Born and bred in Los Angeles, Ravel's Colombian and Eastern European heritage immediately opened him up to a wide range of cultures; and his appetite for other outside cultures -- thanks in no small part to extensive world traveling -- has exposed him to numerous styles of music. Earth, Wind & Fire, Al Jarreau, Strunz & Farah, Madonna, Quincy Jones, and Sergio Mendes can claim to have worked with Ravel at one point or another, just to mention a few major artists. He began issuing records of his own in the early '90s, beginning with 1991's Midnight Passion and 1995's Sol to Soul, both of which were released by Verve Forecast. Six years passed until his debut for GRP, Freddie Ravel. He's also a well-versed orchestral composer. ~ Andy Kellman