erikfriedlander.com
oscar pettiford

THE BROKEN ARM

"Accident Can Lead to Invention"

In 1949 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.

Erik Friedlander, cello, Mike Sarin, drums, Trevor Dunn, bass
More Info:Broken Arm EPK

Block Ice & Propane cover image

BLOCK ICE & PROPANE

Block Ice & Propane is a collection of solo cello tunes that evoke images of truck-stops, long, lonely highways, and stark panoramas. Taking his inspiration from American Roots music, Friedlander executes extraordinary finger-picking technique and reverberant tunings creating a new American cello music: lyrical, plain-spoken, and emotional.

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Notes | B-Ice Site | EPK | MP3 | NYTimes


Giorni Rubati CD

TEHO TEARDO (electronics) & ERIK FRIEDLANDER (cello)

Teho and I began our collaboration via the internet, exchanging files and creating work. First I added cello tracks to things he had created like the soundtrack to lavorare con lentezza (film by guido chiesa) munifried Then we began work on a project honoring the work of Paolo Pasolini the great Italian director and poet. For this project I sent Teho a handfull of improvs which were inspired by Pasolini's poetry. Teho remixed these tracks to create wholly new visions of the music. Our latest CD, "Giorni Rubati," is Out On Bip-Hop Records

erik1_ico teho1_ico

Teho Teardo's Website | MP3 "Redflag" | Bip-Hop Website | Bip-Hop at MySpace

Eiger CD

EIGER: The Music of Erik Friedlander

These are recordings I made for various commercial projects (jingles/soundtracks/film/radio). They range from symphonic to solo cello with electronics. The CD features the playing of many fine New York musicians (see below) and also has a beautiful look courtesy of Candas Sisman's gorgeous artwork and the design by Dan Judge at the Design Studio at Disc Makers.

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with Ralph Alessi, trumpet; Joyce Hamman, Meg Okura, Jennifer Choi, violins; Satoshi Takeishi, percussion; Matt Darriau, winds; Brad Shepik, guitars, oud; Teho Teardo, keyboards, guitars, laptop; Marty Ehrlich, clarinet; Sato Moughalian, flute; John Madof, guitar; Kurt Gellersted, drum programming, vocals,asst. engineer; Lucia Pulido, vocals.

The Gates | Aberdeen | Cover Art by Candas Sisman

Maldoror Cd

SCHIO / Duemilaquattro

Beautiful Duo CD with Erik Friedlander & Roberto Dani

Recorded live in Schio, Italy. Fire & Passion from Friedlander on cello and Dani on percussion. pushing their own sonic landscapes to the limit and beyond. co-produced with centro stabile di cultura in schio.

Stella Nera | AllAboutJazz Italia Review | Dani Website

Prowl Cd

PROWL

In January of 1996 I was scoring the dances for my wife's N.Y. season and juggling different ideas for the group's instrumentation. I had been listening to a variety of 70's funk and fusion (Headhunters, Earth, Wind & Fire) and so electric bass and alto saxophone seemed like a natural choice. ...read more about the CD

Buy PROWL | Topaz Site | Track 1 | Track 2

Vanishing Point DVD

VANISHING POINT - A Road Journal

DVD Movie: Erik Friedlander's 2004 Solo Tour of the USA & Canada - $12 <--- Click Icon For Trailer!

Scenes from backstage, Concert Footage & Video Shot While Driving Cross-Country. Audio from Concerts & Radio Broadcasts

Tour 2004 | Video 1 | Trailer

Maldoror Cd

MALDOROR

10 Solo Improvisations Inspired by the Lawless
Black Humor of Poet Isidore Ducasse

Mystical, intense & beautiful--a journey into music's darkest heart.

Buy Now - $13 | Trk 1 | Trk 2 | Trk 3 | Download Tracks

Quake CD

QUAKE

Explosive Quartet of Bass - Percussion - Alto - Cello

Four Stars "..a nuanced and sublimely executed example of Topaz's art." --Greg Buium DOWNBEAT

Buy - $12 | Topaz Site | Track 1 | Track 2 | Track 3

Grains of Paradise CD

GRAINS OF PARADISE

A Raucous Mix of Middle-Eastern Pop & Sultry Desert Songs 10 Violins | Percussion | Bass | Classical Guitar | Cello

"Cellist Erik Friedlander’s best recording as a leader is also one of the most distinctive jazz-with-strings albums ever made." --Ed Hazell The Boston Phoenix

Buy Now - $15 | MP3 Sampler | Download Tracks

SKIN CD

SKIN CD

The Topaz Quartet's second CD is SOLDOUT however the SKIN DVD & VHS Video are both still in stock.

"Using rhythms that reference pop music, he and his unit manage to simultaneously wiggle their butts and shake their gray matter." Jim Macnie, Downbeat

CD-SoldOut | DVD | Movie | Listen | Download

Topaz Cd

TOPAZ

Funky tight arrangements and fiery solos mark this debut recording inspired by The Headhunters and Earth, Wind & Fire.

"Friedlander has quickly established himself as a potential innovator, playing with the ease and swing of a wind instrument player. Even more importantly, he has brought a cutting edge, imaginative sensibility to his music, refusing to be restricted by the blues and standards of much straight-ahead jazz." Don Heckman, The Los Angeles Times

Buy Now - $10 | Tk1 | Tk 2 | Download CD/Tracks

Watchman CD

THE WATCHMAN

The Second Recording by Chimera. Exquisite compositions beautifully performed by ace musicians. Haunting & Dark.

"..there is a devotional air and an implication that encouraging individual expression within group playing is comparable to setting light to a row of fireworks and waiting to see which go off when." --The Wire

with Chris Speed, clarinet; Andrew D'Angelo, bass clarinet; Drew Gress, string bass; Erik Friedlander, cello.

Buy Now - $15 | Track 1 | Track 2 | Download Tracks

chimera cd

CHIMERA

Chimera's first recording. The acoustic quartet burns its way through a set of hypnotic & challenging works.

"..a mesmerizing tour through the dark corridors of modern jazz."-- Alex Slotkin (Daily Texan)

Buy Now - $12 | Track 1 | Track 2

SKIN DVD

SKIN VHS

World Music with a New York edge. Guest artists: The Atlas Cello Quartet, Alexander Fedoriouk, cimbalom.

"[Stomu] Takeishi's fretless work is marked by spot-on intonation, tremendous facility and imagination. Apparently Erik Friedlander doesn't feel challenged by the thought of being the best cellist in jazz. Instead, he seems to focus on participating in the most interesting projects he can find...The joys of this recording are many, and Friedlander is a bandleader to watch." Bill Bennett, JazzTimes

Buy Now - $8 | Watch the Trailer - (new!)

SKIN DVD

SKIN DVD

"The results are often surprisingly upbeat, as cohorts Sotmu Takeishi (bass), Andy Laster (alto saxophone), and Satoshi Takeishi (percussion) frequently navigate their unique lineup through funk-infested waters, wedding '70s-inspired grooves to music already infused with both jazz and classical overtones. Meditative chants, Latin rhythms, and a cello quartet are utilized liberally, marking Friedlander as one of today's most ingenious and forward-thinking musical practitioners." Steve Graybow, Billboard Magazine

Buy Now - $9 | Watch the Trailer - (new!)

Maldoror T-shirt men's

MALDOROR T-SHIRT (MENS)

100% Cotton - XL, L, M, S

"He contemplates the moon which pours upon his breast a cone of ecstatic beams, in which silvery atoms of ineffable softness flutter like moths." --Ducasse (Le Chant de Maldoror)

Now $7

maldoror t-shirt womens

MALDOROR T-SHIRT (WOMENS)

100% Cotton - L, M, S

"Flights of starlings have a way of flying which is theirs alone..." --Ducasse (Le Chant de Maldoror)

Now $7

PROJECTS PAGE/CD's & WORKING BANDS

New Erik Friedlander Music Store

Click on a CD to see info and hear clips. Or scroll down for new projects.

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