Rafael is a bilingual New York-based instructor. Rafael has established himself as a premier guitarist, composer, engineer, producer since his arrival in NYC back in 2011, receiving rave reviews on his playing as a sideman and as a leader. His debut as a leader, “Portrait” (2014) was co- produced by Multi-Grammy Award Winning Bassist/Composer John Benitez and was awarded 4 stars from international publications. “Portrait” features an incredible cast of master musicians bringing together Puerto Rico’s Bomba and Plena rhythms, jazz harmony, and rock’s aggressive nature to form a unique and original canvas of sound beyond the normal clave. Rafael has helped develop curriculums incorporating music technology and composition at Hofstra University, as well as LIU. He's also taught at other colleges as a guest such as NYU, CUNY, Saint John’s University. He regularly performs in NYC and his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico as a leader or as a sideman, follow on the the @therafaelrosa