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
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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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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
 
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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.
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.
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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.
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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
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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
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MALDOROR
10 Solo Improvisations Inspired by the Lawless
Black Humor of Poet Isidore Ducasse
Mystical, intense & beautiful--a journey into music's
darkest heart.
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QUAKE
Explosive Quartet of Bass - Percussion - Alto - Cello
Four Stars "..a nuanced and sublimely executed example
of Topaz's art." --Greg Buium DOWNBEAT
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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