Harper College will be closed Monday, September 1, in observance of Labor Day.
Little Rock, Arkansas native Gabriel Wade is a versatile trumpeter, pianist, and educator with a rich performance history. He's shared the stage with iconic ensembles and artists such as the Count Basie Orchestra and Bobby Watson, and Chicago staples like the Clif Wallace Big Band, Tom Garling Jazz Orchestra, Marlene Rosenberg Quartet, and the Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective. As a sideman, he's appeared at notable venues and festivals across the Midwest, including the Bop Stop (Cleveland, OH), Merriman's Playhouse (South Bend, IN), and the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts (Milwaukee, WI), the Elmhurst Jazz Festival (Elmhurst, IL), and the Chicago Jazz Festival (Chicago, IL). As a bandleader, he has had the pleasure of performing on stages in Arkansas and Illinois, including prominent Chicago venues such as Fulton Street Collective, The Whistler, the Jazz Showcase, and Andy's Jazz Club.
Recent achievements include qualifying as a semi-finalist in the Jazz Improvisation Division for the International Trumpet Guild’s 2024 and 2025 Ryan Anthony Memorial Trumpet Competition, being selected for the prestigious, donor-funded 2024 Jazz Aspen Snowmass Academy Big Band led by artistic director, Christian McBride, and earning 1st place in the 2024 Tom Williams Jazz Division of the National Trumpet Competition.
Prof. Wade's goal as an educator is to help students develop a greater sense of awareness and appreciation of the many facets of music, as well as craftsmanship. Also, he hopes to provide students with the tools to understand how to practice efficiently and to overcome challenges when they arise.