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Gabriel Santiago

Brazilian-born Gabriel Santiago is an award-winning composer, arranger, performer, and music educator. A master of both the acoustic and electric guitar, Santiago has released 14 albums (including CDs & DVDs) and regularly performs solo and accompanied concerts and festivals across the U.S. and around the globe. Filled with passion and culture, his ever-evolving sound represents a dynamic confluence of his classical, jazz and Brazilian roots. Santiago has collaborated with a wide variety of artists, including Esperanza Spalding, Chris Potter, Stefon Harris, John Clayton, Terence Blanchard, Janek Gwizdala, Carmen Bradford, André Mehmari, Romero Lubambo, Odair Assad, Gilson Peranzzetta and Recording Engineer Master Rupert Neve. A prolific and talented composer, Gabriel has composed music for a wide variety of ensembles, ranging from symphony orchestra and chamber ensembles to big band and jazz combos, as well as music for TV and film. Called by JazzTimes Magazine “a young master at both the acoustic and electric guitars” and his compositions defined as “stunners”, Santiago holds a Doctoral Degree in Music Composition from the University of Texas at Austin, where he won the 2013 Outstanding Dissertation Award and the 2010 Eleanor A. Stribling Award for Excellence in Jazz Studies. His solid background also features studies with jazz masters Pat Metheny, Adam Rogers and Maria Schneider. His music is fresh and carries all of his influences that range from Brazilian music to jazz and concert music.

Awards

ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award – ASCAP – New York  (2010)

Outstanding Dissertation Award – University of Texas at Austin (2012-13)

Eleanor A. Stribling Award for Excellence in Jazz Studies  – University of Texas at Austin (2010)


Tags

“The Brazilian 7-string master also handles the 8-String Classical, Baritone Classical and 12- string acoustic guitars all with equal dexterity and virtuosic brilliance." - Kory Cook, Music Director, Jazz 91.7 FM KRTU  “Gabriel Santiago possesses that rare ability to move between composing for an orchestra, to jazz ensemble to a quartet with ease as witnessed by his recent works” -Sharon Stevens/Raízes Brazilian Radio/91.3 FM KBCS “Santiago is an extremely tasteful guitarist that uses simplicity as leverage.” -Austin Music City “Here’s an artist on a successful road… […]a remarkable solo effort filled with unforgettable guitar work.” -Egidio Leitão (musicabrasileira.org)

Primary Instrument

Guitar

Location

Houston

Michael Brecker
saxophone, tenor
Lyle Mays
keyboards
Pat Metheny
guitar
Milton Nascimento
guitar and vocals
Ivan Lins
keyboards

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Upright

Self Produced
2021

buy

Symphonic

Self Produced
2020

buy

TUQTI

Self Produced
2019

buy

Joy in Friends

Self Produced
2018

buy

Traveler

Self Produced
2017

buy

No Caminho

DaPaVirada (Brazil)
2017

buy

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