The Ray Obiedo Group at California Jazz Conservatory

Even as a child growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Obiedo recognized his own profoundly soulful musical connection to the Northern California region and its eclectic blend of exotic multi-ethnic rhythms. The greatest influence on his embryonic career was the James Brown revue, whose funky, percussive guitar sounds was the platform on which Obiedo built his technique. He joined organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith on a US tour in 1974, then ECM Records trombonist Julian Priester on his first European outing in 1977 and a world tour in 1978-79 with jazz superstar Herbie Hancock.

Obiedo also started his long association with Latin jazz great Pete Escovedo, which continues today. His own fusion band, Kick, included a young Sheila E. on drums and Sonny Rollins associate Mark Soskin on keyboards. In the mid 1980s his reputation grew as one of California's finest exponents of jazz, pop and fusion. His other outlet during this time was the pop-rock vehicle Rhythmus 21, wherein he worked with other prominent session musicians from the Bay Area. His own recording experience is considerable, having partnered with artists including Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Lou Rawls, Grover Washington Jr., Bill Summers, Brenda Russell, The Whispers and most recently The Bob Mintzer Big Band....

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Even as a child growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Obiedo recognized his own profoundly soulful musical connection to the Northern California region and its eclectic blend of exotic multi-ethnic rhythms. The greatest influence on his embryonic career was the James Brown revue, whose funky, percussive guitar sounds was the platform on which Obiedo built his technique. He joined organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith on a US tour in 1974, then ECM Records trombonist Julian Priester on his first European outing in 1977 and a world tour in 1978-79 with jazz superstar Herbie Hancock.

Obiedo also started his long association with Latin jazz great Pete Escovedo, which continues today. His own fusion band, Kick, included a young Sheila E. on drums and Sonny Rollins associate Mark Soskin on keyboards. In the mid 1980s his reputation grew as one of California's finest exponents of jazz, pop and fusion. His other outlet during this time was the pop-rock vehicle Rhythmus 21, wherein he worked with other prominent session musicians from the Bay Area. His own recording experience is considerable, having partnered with artists including Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Lou Rawls, Grover Washington Jr., Bill Summers, Brenda Russell, The Whispers and most recently The Bob Mintzer Big Band.

Obiedo's solo compositions also attracted acclaim, and saw interpretations from Tower of Power, Sheila E, Marion Meadows, steel pan great Andy Narell, jazz guitarist Bruce Forman and The Pete Escovedo Orchestra. Parts of his work have appeared on film soundtracks, most notably Michael Caine's “A Shock to the System” and Richard Gere's “Internal Affairs."

Such notoriety co-existed with Obiedo's rising status as a solo artist, recording a clutch of 1990s albums for Windham Hill Jazz while leading The Ray Obiedo Group on club dates and concerts. Obiedo made his solo debut with 1989's Perfect Crime, followed two years later by Iguana; with 1993's Sticks and Stones, he reached the Top Ten on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz charts. After 1995's African-influenced Zulaya, he resurfaced two years later with Sweet Summer Days. 1999 saw the release of Modern World, a hybrid of R&B, pop and Latin jazz. Ray’s 7th CD, 2015’s There Goes That, was his first release on his own label, Rhythmus Records. Latin Jazz Project Vol 1 was released October 2016 followed by 2019’s Carousel.

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