“Gabriel Garzón-Montano” – photo credit @HoustonOutlet

Trekking forth on tour with Kali Uchis, rising R&B luminary Gabriel Garzón-Montano played a packed House of Blues in Houston last night. His debut album, “Jardín” , has turned him on to new audiences, receiving acclaim from Pitchfork and Entertainment Weekly. Billboard and Okayplayer dubbed “Jardín” one of the “Best Albums of 2017”. He now has hit the road in support of the album alongside fellow Colombian American musician, Kali Uchis on her North American Tour.

As music dimly plays behind the incessant buzz of the crowd’s chatter, an empty stage centers a packed house. Sporadic bouts of “Kali” chants muster and fade away. Suddenly, a member of the sound crew walks on stage, screams belt out. The anticipation of what to come is clearly felt. Out comes Gabriel Garzón-Montano who is welcomed to Houston with a welcoming roar. Aware that many in the crowd may be unfamiliar with him, he asks the crowd who here knows him and who here is “having their first lunch”. To much delight, Montano’s textured, grown-up sound tasted sweet in the music palate of the younger crowd who came to see Kali. His set was energized, doing songs from “Jardín” that got some people in the crowd moving. His performance is expressive. His movements, stylish dress, and expressive voice illustrate a dynamic artist whose influences are diverse, much like his Colombian and French heritage. At times speaking to the crowd in Spanish, Montano gracefully switched from English to Spanish on songs to the delight of the audience.

Montano had a run-in with pop sensation Drake. In 2015, Drake sampled Montano’s “6 8” for his track “Jungle” off of “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late”. He performed “6 8” for Houston which caused the crowd to erupt in cheering seconds after the hook began. An experimentalist at heart, Montano is sure to bring forth more music that bends the idea that music should be confined to genre. Discover Gabriel Garzón-Montano:

Instagram @Gabrielgarzonmontana

Website gabrielgarzonmontano.com 

Stream his full album “Jardin” here.

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