Ray Obiedo

Smooth jazz guitarist Ray Obiedo was born and raised in Richmond, California, where as a child he frequently traveled to nearby San Francisco to take in free concerts by the likes of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream; still, he did not pick up the guitar until age 17, also drawing considerable influence from acts including James Brown, Miles Davis, and Earth, Wind & Fire. At the outset of his career, Obiedo regularly shifted between jazz and R&B, working with a variety of artists including Herbie Hancock, Julian Priester, and Sheila E.; he also led the fusion unit Kick as ...