Here are some words from Marco De Virgiliis when he first saw Gabriel play years ago when he was 11 yo, offering him to join the Mark World Rising Star program… Marco’s hope to see him among the Markbass artists is now reality!
A very talented young bass player.
“One night I was checking my social media pages before going to sleep and I found out this little boy playing bass…and I said….WOW!!!
That immediately brought me back to when I was a kid playing saxophone and dreaming about a new one…I still remember how happy I was we I finally had the possibility to buy it! It was with me all the time, even in bed!
For this reason, watching this pure enthusiasm and passion, I decided to sent to Gabriel one of my amps and cabs to give him the same excitement I lived when I got my new saxophone!
I think we must support music passion, especially when we see dedication and enthusiasm in young kids who will represent our next musical generation.
Playing an instrument, playing music, makes us better persons, it develops our sensibility and communication skills, so I really hope my little gift will make this boy a future big musician. I really hope to see his picture between my top endorsers ones…”
Marco De Virgiliis
At age 7 he began bass lessons and a few months later started performing with a young Motown tribute band. While learning to groove with the classic Motown bass lines of James Jamerson, Gabriel would also challenge himself by transcribing jazz and fusion solos by ear. He gained attention on social media with several viral videos that demonstrated his talent and creativity and was invited to join the Markbass family as their Rising Star at age 11. During the past decade, Gabriel has performed throughout the USA and Europe, recorded with multiple international artists, appeared at many notable music festivals, presented bass and jazz education clinics, toured and recorded with his award-winning trio, Teen Town, and received global radio airplay of his compositions.
At 19, Gabriel is already respected internationally for his musicianship and versatility, as evidenced by the multiple genres in which he has performed. He most recently opened
for rap artist Quavo, toured with Justin Lee Schultz, and performed on the 2023 Dave Koz Cruise with Sheila E., Eric Darius, and the JLS Experience. His festival appearances include Vienna’s Wir Sind Wien Festival, Berks Jazz Fest, the Jazz Education Network Conference with the U.S. Navy Commodores, Jazz Weekender, COTA Jazz Festival, Detroit BASSDAY, Elkhart Jazz Festival, and the Berkshires Jazz Festival.
Gabriel has had the honor of receiving multiple awards and scholarships over the years. He received the Joe Zawinul Foundation for Achievement’s “Z” Award as well as DownBeat Student Music Awards, YoungArts Awards, Jazz Education Network Awards, and Central Pennsylvania Music Awards.
Teen Town has toured throughout Pennsylvania and the Midwest and opened for a number of major artists, including Sheila E., the Victor Wooten Trio, the Wooten Brothers, the Tierney Sutton Band, and the Original Drifters. They have performed at many notable festivals including MusikFest, Berks Jazz Fest, and the Elkhart Jazz Festival. In 2019 they won a DownBeat Student Music Award and in 2020 the received the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame’s Best Jazz Band Award. The trio
released their debut album, A Month of Sundays, in 2022.
Gabriel is currently is in his first year studying studio music and jazz at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music on a Presidential Scholarship.
