no idea how it's going to be received. It's an incredible achievement [not only] to have engineered and produced the album, but to have been able to get these collaborations to happen. I have got a song I wrote with Bill Withers on the album, I sing with Dianne Reeves, Liz Wright, Marcus Miller and Richard Bona. I'm really excited about the way it came out and this was a chance for me to shape the music in an even more complete way – as a producer, writer, player, singer and as an engineer.”
Currently touring internationally, he’s excited to be making his way down under. “I've always liked Australia. I've always thought that it had some similarities to America in the way that it is this pioneering place. It's nice to go somewhere where people speak your language, even though I love going to places where they don't speak English as well. There is always some interesting food with different influences because you are so far away as well. I'm just looking forward to being there once again and also playing the new material.”
Written by Crystal Landers
Raul Midon plays the following Australian dates
Thu Nov 21 — The Corner Hotel (Richmond)Fri Nov 22 — Blue Beat (Sydney)
Sat Nov 23-Sun Nov 24 — Mullum Music Festival (Mullumbimby)
Mon Nov 25 — Brisbane Powerhouse Visy Theatre
