Recording Project Mastering
2019 Fall Grantee
Gabriel Chakarji
Gabriel Chakarji is a Latin Grammy Award nominee pianist and composer who merges the influences of his Venezuelan musical backgrounds with a New York City Jazz sound.
Originally from Caracas Venezuela, he grew up in a multicultural environment full of music that expands from afro-Venezuelan Folk, Caribbean, Brazilian music to Jazz and Gospel. Gabriel began studying classical piano at the age of nine. After high school, he studied composition at Ars Nova School of music. In his teens, he took part in the Simon Bolívar Jazz Big Band touring with this orchestra to the US in 2011. His experience, versatility, and passion made him one of the most sought after pianists in his country. His participation in the Album "Tiempo" of Linda Briceño earned him a nomination for the Latin Grammy Awards in 2013.
The Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC has awarded a 2019 Fall music grant for Gabriel to complete his “Venezuela in Motion” project.
“All my influences of South-American music and Black-American music have one place in common: Africa. We’re trying to bring out the points in common, the places were many styles of music live together, instead of focusing on the differences and genres, we need more of this spirit in a society that suffers from racism, diaspora, and wars”
Venezuela in Motion is a collective of U.S.-based Venezuelan musicians, that fuse songs and chants from the traditional Afro-Venezuelan repertoire with modern rhythms, harmonies, and improvisation from the jazz language. Featuring both traditional Afro-Venezuelan percussion (Culo e Puya, Cumaco, Clarin) and typical instruments of a jazz piano trio (piano, bass, drums),
This music aims to express artistically how the recent Venezuelan diaspora, caused by the political crisis, affects the culture of a nation.
During his time in New York City, Gabriel has rapidly become a pianist in demand. He has appeared at recognized venues like The Blue Note, where he played duo with Gadi Lehavi after Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock’s duo set. As a sideman, he has toured the world with multiple projects including Luisito Quintero’s Latin Grammy award Nominee “3rd Element”, Harmonicist Yotam Ben Or, multiple Grammy winner John Benitez, among others.
Gabriel is also involved in the educational program led by Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center giving concerts and workshops in public schools in New York.
Gabriel has toured successfully with his trio in Europe. He recorded an album as a soloist and now is working on his latest project with a 2019 Fall Music grant, “Venezuela in Motion”.
Please visit Gabriel’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and his website for more information.