Gabriel Datcu
As a native from Transylvania, Romania, Gabriel Datcu began his musical journey at 4 years old by playing the accordion. During elementary school he started studying piano and later on guitar.
His first encounter with guitar artists occurred when he was given two cassette tapes. One of them featured Christopher Parkening playing works by Bach and the other Ella Fitzgerald, singing jazz as she was accompanied by guitarists Joe Pass and Barney Kessel. Since then his commitment to studying these two music styles, classical and improvisation, has been uncompromising.
After entering the College of Fine Arts of Bucharest in 1998 and later on the Music Conservatory, Gabriel was approached by one of his improvisation teachers, Marius Pop, to perform at several music venues throughout the city and on several national TV stations. This opportunity has provided Gabriel to meet, study, and perform several of the best Romanian jazz musicians: Sorin Romanescu, Tudy Zaharescu and Pedro Negrescu. He later recorded on guitar, on the national Radio-Television studios, (T8) accompanied by his music mentor, Marius Pop . Gabriel was then approached by Marin Pecheas Big Band to perform and tour in Europe.
In year 2000, Gabriel was offered the chance to study and settle in the U.S. He was awarded a musical scholarship to De Paul University, where he studied with Bob Galmieri, jazz guitar instructor, and at Northern Illinois University where he was taught by Fareed Haque. Eventually, Pat Metheny Groups bassist – Steve Rodby, helped him advance to playing elements of improvisations. The Bloom School of Jazz also had a major impact on Gabriel’s music growth. There he learned the subtleties of improvisation with David Bloom. Gabriel moved on to perform on several Chicagos jazz stages such as Green Mill and Jazz Showcase as part of the Bloom Schools curricula.
By attending several music workshops he had opportunity to study with Pat Metheny and John Scofield, which became two of his stylistic major influences. Currently, Gabriel continues his musical journey by using his talents as he performs on several recording projects involving both classical and improvisation music, either with orchestras such as Logos Symphony Orchestra or with modern bands throughout Chicago City and its surrounding suburbs.