Episode #2 - GABRIELA OCEJO (argentina, SA) // "The scene is made by the musicians". Gabriela is an Argentine-born, Treaty 1-based guitarist and songwriter. Raised in a musical family, Gabi’s father, guitarist Guillermo Ocejo was a major influence to her love of music and artistry, introducing her to Jazz, Tango and Argentinean Folklore. Gabi continued honing her craft playing with her talented hometown musician friends in Buenos Aires and Bahia Blanca, as she bounced back and forth between the continents.
After relocating to Winnipeg in 2011, Gabi became immersed in the local arts and cultural community. Her range in style, gift in songwriting and tasteful arrangements quickly made Gabi a mainstay of Winnipeg music scene, effortlessly collaborating with some of the city’s best musicians across a range of styles including all-female Jazz Manouche band, Juvel; 7-piece traditional swing band, Sunny Roseland; folk-roots songwriter and Crooked Brother, Matt Foster; and Polaris Prize-nominated 8-piece live hip-hop ensemble, Super Duty Tough Work. Recently, Gabi has started her own project, showcasing her skill as a songwriter and arranger. Gabi’s music blends her love for R&B, jazz, pop and neo soul, with lyrics that earnestly examine the joy, pain and neurosis of contemporary city living. With a series of EPs on the horizon, Gabi’s band features Ashley Au, Holly Stratton and Kevin Waters