Born in and raised in Brazil, where the rich sounds of South American music--specifically exotic jazz--permeated the culture, Gabriel Santiago was reared amid a community that helped shape and mold an individual who'd grow to become one of the more revered musicians of his generation. Learning guitar at a young age, the young Santiago soon began to compose and arrange songs with rich sonic textures that were blended into his characteristic style of contemporary Brazilian jazz. Moving to Austin, Texas to complete a doctoral program in composition at the University of Texas helped bolster his knowledge of music academia and instrumental adeptness. With his eponymously named quintet, the gifted guitarist has gathered a swarthy lot of extremely talented musicians who help add layers of dense jazz interplay to round out Santiago's already shapely sound. The group released its debut studio effort in 2011, followed by a world tour that has quickly helped the Gabriel Santiago Quintet establish a loyal fan base.
