RAMI GABRIEL: Born in Beirut, Rami Gabriel is a composer who plays Oud, Buzuq, and Guitar. He learned blues and jazz by performing with legendary Chicago musicians and integrating it with Arabic traditions. He studied with Dr. Scott Marcus, Bassam Saba, Dr. Alfred Gemil (Cairo), Osama Zeadan (Cairo), Mehmet Bitmez (Istanbul), and gitane jazz master Alfonso Ponticelli. Rami performs widely across North America and internationally, leading Chicago favorites The Arab Blues and the rhythm and blues quartet Rami & the Reliables. He is a prolific composer, who has received several grants from Illinois Arts Council. He has produced solo albums, That’s what I been sayin’ (2024), That's what I mean (remixes from top Chicago producers) (2025), and electric buzuq post-punk EP DADAD (2025), which are released by the cooperatively-run independent label Sooper records. Rami has performed in Glenn Branca's 100 guitar Symphony 13 at Disney Hall in Los Angeles in 2006; he has played with Buddy Guy; and has opened for Zakir Hussein, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyers, and Rakesh Chaurasia at Millenium Park in Chicago. Rami performed an opening set for the great British songwriter Nick Lowe and records regularly with members of American rock legends NRBQ. He has performed at underground venues and been a guest on radio stations like WFMU in New York, including sharing a bill with Prostitute, Marvin Tate, and other punk and noise artists. He has performed highlife in Accra and with Hindustani classical musicians in Dehli. His most recent shows in New York City were at Joe's pub, Drom, NuBlu, Barbes, and Jalopy theater Piotr Szpunar: Born in Warszawa, he is a percussionist, composer and drummer. He studied composition with Canadian Jazz great, Don Thompson. His latest work is with the Philadelphia group, Aunt Dracula.