Born: March 16, 1988 Primary Instrument: Guitar
Born in Puerto Rico in 1988, guitarist Gabriel Vicéns started delving seriously into music by the age of 14. His growing passion for jazz began at the age of 16, and just a year later, he started playing in local clubs with some of the best local jazz musicians. In high school, he played with the school's jazzband, with which he won two competitions in Orlando, Florida as Outstanting Soloist. His interest for classic rock and alternative music has been another significant influence throughout his life. By the end of high school, he received an Outstanding Musicianship Award and a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music, but instead decided to go to the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico, where he majored in Jazz Performance for Jazz Guitar. As a student, he had the opportunity to play, learn, and develop friendships with Miguel Zenon, Eddie Gomez, Kenny Werner, David Sanchez, John Faddis, Bill Boris, Charlie Sepulveda, Danilo Perez, Luis Marin, Fernando Mattina, and Paoli Mejias. In 2010 he graduated summa cum laude from the Conservatory as the first jazz guitarist and has just completed his first full length, critically acclaimed album, “Point In Time”, featuring jazz legend Eddie Gómez and tenor saxophonist David Sánchez. Currently, he is also giving guitar lessons at a collegiate level at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
- Bill Milkowski, Jazz Times Magazine
“Gabriel Vicéns' Point In Time displays exceptional maturity in composition and performace. As the Puerto Rican guitarist thoughtfully develops each improvised solo, it's easy to forget this is his debut release”
- James Rozzi, Jazziz Magazine
“Point In Time is a full-bodied debut record filled with bright moments, enchanting sounds and thrilling journeys. The Zeitgeist of modern jazz is exhibited through Vicens' work”
- Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
“Puerto Rican guitarist Gabriel Vicéns shows signs of being one of the new aces of mainstream guitar”
“Vicéns’ resourceful, impressive view is such that the Collective We will want to experience anew”
- Mark Keresman, Jazz Inside Magazine
“Point in Time is as strong a debut record as any jazz guitarist could hope for. The tunes are well-written, the arrangements engaging and full of creativity and the performances are world class, everything one could want in a modern jazz record”
- Matt Warnock, Guitar International
“... to release a first solo record with an ensemble of that integrity is an achievement that can make proud any of the jazz heavies”
- Iouri Lnogradski, JAZZ.RU
“Point In Time is without a doubt a promising beginning in the career of this young talent”
- Wilbert Sostre, JazzTimes Magazine
“Es, simple y llanamente, el mejor debut discográfico que yo haya escuchado en mucho tiempo. Un disco que compite de tú a tú con cualquier producción reciente de alguno de los guitarristas del momento. Vibrante, variado, rico en matices”
- Ragui Vega Curri, El Nuevo Dia
“Non sta passando inosservato l’esordio di questo giovane chitarrista portoricano, che s’impone per le doti strumentali e soprattutto per la maturità di compositore e leader”
- Leonardi, Musica Jazz Magazine
“Una musica di gruppo perfettamente in equilibrio tra sfondo e primi piani, tra contorno e nucleo espressivo”
- Roberto Paviglianiti, All About Jazz Italia
“Een jonge, zelfverzekerde pionier, waar vele gerijpte jazzlui al iets in zien”
- Coen de Jonge, Jazzism Magazine
“Sammantaget en mycket tilltalande platta av en spännande musiker i vardande och det skulle inte förvåna mig om Gabriel Vicéns om något år eller två dyker upp som ”rising star” på Down Beats gitarristlista”
- Ulf Thelander, Orkester Journalen
