{{short description|American jazz guitarist}} '''Ray Obiedo''' (born January 27, 1952, in Richmond, California) is an American contemporary jazz guitarist.
== Biography == Obiedo grew up in Richmond, California, and began playing guitar at age 16.<ref>[https://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/smooth-but-funky/Content?oid=1078418 Smooth But Funky, East Bay Express, July 13, 2005]</ref> Initially he played both jazz and R&B. He has appeared on records by Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Bob Mintzer, Grover Washington Jr, Lou Rawls, The Whispers, Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Pete Escovedo, Sheila E. and Julian Priester. He was the leader of the jazz fusion group Kick and the rock band Rhythmus 21.<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p25826/biography|pure_url=yes}} Ray Obiedo] at Allmusic</ref>
In 1989 he signed with Windham Hill Jazz Records, with whom he released five albums in eight years. 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''<nowiki/>'s Contemporary Jazz charts. After 1995's African-influenced ''Zulaya'', he resurfaced two years later with ''Sweet Summer Days'' featuring vocalist Peabo Bryson. Ray's most recent releases are under his own Rhythmus Records label, 2015's ''There Goes That'', ''The Latin Jazz Project Vol 1'' in 2017, ''Carousel'' (2020), ''The Latin Jazz Project Vol 2'' in 2022 and the 2024 release of ''Twist''.
==Discography== ===As leader=== * ''Perfect Crime'' (Windham Hill, 1989) * ''Iguana'' (Windham Hill, 1991) U.S. Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 10<ref name=amg1>[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p25826/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} Billboard], Allmusic.com</ref> * ''Sticks & Stones'' (Windham Hill, 1993) U.S. Contemporary Jazz No. 7<ref name=amg1/> * ''Zulaya'' (Windham Hill, 1995) U.S. Contemporary Jazz No. 22<ref name=amg1/> * ''Sweet Summer Days'' (Windham Hill, 1997)<ref name=amg1/> * ''Modern World'' (Domo, 1999) * ''There Goes That'' (Rhythmus, 2014) * ''Latin Jazz Project, Vol. 1'' (Rhythmus, 2016) * ''Carousel'' (Rhythmus, 2019) * ''Latin Jazz Project, Vol. 2'' (Rhythmus, 2021) * ''Twist'' (Rhythmus, 2024) * ''Slight Accent'' (Rhythmus, 2026)
'''With Bill Summers & Summers Heat''' * ''Cayenne'' (Prestige, 1977) * ''Feel the Heat'' (Prestige, 1977) * ''On Sunshine'' (Prestige, 1978) * ''Straight to the Bank'' (Prestige, 1978) * ''Call It What You Want'' (MCA, 1981) * ''Jam the Box'' (MCA, 1981) * ''Seventeen'' (MCA, 1982)
'''With Pete Escovedo''' * ''Solo Two'' (Fantasy, 1977) * ''Happy Together'' (Fantasy, 1978) * ''The Island'' (Esgo, 1982) * ''Yesterday's Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories'' (Esgo, 1985) * ''Flying South'' (Concord, 1995) * ''E Street'' (Concord, 1997) * ''E Music'' (Concord Picante, 2000) * ''Live at Stern Grove'' (Concord, 2012) * ''Back to the Bay'' (Esco 2018) * ''Anthology'' (Esco 2023)
'''With Herbie Hancock''' * ''Feets, Don't Fail Me Now'' (CBS, 1979) * ''Directstep'' (CBS Sony, 1979) * ''Butterfly'' with Kimiko Kasai & Herbie Hancock (CBS Sony, 1979) * ''Tokyo Sunlight'' (Megadisc, 2002)
'''With Sheila E.''' * ''Sex Cymbal'' (Warner Bros., 1991) * ''Writes of Passage'' (Concord, 2000) * ''Heaven'' (Concord, 2001)
===As sideman, producer=== * Johnny "Hammond" Smith ''Forever Taurus'' (Milestone) 1976 * Bobbi Humphrey ''Tailor Made'' (Epic) 1977 * Julian Priester ''Polarization'' (ECM) 1977 (as composer/sideman) * Eddie Henderson ''Mahal'' (Capitol) 1978 * Paul Jackson ''Black Octopus'' (Toshiba-EMI) 1978 * George Duke ''Master of the Game'' (Epic) 1979 * Michael Paulo ''Tats in the Rainbow'' (Trio-Kenwood) 1979 * Mark Soskin ''Rhythm Vision'' (Prestige) 1980 * The Waters ''Watercolors'' (Arista) 1980 * Rodney Franklin ''Endless Flight'' (CBS) 1981 * The Whispers ''Love Is Where You Find It'' (Solar) 1981 * Carrie Lucas ''Still in Love'' (Solar) 1982 (as co-producer/composer/sideman) * Holly Near ''Speed of Light'' (Redwood) 1982 * Cornelius Bumpus ''Beacon'' (Broadbeach) 1983 * The Whispers ''Love for Love'' (Solar) 1983 (as co-producer/composer/sideman) * Linda Tillery ''Secrets'' (Redwood) 1985 (as producer/composer/sideman) * R.O.A.R. ''R.O.A.R.'' (CBS) 1985 * L.J. Reynolds ''Tell Me You Will'' (Fantasy) 1987 * Brenda Russell ''Kiss Me With the Wind'' (A&M) 1990 * Lou Rawls ''It's Supposed to Be Fun'' (Blue Note) 1990 * Rad ''Venus Drops'' (Soulciety) 1993 * Claudia Villela ''Asa Verde'' (Taina) 1994 * Marc Russo ''The Window'' (JVC) 1994 * Rad ''Gotta Be'' (Soulciety) 1994 * David Garibaldi ''The Funky Beat (1 & 2)'' (Manhattan) 1996 (as composer & sideman) * Grover Washington, Jr. ''Soulful Strut'' (Columbia) 1996 * David K Mathews ''Down With It'' 1998 (as producer/engineer/sideman) * The Whispers ''Love for Love'' (Solar) 1998 (as co-producer/composer/sideman) * Braxton Brothers ''Now & Forever'' (Windham Hill) 1999 * Delfonics ''Forever New'' (Volt) 1999 * Marion Meadows ''Next to You'' (Heads Up) 2000 (as co-producer/composer/sideman) * Tom Grant ''Tune It In'' (Windham Hill) 2000 (as producer/engineer/sideman) * Zigaboo Modeliste ''Zigaboo'' (JZM) 2000 * Freda Payne ''Come See About Me'' (Volt) 2001 * Marion Meadows ''In Deep'' (Heads Up) 2002 * Rad Live ''Live in Paris'' (7 Bridges) 2003 * Intuit ''Intuit'' (Compost) 2004 (as co-producer/engineer/sideman) * Intuit ''Planet Birth'' (Compost) 2004 (as co-producer/engineer/sideman) * Joyce Cooling ''This Girl's Got to Play'' (Narada) 2004 (as engineer/sideman) * Joyce Cooling ''Revolving Door'' (Narada) 2006 (as engineer/sideman) * Doc Kupka ''Doc Goes Hollywood'' (Strokeland) 2008 * Rad ''Live in Japan'' (7 Bridges) 2008 * Intuit ''Voyage No. 2'' (In + Out) 2011 * Amikaeyla ''Being in Love'' (Rootsjazz) 2012 (as co-producer /engineer/sideman) * George Duke ''Complete 1970's Epic Albums'' (Epic) 2012 * Pacific Mambo Orchestra ''Pacific Mambo Orchestra'' (PMO) 2012 * Chloé Jean ''Fairy Tale Fail'' (Rhythmus Records 2023)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{allMusic|artist/ray-obiedo-mn0000411425}} * {{Discogs artist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Obiedo, Ray}} Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:American jazz guitarists Category:Windham Hill Records artists Category:Smooth jazz guitarists Category:Guitarists from California Category:Living people Category:1952 births Category:Jazz musicians from California Category:Domo Records artists Category:John F. Kennedy High School (Richmond, California) alumni