Gabriel Grossi is considered one of the best Harmonicists in the world and one of the most important instrumentalists in Brazilian music. He has a well-established solo career at home and abroad, is a prolific producer, composer and is always involved in important projects.
He was a member of Hamilton de Holanda Quinteto, a group that won the Brazilian Music Award in 2007 and a finalist at the Latin Grammy for three consecutive times. He was also a frequent partner of the late and renowned clarinetist Paulo Moura, with whom he performed from 2003 until his death. In 2004, he also recorded CD and DVD with singers Zélia Duncan and Beth Carvalho, with whom he worked for a long time.
His debut album, “Diz Que Fui Por Aí”, received praise for its musical conception, compositions and arrangements. The second, “Afinidade” recorded in 2005 was in duo with the great guitarist Marco Pereira, and the third, “Arapuca” (inspired by the forró universe) also conquered critics and the public, showing that it is possible to combine the tradition of instrumental music with popular taste, taking Gabriel’s name to wide recognition.
In 2008, he formed his trio with instrumentalists Guilherme Ribeiro (piano) and Sérgio Machado (drums). With this formation he recorded “Horizonte”, an album prepared during the tour he performed with the legendary trombonist Raul de Souza. In 2011, he released the CD “Zibididi” with award-winning guitarist Diego Figueiredo, an album composed exclusively of copyrighted themes.
In 2012, Gabriel released two more works, “Villa Lobos Popular”, in duo with pianist Amilton Godoy, heritage of Brazilian music and leader of the iconic Zimbo Trio, and the CD “Realejo” with accordionist Bebe Kramer. In 2013 he recorded “Urbano”, with author themes and a modern proposal within the Jazz Rock universe.
In early 2015 he was called by the renowned French journalist and producer Remy Kopakopul to do the musical direction, production and arrangements of the musical “K Rio K ” in Paris. This play speaks of the Rio-Paris relationship in the 1920s. The show was a success in Paris.
In 2016, he launched the album in partnership with guitarist Felix Júnior
“Nascente”, in honor of Guinga and Hermeto Pascoal. In 2016, he also produced two albums in honor of the his harmonica masters: Toots Thielemans and Maurício Einhorn.
In the “We do it out of love” project,
Gabriel and his partner Alex Rossi brought together several harmonicists from various places in the world to pay this tribute and delivered the album
personally honored Toots Thielemans on his 94th birthday.
In the homage “Viva Maurício Einhorn” Grossi got together with his partner Pablo Fagundes and invited more than twenty-six Brazilian harmonica players to record an album double toasting the work of the great Mauricio Einhorn.
In 2017, he recorded his fifth album with Hamilton de Holanda Quinteto, honoring Milton Nascimento and celebrating the group’s ten years of existence. Also recorded in Spain in Barcelona by the TempsRecords label a duo album with the guitarist and former Jurandir Santana partner called “Conexões”.
In 2018, he released the CD and DVD “#Em Movimento ao vivo”, a tribute by Gabriel Grossi to several of his idols who transformed him into the musician he is today. For this project he composed several songs dedicated to each one of them and is also a reverence to the artists and colleagues of his generation and to the new instrumentalists and composers who have given even more strength to instrumental music made in Brazil.
In this show/live recording, Grossi invites two of his main references: Hermeto Pascoal and Mauricio Einhorn.
In 2021 releases two albums. His twelfth album called: “RE DISC COVER” which is a super innovative reinterpretation of pop and rock classics with his new quartet composed by Michael Pipoquinha (bass), Sérgio Machado (drums) and his great partner Eduardo Farias (piano). Gabriel shares the production and arrangements with Eduardo in this project, which is having huge repercussions.
And then comes the album “Plural”, his thirteenth album. In this new project, Grossi highlights his side as composer, lyricist and producer, bringing together a cast of partners and big names from the national and international scene to interpret his songs: Lenine, Jacob Collier, Ed Motta, Seamus Blake, Anat Cohen, Hermeto Pascoal, Omar Sosa, Leila Pinheiro, Zelia Duncan, Yamadu Costa, among others.
His fourteenth album is called Brasita. It is a meeting with the Italian pianist Stefania Tallini and has the special participation of Jaques Morelenbaum. This album celebrates the junction of Brazilian and Italian music and mixes the classic with the popular, honoring composers from the two honored countries and also composing partnerships in tribute to the classical geniuses, such as: Bach, Chopin and Villa Lobos.
The fifteenth album is a project in partnership with the multi-instrumentalist and composer Arismar do Espírito Santo, paying homage to the great Dominguinhos. The album is called Domingou. In 2023 also Won the professional music award in the category : Best Brazilian instrumental artist.
With fifteen albums to his name, countless recordings and shows on all continents. Participation and partnerships with great names in national and international music, such as: Hermeto Pascoal, Chico Buarque, Milton Nascimento, Jacob Collier, Snarky Puppy, Winton Marsalis, Djavan, Ivan Lins, Ed Motta, João Donato, Guinga, Lenine, Dominguinhos, Dave Mathews, among many others, Gabriel has established himself as one of the biggest names in harmonica in the world and one of the most talented and important instrumentalists and composers of Brazilian instrumental music, with wide recognition and reverence from the general public and those who know the subject best.
“I was very impressed. He is a true master”
Toots Thielemans
“Gabriel is the best playing his instrument”
Hermeto Pascoal
