From the age of 5, cello player Gabe Schliffer knew that music was going to be a big part of his life. Born and raised at the Folk Art Guild in Middlesex, New York, Gabe took lessons at The Hochstein School of Music and Dance, attended the New England Music Camp and later studied under master cellist Jane Ricklis. Gabe graduated from Purchase College, studying abroad in both Spain and later in Egypt for his Freshman and Junior years. Traveling abroad gave Gabe a diverse appreciation of many types of music.

Upon graduating college, Gabe embarked on a cross country road trip, performing shows from Rochester to British Columbia, New Mexico and back. Since there was no room for the cello, Gabe decided to bring a violin he had recently been given. This move jump started his musical career and since then, he has carried an instrument with him everywhere he travels. He has now performed shows in over 9 countries including Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Israel, India, Egypt and France.

First joining the Brooklyn based band Thy Burden in 2006, Gabe went on to release three albums with the band before starting up his own music projects in the Finger Lakes of Western NY. A founding member of the bluegrass band Mulberry Soul and later The Cabin Killers, Gabe released albums with both bands, composing and singing many original songs on both recordings. In 2017, Gabe released his first solo album Stargazers, which was a culmination of many years of musical and personal growth.

Now based in the Pacific Northwest, Gabe performs and tours with many Oregon bands including The Muddy Souls and Sugar Pine. In June 2024 Gabe was thrilled to release his long-awaited album with Sugar Pine, a band that he founded and leads in Eugene. He also plays locally in a duo with his wife Nicole Hummel.

Gabe loves blending the lines of classical and traditional music to create an incredibly unique sound. With his newest solo project Libracello, Gabe expertly weaves and dives into the realms of electro folk and live looping. Each song is improvised and crafted from the ground up, layering and building to emotive peaks and valleys. The vibrations of the cello and violin blend to create cinematic orchestras flying into an ever-expanding universe of sound.

Gabe has been honored to share the stage with acts including Vieux Farka Taure, Toubab Krew, Moontricks, and Donna the Buffalo and many more. Gabe is currently working on his debut Libracello album, and can’t wait to see what his Eastman Series + cello is truly capable of.