Gabriel Vicéns | Guitar
Acclaimed by Downbeat Magazine as “a thoughtful improviser with a quiet tone who makes every note count," Manhattan-based guitarist and composer Gabriel Vicéns is one of the most in demand guitarist on the New York City jazz scene. Originally from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Vicéns made the move to NYC after a 5 year Professorship at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. He has been mentored by an impressive list of musicians and composers, including Ray Anderson, Miguel Zenón, David Sánchez, Paul Bollenback, Antonio Hart, Fernando Mattina, Daria Semegen, Nirmali Fenn and Luis Perdomo. Legendary bassist Eddie Gómez says Vicéns is “a creative musician that displays a new vision on the guitar.” Vicéns playing and compositions are influenced by many genres, ranging from jazz, rock, new music, electronic music and Caribbean and Latin American folklore.
Vicéns has been featured at venues and festivals such as Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Fest, SF Jazz Center in San Francisco, Ljubljana Jazz Festival in Slovenia, Uno Jazz San Remo Festival in Italy, and the Festival Havana World Music in Cuba. In New York, he frequents prominent venues such as The Cell Theater, Cornelia Street Cafe, Latea Theater, Fat Cat, The Owl Music Parlor, and Terraza 7 both as a leader of his own groups and as a sideman. He is a member of the free improvisational collaborative group No Base Trio, alongside alto saxophonist Jonathan Suazo and drummer Leonardo Osuna. Vicéns has had the opportunity to perform and work with artists such as Alex Sipiagin, David Sánchez, Miguel Zenón, Luis Perdomo, Paoli Mejias, Will Vinson, Henry Cole, Joe Martin, Rudy Royston, among others. Internationally, he has performed throughout Slovenia, Italy, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the states.
Vicéns holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, a Master of Music degree from Queens College and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Stony Brook University. He plans to release his third album in 2020. Entitled The Way We are Created, his upcoming record will feature compositions influenced by folklore music from Puerto Rico and Cuba such as bomba, plena and Changüí, featuring saxophonist Roman Filiú, pianist Glenn Zaleski, bassist Rick Rosato, drummer E.J. Strickland and percussionist Victor Pablo.
