BIOGRAPHY

Julius Gabriel was born in 1988 in East Berlin and began playing the saxophone at the age of ten.

He studied jazz at Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, where he expanded his artistic scope through courses at the Institute for Computer Music and Electronic Media, projects at the Institute of Contemporary Dance, and performances in orchestral and chamber music within the Contemporary Music specialisation.

He integrates soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones into his repertoire, working across acoustic and electroacoustic contexts. His performances and recordings focus on the embodied phenomena of improvisation and composition, engaging with the interplay between body, sound, and transcendence, and revealing a distinctive form of virtuosity.

Alongside this, he develops expanded saxophone systems, from electric configurations using amplification and effects chains to generate sustained, recursive sound structures, to an electroacoustic ‘percussion saxophone’ with multiple piezo pickups that amplify the instrument’s mechanical and resonant properties, and a twin soprano saxophone with dual mouthpieces and extended resonating tubes and conical bodies.

His artistic trajectory has been shaped by a series of distinct environments and collaborations. Growing up in Berlin, he was a member of the Berliner JugendJazzOrchester and worked closely with Gunter Hampel, who became an early mentor. During his studies in Essen, he formed his first bands, began releasing recordings, and became part of the collective The Dorf, a large ensemble moving between jazz, krautrock, and experimental music.

He is a member of Barry Guy’s Blue Shroud Band, an international ensemble performing Guy’s large-scale works at the intersection of improvisation, composition, and baroque music, and has performed with the London Jazz Composers Orchestra.

A subsequent period in Portugal marked a decisive phase in his development, leading to the formation of Paisiel, in close exchange with percussionist João Pais Filipe, and Ikizukuri with bassist Gonçalo Almeida and drummer Gustavo Costa, further extended through collaboration with trumpeter Susana Santos Silva. A close relationship with the label Lovers & Lollypops, alongside numerous collaborations, embedded him in the local experimental and underground scene.

Following his return to Berlin, his practice entered a phase of research and reorientation, shaped by artistic scholarships and international residencies. Extended stays in India led him to engage more deeply with rāga within Hindustani and Carnatic music, reinforcing his focus on duration, tuning, and breath. He engaged with archaeoacoustics and field recording practices, deepening his interest in sound, space, and resonance. During this period, his solo performance practice expanded into more extensive international touring.