Gabriel W  
Instruments: Guitar, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Latin, Funk, Flamenco, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Punk, Avant-garde

Gabriel is a guitar player, musician, composer, producer and educator who has been teaching music for over 2 decades. He has an undergraduate degree in music composition and theory, a Masters degree Jazz Studies with an emphasis in Guitar Performance, a Masters in Musicology, and he was a Doctoral Candidate in Musicology/ Ethnomusicology/ Jazz Studies at the University of Southern California. Gabriel is originally from Maryland, in the Washington, D.C. suburbs and began his musical explorations on the piano as a child, before teaching himself guitar as a teenager. While attending Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, Gabriel began formal lessons in jazz guitar with Tom Kozic (a student of Joe Pass, Howard Roberts, Tal Farlow, and Kenny Burrell) and Dr. Theodore Conner, as well as classical music theory and composition with Douglas Ovens. During his education, Gabriel was a member of several jazz improvisational groups, a big band orchestra, and he also played in the pit orchestra for musical  productions. After graduating cum laude with a degree in Music, Gabriel made his way to Chicago to work on a Masters in Jazz Studies at DePaul University, studying with Bob Palmieri (a student of John Scofield), trumpeter Dr. Robert Lark, and saxophonist Peter Ballin. While at DePaul he continued to play and record in several jazz combos and big bands, while also finding the time to jam at some of the great blues bars in the city.  Leaving Chicago behind in 2003, Gabriel traveled to Los Angeles to pursue his Doctorate in Musicology at the University of Southern California, where he studied Indian classical music, Jazz History, and 20th century Western art music, receiving a Masters in Musicology along the way and becoming a Doctoral Candidate. As part of his coursework, he continued his guitar studies with David Becker and Tim Kobza, while also sitting in on master classes with Joe Diorio, Sid Jacobs, Pat Martino, Steve Trovato, and Pat Metheny. For his Ethnomusicology studies, Gabriel learned to play the tabla, a set of hand drums from India. He learned even more about Indian culture and music while abroad in India for 6 months in the fall/winter of 2006/2007, researching for his dissertation. Gabriel's fascination with Indian music has influenced not only his compositional writing and improvisational style, but also his teaching approach. In 2010, Gabriel decided to leave his academic studies to pursue his performance and teaching career full time, which has led to opportunities to perform and record throughout the world with several bands and artists, as well as teach some well known professional players. Throughout his career, Gabriel has toured throughout the US and World, sharing the stage with several national and international acts, including Quactus, Naked Eyes, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Collective Soul, Violent Femmes, Billy Squire, Wang Chung, A Flock of Seagulls, John Popper (Blues Traveler), Leo Nocentelli (The Meters), Marc Ford (Black Crowes), Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), Nels Cline (Wilco), Kris Myers (Umphrey's McGee), Moonalice (w/ members of Phil Lesh and Friends, Hot Tuna, Bruce Hornsby, and Jefferson Starship), EOTO (w/ members of String Cheese Incident), Melvin Seals and the Jerry Garcia Band, Particle, The Maykers (w/ members of the Jerry Garcia Band), Bobby Vega (Sly and the Family Stone), CR Gruver (Polytoxic/Outformation), Willie Waldman, The New Mastersounds, The Heavy Pets, Cubensis, Jamie Janover, Leon Mobley, Al Howard & the K23 Orchestra, Erasure, Berlin, Men Without Hats, Howard Jones, Andy Bell, When in Rome, Animotion, The Romantics, and Sweet. Some of his favorite guitar players include: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Scott Henderson, Jimmy Herring, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Albert King, Freddie King, Buddy Guy, Trey Anastasio, Carlos Santana, Jerry Garcia, Al Di Meola, Pat Martino, Joe Pass, Grant Green, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Robben Ford, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Steve Morse, Marty Friedman, Jason Becker, Yngwie Malmsteem, Rusty Cooley, Guthrie Govan and many more. Gabriel specializes in all styles, including rock, jazz, funk, blues, classic rock, metal, pop, latin and acoustic. He is a very patient teacher and has a lot of information to share.