I'm excited to announce that I will be performing with Yoko Ono at MoMA in New York City August 14 & 15. Tickets go on sale 12 noon, Monday. For more information go to the MoMA Website.
Personnel: Yoko Ono, Erik Friedlander, Denardo Coleman, Alan Licht
Photo by Rachel Stern
..a much younger Erik Friedlander was asked after a concert. It was a troubling question that neatly described Friedlander’s personal quest to develop a voice for himself and his instrument and the larger struggle of all cellists who improvise: Where does the cello fit into jazz and can it even belong in that storied tradition?
“When you are an improvising cellist there is not so much history to contemplate and learn from. It’s like we’re on a desert island.” Friedlander says. Saxophone players or guitar players have a crowd of players to measure themselves against, while cellists have Fred Katz, Abdul Wadud and more recent players like Hank Roberts and Ernst Reijseger -- there are others, but it’s a short list.
Friedlander has been doing that jazz cello thing on New York’s Downtown music scene since the 1990s. He has worked to stake out new territory for himself and his instrument but has never recorded a project of cover tunes before. OSCALYPSO is a celebration of the music of bassist Oscar Pettiford who according to Friedlander was innovative on the cello too. “When I look to history for a role model, it’s Pettiford. ” says Friedlander, “Pettiford played the cello with such swing and melody. He was the first to lead a band from behind the cello. And he wrote original tunes, some of which are now classics. Pettiford had a special feel for the instrument -- he even named his son Cello! He’s always been a hero of mine.”
(I must pause to give ample credit to Harry "The Bear" Babasin, who was likely the first bassist to record a jazz record on cello when he played on "Up at Dodo's Room" in 1947. As good as Babasin is as a player, his writing isn't as great as Pettiford's work.)
OSCALYPSO features 9 original Pettiford tunes. “I love the elegance of Pettiford’s lines. He’s such a savvy and joyful composer,” Friedlander explained, “I know he had some rough times with alcohol, and he could be bitter, but his writing is buoyant, even sweet. You can’t help but smile when you play.” The record has some of Pettiford’s most familiar compositions, like Bohemia After Dark and Tricotism as well as less well known tracks like Cable Car and Cello Again. Joining Friedlander on OSCALYPSO is Trevor Dunn on bass, Michael Sarin on drums, and saxophonist Michael Blake.
Cellist Erik Friedlander is a composer, an improviser, and a veteran of NYC's Downtown scene. Friedlander started studying music at an early age, beginning at 5 with guitar, and then at 8, cello lessons. Erik spent his twenties honing his skills as a player and an improviser and quickly became a sought after studio musician, performing on 100s of cds. New sideman work continues with contributions to new The Mountain Goats and John Zorn projects. Friedlander's recent works are diverse: Illuminations, a new solo release; Nighthawks, a cd that was conceived during the blackout in lower Manhattan caused by Hurricane Sandy. Claws & Wings, the elegiac work dedicated to Erik’s late wife, featuring laptop percussionist Ikue Mori and pianist Sylvie Courvoisier; and a limited edition LP with photographer Mitch Epstein entitled American Power.
Michael Blake’s latest cd, Tiddy Boom, a tribute to Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young, was released in 2014. In 2013 Mr. Blake won the Chamber Music America's 2013 New Jazz Works grant. In addition to his own projects he has worked with Ben Allison, Steven Bernstein and John Lurie. Trevor Dunn is a co-founder of the avant-rock band Mr. Bungle, plays with John Zorn’s Electric Masada, and leads Trio-Convulsant, PROOF Readers and MadLove. Michael Sarin made his name first with the Thomas Chapin Trio and continues to work with Ben Allison, David Krakauer Myra Melford, Drew Gress and others.
Recorded at East Side Sound by Scott Solter
Mixed by Scott Solter
Mastered by Brent Lambert at The Kitchen Mastering
Design by Vanessa No Heart
Photos by Rachel Stern
Personnel: Erik Friedlander, cello; Michael Blake, saxophone; Trevor Dunn, bass; Michael Sarin, drums
Nice interview I did with Molly Sheridan at NEWMUSICBOX. Check it out here!
Videos from Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow, Poland - performance in the Temple Synagogue.
ILLUMINATIONS weaves inspirations from ancient book making with ritual dance movements and Renaissance vocal forms. The listener may sometimes feel they are hearing a lute or a gamba.
Says Friedlander, “I’m always trying to tell a story with my playing and in ILLUMINATIONS it’s all about a world that’s lit by candles and has the smell of leather and parchment.”
AN ENCOUNTER WITH ANCIENT BOOKS SPARKS THE IMAGINATION OF CELLIST ERIK FRIEDLANDER IN HIS LATEST SOLO RELEASE.
ILLUMINATIONS, cellist Erik Friedlander’s latest solo release was originally commissioned by the Jewish Museum in New York City which hosted an exhibit of ancient books from Oxford University’s Bodleian Collection. The exhibit brought together ancient illuminated texts in Arabic, Latin and Hebrew.
“I found myself in this darkened room surrounded by these gorgeous books and manuscripts that seemed to be talking to me. They were telling me a story of patience and craft, ritual and dedication that was inspiring.”
Friedlander has worked on the Bach suites throughout his life as a cellist and he used the suite form as a launching point for ILLUMINATIONS. Friedlander begins the suite with the meditative Invocation. The Prelude (subtitled Scriptorium) that follows is a furious moto perpetuo with an improvisatory pizzicato interlude. “I was inspired by Bach’s Preludes which are technically challenging and musically formidable. Scriptorium is a serious place where work gets done. Scribes sometimes spent their entire lives working in this room.” Instead of the French dances most often used in the Bach suites (Allemande, Courante, Bouree, and Gigue) Friedlander chose instead to compose using vocal forms, Chants and Madrigals as well as dances of his own choosing: Cham is a hypnotic, trance-like piece named for the mystical Tibetan dance; the Tarantella is a ⅞ dance of madness named for the infamous serpent who tempts Eve; a Fantasia is a free, improvisational meditation and Kaddishis a mourner’s prayer. The suite finishes with Pavan, a dedication to Hildegard von Bingen, the 12th century mystic and composer.
ILLUMINATIONS weaves inspirations from ancient book making with ritual dance movements and Renaissance vocal forms. The listener may sometimes feel they are hearing a lute or a gamba.
Says Friedlander, “I’m always trying to tell a story with my playing and in ILLUMINATIONS it’s all about a world that’s lit by candles and has the smell of leather and parchment.”
Cellist Erik Friedlander is a composer, an improviser, and a veteran of NYC's Downtown scene. Friedlander started studying music at an early age, beginning at 5 with guitar, and then at 8, cello lessons. Erik spent his twenties honing his skills as a player and an improviser and quickly became a sought after studio musician, performing on 100s of cds. New work continues with The Mountain Goats and John Zorn. Friedlander's recent projects are diverse: Nighthawks, a cd that was conceived during the blackout in lower Manhattan caused by Hurricane Sandy. Claws & Wings, the elegiac work dedicated to Erik’s late wife, featuring laptop percussionist Ikue Mori and pianist Sylvie Courvoisier; and a limited edition LP with photographer Mitch Epstein entitledAmerican Power.
Produced by Erik Friedlander
Recorded April 14, 2014 at Let Em In Studios in Brooklyn
Recorded by Scott Solter
Mixed by Erik Friedlander
Mastered by Silas Brown at Legacy Mastering
Design by Vanessa No Heart
Release date: April 21, 2015
I've finally updated some of the concerts I have for 2015. You can find these on my Calendar page. they include a Feb. 21 show with Uri Caine at the Stone, a Zorn Bar Kokhba show at The Village Vanguard Feb. 15, and a CD release show at Dixon Place April 26, 7p. Check 'em!
Producer Scott Solter and cellist Erik Friedlander (Skipstone Records) team up to bring you No Compass, an EP of five tracks from Erik Friedlander’s 2008 “Broken Arm Trio” CD completely reinvented by Solter. In his hands the acoustic cello, bass and drums trio tracks have become vertigo-inducing panoramas -- kaleidoscopic recompositions. 5 striking examples of Solter’s fearless studio craft.
Photographer Mitch Epstein and cellist Erik Friedlander have collaborated on a new limited edition LP entitled, American Power. The 500 hand-numbered albums ( 180-gram) are signed by both artists, and feature 6 new solo cello compositions, gate-fold artwork by Mitch Epstein, as well as a two-sided, 24x36 inch poster of Epstein’s photographs and Friedlander’s handwritten score.
The premier of KORE for cello and 21 instruments went great (special thanks to David Fulmer who came at the last moment to rehearse and conduct the premier). The musicians of the National Music Forum were amazing to work with and did a fantastic job. Many thanks Piotr Turkiewicz and the whole staff of the Jazztopad Festival for a great week.
Sławek Przerwa
I'm heading down to Colombia for a bunch of shows:
Lucia Pulido & Erik Friedlander.
Erik Friedlander+ Nicolas Ospina Trio
Masterclass, Universidad Nacional (Erik)
Jorge Eliecer Gaitán: Lucia Pulido & Erik Friedlander + John Medeski
Summer feels like it's coming to an end even though theoretically there is about a month left before the official end. Something about everyone, including my daughter Ava, going back to school makes it feel like summer is over...
I've been busy working on a bunch of projects. Coming up is the European debut of two of my groups, Black Phoebe and Claws & Wings both of which will premier at the Saalfelden Jazz Festival on June 30. Right after that I get back to NYC for a handful of gigs at The Village Vanguard playing John Zorn's music. So, I've been working triple duty these weeks, practicing all the different music. Come by and check them out, it should be amazing.
I'll be mixing my Oscar Pettiford project next month and there's a new solo CD ("Illuminations") in the can ready to released next year.
Hope everyone's summer was great...and continues to be great to the bitter end!
Grab this new single from the Bonebridge Band and join us at SubCulture for the release of "Nighthawks" our new full-length CD.
Nighthawks came together when downtown Manhattan was plunged into darkness during the blackout caused by Hurricane Sandy. I live downtown and was caught without power for 5 days. My neighborhood was eerie and dark, and there were no streetlights, traffic signals or any stores or restaurants open. It started me thinking about night places -- places where people hang out: pool halls, diners, gas stations, train and bus depots. These locations became the backdrop of the cd and inspired the title track, named after the famous Hopper painting capturing a late-night scene at a New York diner.
We're back from our tour in Europe! Thanks to everyone who came out and made the tour special. Here are some collected photos/videos/links:
LINKS
PHOTOS/VIDEOS
Photographer Patrice Helmar dropped by The Stone a few Fridays ago and took these great pix. Check out her work at http://www.patricehelmar.com/
Please go and check out "Haunted" - a spooky, 3-track EP available for download at my bandcamp site - no charge! Enjoy.
photo by Eliseo Cardona
Cellist Erik Friedlander draws on his experiences as a child traveling across the United States with his family during the 1960's and 70's to create Block Ice & Propane, an engaging solo performance that brings together Erik's rich, Americana-inspired cello music, and his own stories from now-distant road trips.
Erik Friedlander, cello
Music by John Zorn
Volume 8 in the continuing Book of Angels series is an intimate and breathtaking recital by one of the world’s most accomplished cellists. A vital member of the Masada family from the very beginning, Erik Friedlander has hypnotized audiences both here and in Europe with his own bands Topaz, Broken Arm and Grains of Paradise. Stepping out in a special solo project, Erik shows off his remarkable technique in ten compositions from Zorn’s lyrical Book of Angels. This is Erik at his best. Rich, romantic, gripping music to both challenge and soothe the savage beast.
Sylvie Courvoisier, piano
Ikue Mori, electronics
Erik Friedlander, cello
This new work is written in memory of Erik’s late wife. He, along with his daughter, were left to ponder how to make sense of the loss, and how to move on. The music strongly resonates with Erik’s mind-set at the time: meditating on a life lost, regaining his balance, and then moving forward with optimism. Claws & Wings (World Premiere) is dedicated to this ongoing process.
photo by Angela Cappetta
New and old works for multiple celli - this will be a fun night! Works by Julius Hemphill, Imogen Heap, Friedlander, Verdi, and Led Zeppelin.
Michael Sarin, drums
Trevor Dunn, bass
Erik Friedlander, cello
In 1949 bassist Oscar Pettiford broke his arm playing baseball. He could still move his fingers even though his arm was in a sling, so he began experimenting with a cello a friend had lent to him. He tuned the cello like a bass only an octave higher and later made history recording a series of cello-led projects including the great, under-recognized 1964 Fantasy release, "My Little Cello" featuring a photo of his newborn son whom he named “Cello.” Erik Friedlander tosses away his bow for this new band, playing only pizzicato in a world steeped in the influences of Oscar Pettiford and the small group feel of Herbie Nichols.
Special Guest Michael Blake, tenor saxophone
Michael Sarin, drums
Trevor Dunn, bass
Erik Friedlander, cello
A special tribute to jazz bassist (and cellist!) Oscar Pettiford. When you are an improvising cellist, there is not so much history to look back upon and contemplate. Unlike saxophone players or guitar players who have a long line of titans to measure themselves against, jazz cello players are more or less on their own. However, there is Oscar Pettiford. Pettiford tuned the cello like a bass so he’d be instantly familiar with where the notes lay, and he was passionate about the instrument, using it often in crucial sessions under his name--if it was an Oscar Pettiford recording the cello was often there in a central role. Joining the Broken Arm Trio is special guest Michael Blake on tenor, performing Pettiford works like Tamalpais and Night at Falcon’s Lair, as well as Friedlander originals.
Erik Friedlander, cello
Chris Speed, clarinet
Andrew D’Angelo, bass clarinet
Christopher Tordini, bass
Friedlander’s first working band. This amazing acoustic improvising quartet will reunite to perform for the first time since the late 90s, performing works from Chimera (Avant) and The Watchman (Tzadik) "..a mesmerizing tour through the dark corridors of modern jazz."
Andy Laster, saxophone
Erik Friedlander, cello
Satoshi Takeishi, percussion
Stomu Takeishi, bass
Friedlander’s working band until 2006, the Topaz quartet will perform from their 4 releases including the Cryptogramophone releases, Prowl and Quake. "Prowl presents cellist Erik Friedlander's Topaz quartet for a set of rhythmic excursions that are as adventurous as they are accessible."
Erik Friedlander, cello
Doug Wamble, slide-guitar
Trevor Dunn, bass
Michael Sarin, drums
Friedlander will preview their new cd, “NightHawks” Bonebridge turns to the American South for inspiration. Taking a cue from his teenage passion for The Allman Brothers Band, Johnny Winter, and Southern rock in general, Friedlander brought in slide-guitar player and Memphis native Doug Wamble to share the front line of this new quartet. Wamble joins a honed unit as Friedlander, Mike Sarin (drums) and Trevor Dunn (bass) have played together in New York City for years, most recently in the Broken Arm Trio. “Mr. Friedlander, an ingenious cellist who makes an art of soulful rusticity.“
Shoko Nagai, piano, accordion
Satoshi Takeishi, percussion
Erik Friedlander, cello
A new trio formed to record music for the soundtrack Friedlander composed for Nothing on Earth, a new film by Mick Angus which follows photographer Murray Fredericks to the stark and beautiful landscape of the glaciers in Greenland. Friedlander, Nagai and Takeishi capture the mood as Fredericks relocates his work to the Greenland Icecap - atop a melting glacier and under the solar storms of the Aurora Borealis - he finds himself alone in a landscape he's never been, in a place he doesn't understand, hoping this time he hasn't taken his quest too far.
Scott Solter, electronics
Erik Friedlander, cello
Producer Scott Solter has worked with numerous indie artists, including Spoon, The Mountain Goats, John Vanderslice, Lazarus, The Forms, Pattern is Movement, Superchunk, Okkervil River, Liam Singer, and St Vincent. He and cellist Erik Friedlander team up to bring you the first live performance of No Compass, the five-track remix EP released earlier this year. Friedlander and Solter have worked together since they met in 2006 working with The Mountain Goats on the Sunset Tree project. Their first effort together was Block Ice & Propane, Friedlander’s 2007 solo release.
The Bonebridge band will release our second CD to be called "Nighthawks" I just finished mastering it with Steve Berson and it's sounding great.
"Nighthawks" sessions: photo by Katie Kline
In September of 2012 New York City, and much of the Eastern USA, was hit by Hurricane Sandy. It quickly became quite serious. Downtown where I live we got off easy as we were plunged into darkness and without power for 5 days, whereas many in the area lost their houses or were flooded and ruined. I quickly adapted to life following the sun: up early and when the sun set, I’d light a few candles and try to do more work, and then bleary-eyed head to sleep. My neighborhood was eerie and dark as there were no street lights, traffic signals or any stores and restaurants open. About every 10 or 15 minutes or so a police car would make an appearance, boldly driving through the black with emergency lights spinning but no siren. It was in this odd environment of quiet and menace that I began work on Nighthawks.
Check out Blockice & Propane!
