Home » Jazz Musicians » Dani Gurgel

Dani Gurgel

Dani Gurgel is a Brazilian singer and composer, whose precise scatting is a mix of the percussive and syncopated sounds of Brazil with the swaying curves of jazz: "A fantastic syllabary" (Badische Zeitung), and "scatted vocal adventures" (Jazzthetik).

With her feet in Brazil and her body stretching throughout the world, Dani Gurgel makes that mixture the motto of her most recent releases. Reaching out of so many boxes, genres and stereotypes, Dani navigates with her rhythmic and syllabic Brasilities through jazz, rock, pop, electronica; either in English, Portuguese or lyricless compositions, mixing her experience as a big band saxophonist and rock band bassist with her original music. Dani has presented live to full houses in Japan, USA, China, Germany, Uruguay and Brazil.

Dani Gurgel’s music is “groovy, with fast prosody and mind-blowing improvisation” (Estado de SP). Dani began her musical rhapsody as a 3-year-old and grew up searching for her instrument, under the tutelage of her mother, the pianist, composer and arrangerDebora Gurgel. After 15 years of playing the bass in rock bands and the saxophone in renowned big bands, Dani Gurgel finally found her instrument: her voice. Her singing relates to her bass grooves, her saxophone articulations, and Brazilian percussion.

For the past two decades, Dani has released 6 albums of her own and 8 albums with “Dani & Debora Gurgel Quarteto”, which was nicknamed “DDG4” by their Japanese fans.They have been awarded the Brazilian Music Professionals and Japan’s Best Brazilian Album awards multiple times, as well as Digital Innovation Prize and Cultural Action Program, and toured extensively through Japan, South America, and Europe.

Gurgel has begun 2024 with a USA tour, in which her music was the theme of her residency an concert at Berklee College of Music, and with performances in New York, California and SXSW. She will follow to Europe and Japan for the second semester of the year, releasing her brand new Inside and DDG19 Big Band projects.

Awards

2007    Prêmio Nascente    Interpreter
2010    Prêmio Converge de Inovação Digital    Digital strategy of Agora
2015    Disco de Ouro da Música Brasileira, Japan    Album of the year
2013 to 2022  Disco de Ouro da Música Brasileira, Japan  Top 10 albums of the year
2021    Prêmio Profissionais da Música    Best Jazz artist: DDG4
2021    Prêmio Profissionais da Música    Best Music Book: Rodopio
2021    Prêmio Profissionais da Música    Best publisher: Da Pá Virada
2023    Prêmio Profissionais da Música    Best recording studio : Da Pá Virada
2023    Prêmio Profissionais da Música    Best music TV show presenter
2023    Prêmio Profissionais da Música    best digital strategy
2023    Prêmio Profissionais da Música    Best Executive producer
2015    Prêmio Profissionais da Música    Best website for music promotion
2015    Prêmio Profissionais da Música    Best web TV show


Tags

1

Performance / Tour

Dani And Debora Gurgel Quarteto Performs At Berklee College Of Music

Dani And Debora Gurgel Quarteto Performs At Berklee College Of Music

Source: Daniel Pesquera

Berklee is honored to welcome the Dani and Debora Gurgel Quarteto, also known as DDG4, one of the most dynamic and acclaimed bands in contemporary Brazilian music. The quartet will be visiting the Boston campus and engaging with community members during a full-week residency, culminating with Dani & Debora Quarteto Meets Berklee, a concert that kicks off the college’s spring 2024 Signature Series on February 15 at the Berklee Performance Center. Known for its energetic live performances and compelling blend ...

209

Video / DVD

Dani Gurgel Releases "Viadutos" on DVD

Dani Gurgel Releases "Viadutos" on DVD

Source: Emilie Bloch

Coming Soon! “Viadutos" DVD by Dani Gurgel! Singer/songwriter Dani Gurgel, one of the revelations of Brazilian music, releases her first DVD Viadutos. It includes songs that Dani has been performing on tour this past year, which demonstrates her ability to create a sound that combines Brazilian music, pop, and jazz. The album was produced and recorded live on the top of the building 'Edificio Viadutos,' a landmark of the city's architecture, in downtown Sao Paulo. The DVD will be released ...

79

Recording

Dani Gurgel: "Agora" Released

Dani Gurgel: "Agora" Released

Source: Michael Ricci

Dani Gurgel's long awaited release “Agora" was recently released on ArtistShare on September 16th. It features a wide range of talented, Brazilian composers mixing traditional styles with modern grooves, all while featuring the fantastic voice of Dani Gurgel. Watch this amazing band, and take a listen to what they have to say about the music and the new project (see video below). In Dani's own words: This project is inspired on the series of concerts 'Dani Gurgel and the New ...

91

Recording

Dani Gurgel's "Agora" Coming Soon on ArtistShare!

Dani Gurgel's "Agora" Coming Soon on ArtistShare!

Source: All About Jazz

Dani Gurgel has been hard at work on her latest project, “Agora”, which is to be released September 16th. Her music is an exciting mix of traditional Brazilian music, featuring subtle, profound rhythmic grooves, plus the improvisational excitement of jazz music. In Dani's own words: “This project's name, Agora, means Now. But, right below that first meaning, there's gora, a place in Athens, where citizens would gather to make art and democracy. That's what we intend to do: gather people, ...

112

Recording

Dani Gurgel Launches "Agora" ArtistShare Project!

Dani Gurgel Launches "Agora" ArtistShare Project!

Source: All About Jazz

We wanted to let everyone know about a bright young Brazilian artist named Dani Gurgel who has just launched her first ArtistShare project! Check out Dani's great version of Maria Schneider’s “Estrada Bela,” with her original lyrics! (video below) In her own words: “This project is inspired on the series of concerts 'Dani Gurgel and the New Composers' and will feature many young and talented Brazilian composers and musicians, singing and playing along with me. This project's name, Agora, means ...

You should not find a more fantastic syllabary in Brazil at the moment.

Badische Zeitung, Germany

She is groovy, with fast prosody and mind blowing improvisation.

O Estado de São Paulo, BR

Dani Gurgel represents a new musical generation, both traditional and unexpected.

Libération, Paris

Music full of lightness and freshness that blends Brazilian rhythmic patterns with modern mainstream jazz and influences from other world music traditions.

Read more

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

DDG19 Big Band

Self Produced
2024

buy

Out

Self Produced
2022

buy

TUQTI

Self Produced
2019

buy

Nosso

Self Produced
2008

buy

Videos

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.