Gil Ayan

gil_ayan@yahoo.com

A native of Uruguay, Gil got his musical start at the age of 6 while living in Brazil, when his parents gave him a guitar and got him a music teacher.  According to the story, Gil was a very mischievous boy who rarely seemed to behave himself unless there was something that could completely capture his attention, and music was one such thing.  Noticing his obvious interest, and seeing the potential for peace and quiet around the house, Gil's parents made a trip to the local music store and hoped for the best — and arguably, the plan worked.

While in Brazil, Gil quickly developed a taste for the popular music of the time, as Viniçius de Moraes and Antonio Carlos Jobim propelled Bossa Nova into the international spotlight.  It wasn't long before Gil discovered The Beatles and rock and roll, and his first guitar heroes: Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck.  In his early teens, equipped with a "fire engine red" electric, Gil began forming bands and playing the music of the 1970s.

Gil moved to northern California in 1983 and experienced his first significant exposure to R&B, jazz and "West Coast Music" when he joined his first professional band.  In the following years, in pursuit of his new musical interests, Gil auditioned for and won the guitar chair for his college's jazz ensemble and become a regular — and often uninvited — guest with the Jules Broussard band at San Francisco's "Roland's" jazz club.

Relocating to L.A. in the early 1990s, Gil spent some time with the legendary band Azteca, originally founded by Santana's member Coke Escovedo.  In L.A. Gil has had the opportunity to do freelance studio work and has performed on several local venues, sharing the stage with Koko Taylor, Keb Mo and Steppenwolf, among others.  A few years ago Gil founded Ayan Enterprises to cater to his hobby of building amplifiers and music gadgets.  Featured in Guitar Shop magazine, Gil's products have found their way to the homes of such names as Carlos Santana, Jay Graydon and The Knack.

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