Born in Beirut, Rami Gabriel, Ph.D., is a syncretic scholar and multi-instrumentalist whose work explores emotion, philosophy, and sound. As an Associate Professor and author, he publishes on the evolution of the mind, the philosophy of psychology, and consciousness.

Rami Gabriel blends traditional Arabic idioms with blues, jazz, and post-punk on the guitar, the oud, and the buzuq. Through sonic hybridity and scholarship, Gabriel’s compositions and improvisations navigate the diasporic experience, creating a living dialogue between trance, improvisation, performance.

Based in Chicago since 2007, Rami Gabriel has received several grants from the Illinois Arts Council to record original compositions with Chicago favorites The Arab Blues and the rhythm and blues quartet Rami & the Reliables (with Scott Ligon and Casey McDonough of NRBQ and Alex Hall of The Flat Five and Modern Sounds). In addition to a dozen albums by these groups recorded at Reliable Recorders, he has produced solo albums released by the cooperatively-run independent label Sooper Records: That’s what I been sayin’ (2024), That's what I mean (remixes from top Chicago producers) (2025), electric buzuq doom EP DADAD (2025), and his new LP album Tunderizer (2026).

Rami Gabriel’s musical foundation was forged in North America under the tutelage of masters such as Dr. Scott Marcus, Bassam Saba, and Mehmet Bitmez. This diverse training has led to a prolific performance career alongside iconic artists across genres—from blues legend Buddy Guy and deep listening pioneer Pauline Oliveros to sitarist Shubhendra Rao.

Whether performing in Glenn Branca's 100 Guitar Symphony 13 or opening for Zakir Hussain and Bela Fleck, Rami brings a unique sonic perspective to every collaboration. His stage credits span global traditions and contemporary innovation, reflecting a career defined by artistic depth and prestigious partnerships. He has performed at dozens of underground venues including on WFMU, and has shared bills with Marvin Tate, Prostitute, Imarhan, as well as performing highlife in Accra, Ghana, and with Hindustani classical musicians in New Delhi, India.

An accomplished author and academic, Dr. Rami Gabriel is Associate Professor Emeritus of Social Sciences and has published three books: A Suspicious Science: The Uses of Psychology (Oxford University Press, 2023), The Emotional Mind: The Affective Roots of Culture and Cognition (Harvard University Press, 2019), and Why I Buy: Self, Taste, and Consumer Society in America (Intellect Press, 2013).