Biography
Cellist Erik Friedlander creates music that moves fluidly among jazz, avant-garde experimentation, experimental rock, and classical traditions, establishing himself as both an adventurous improviser and a composer. Attention first came his way through involvement in Manhattan’s downtown music community during the 1980s, when he appeared on multiple Tzadik releases alongside John Zorn, notably as a member of the Masada Trio and Bar Kokhba. Close collaborations also developed with trumpeter Dave Douglas, saxophonist Marty Ehrlich, and pianist Myra Melford. His own small-ensemble projects surfaced on Chimera in 1995, Topaz in 1999, and Prowl in 2006. Through his SkipStone imprint he issued the solo-cello album Block Ice & Propane in 2007, the Oscar Pettiford collection Oscalypso in 2015, and A Queens’ Firefly with quartet the Throw in 2018. Film scores include Thoroughbreds from 2017 and Baby Ruby from 2022. Session work has extended to non-jazz artists such as Elvis Costello, Courtney Love, John Vanderslice, and the Mountain Goats. Improvisational activity resumed with She Sees in 2023 and continued in 2024 on the quartet date Dirty Boxing alongside pianist Uri Caine as well as Floating City with vocalist Sara Serpa.
Friedlander entered the world in 1960 and spent his childhood in New York City; his father, photographer Lee Friedlander, had supplied album imagery for Atlantic Records throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Exposure to the elder Friedlander’s deep engagement with jazz and R&B sparked an early musical curiosity. Guitar studies began at age five, followed by a switch to cello at age eight. During high school he participated in chamber ensembles and the school orchestra while also performing in a neighborhood rock band. Between 1978 and graduation in 1982 he pursued music studies at Columbia University. While still a student he joined bassist Harvie Swartz’s quintet, making his recording debut on the 1980 album Underneath It All. Encounters with cellists Hank Roberts and Abdul Wadud, both active in jazz and creative music, supplied models for an original approach.
By the middle of the 1980s Friedlander had become active in the downtown avant-garde and at the Knitting Factory, performing regularly with saxophonist John Zorn. On Zorn’s Tzadik label he contributed to numerous projects, among them the Bar Kokhba and Masada String Trio configurations, and appeared on several Filmworks albums. Additional recordings were made with trumpeter Dave Douglas, saxophonist Marty Ehrlich, keyboardist Uri Caine, pianist Myra Melford, and others. Projects outside jazz encompassed work with Mike Patton, Paula Cole, Donna Lewis, Joe Jackson, Vinicius Cantuaria, and Milton Nascimento.
Leadership began in 1995 with Chimera, featuring clarinetists Chris Speed and Andrew D’Angelo plus bassist Drew Gress. A second Chimera recording, The Watchman, followed in 1996. Around the same period Friedlander assembled Topaz, uniting multi-reedist Andy Laster with bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Satoshi Takeishi; the group’s self-titled debut appeared in 1999 and Skin arrived the next year.
Grains of Paradise, issued in 2002, formed part of Zorn and Tzadik’s Radical Jewish Culture series. In 2003 Topaz returned with Quake on Cryptogramophone, while Friedlander simultaneously released his first solo-cello album, Maldoror. A fourth Topaz effort, Prowl, emerged in 2006.
During the mid-2000s Friedlander inaugurated the SkipStone label and issued a second solo-cello recording, Block Ice & Propane. In 2008 Broken Arm Trio, comprising bassist Trevor Dunn and drummer Mike Sarin, explored material inspired by Herbie Nichols and the cello work of Oscar Pettiford. Subsequent SkipStone releases included Alchemy in 2010, Bonebridge in 2011, and Claws and Wings in 2013.
Nighthawks, composed during a week-long power failure caused by Hurricane Sandy, appeared in 2014. Additional 2015 releases comprised the solo-cello set Illuminations and the Oscar Pettiford tribute Oscalypso; the trio date Rings, recorded with pianist Shoko Nagai and drummer Takeishi, followed in 2016. In 2018 A Queens’ Firefly documented work with the Throw.
A 2016 Parkinson’s diagnosis prompted greater concentration on studio activity and scoring for film and television. Credits include episodes of Mad Men and The Romanoffs, the 2017 feature Thoroughbreds directed by Cory Finley, Oh Lucy! directed by Atsuko Hirayanagi, and the 2022 film Baby Ruby. After undergoing successful Deep Brain Treatment, Friedlander resumed small-group recording with 2023’s She Sees, featuring guitarist Ava Mendoza, bassist Takeishi, and drummer Diego Espinoza. Both Floating City with vocalist Sara Serpa and Dirty Boxing, a quartet album recorded with Uri Caine, bassist Mark Helias, and drummer Ches Smith, appeared in 2024.
Friedlander entered the world in 1960 and spent his childhood in New York City; his father, photographer Lee Friedlander, had supplied album imagery for Atlantic Records throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Exposure to the elder Friedlander’s deep engagement with jazz and R&B sparked an early musical curiosity. Guitar studies began at age five, followed by a switch to cello at age eight. During high school he participated in chamber ensembles and the school orchestra while also performing in a neighborhood rock band. Between 1978 and graduation in 1982 he pursued music studies at Columbia University. While still a student he joined bassist Harvie Swartz’s quintet, making his recording debut on the 1980 album Underneath It All. Encounters with cellists Hank Roberts and Abdul Wadud, both active in jazz and creative music, supplied models for an original approach.
By the middle of the 1980s Friedlander had become active in the downtown avant-garde and at the Knitting Factory, performing regularly with saxophonist John Zorn. On Zorn’s Tzadik label he contributed to numerous projects, among them the Bar Kokhba and Masada String Trio configurations, and appeared on several Filmworks albums. Additional recordings were made with trumpeter Dave Douglas, saxophonist Marty Ehrlich, keyboardist Uri Caine, pianist Myra Melford, and others. Projects outside jazz encompassed work with Mike Patton, Paula Cole, Donna Lewis, Joe Jackson, Vinicius Cantuaria, and Milton Nascimento.
Leadership began in 1995 with Chimera, featuring clarinetists Chris Speed and Andrew D’Angelo plus bassist Drew Gress. A second Chimera recording, The Watchman, followed in 1996. Around the same period Friedlander assembled Topaz, uniting multi-reedist Andy Laster with bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Satoshi Takeishi; the group’s self-titled debut appeared in 1999 and Skin arrived the next year.
Grains of Paradise, issued in 2002, formed part of Zorn and Tzadik’s Radical Jewish Culture series. In 2003 Topaz returned with Quake on Cryptogramophone, while Friedlander simultaneously released his first solo-cello album, Maldoror. A fourth Topaz effort, Prowl, emerged in 2006.
During the mid-2000s Friedlander inaugurated the SkipStone label and issued a second solo-cello recording, Block Ice & Propane. In 2008 Broken Arm Trio, comprising bassist Trevor Dunn and drummer Mike Sarin, explored material inspired by Herbie Nichols and the cello work of Oscar Pettiford. Subsequent SkipStone releases included Alchemy in 2010, Bonebridge in 2011, and Claws and Wings in 2013.
Nighthawks, composed during a week-long power failure caused by Hurricane Sandy, appeared in 2014. Additional 2015 releases comprised the solo-cello set Illuminations and the Oscar Pettiford tribute Oscalypso; the trio date Rings, recorded with pianist Shoko Nagai and drummer Takeishi, followed in 2016. In 2018 A Queens’ Firefly documented work with the Throw.
A 2016 Parkinson’s diagnosis prompted greater concentration on studio activity and scoring for film and television. Credits include episodes of Mad Men and The Romanoffs, the 2017 feature Thoroughbreds directed by Cory Finley, Oh Lucy! directed by Atsuko Hirayanagi, and the 2022 film Baby Ruby. After undergoing successful Deep Brain Treatment, Friedlander resumed small-group recording with 2023’s She Sees, featuring guitarist Ava Mendoza, bassist Takeishi, and drummer Diego Espinoza. Both Floating City with vocalist Sara Serpa and Dirty Boxing, a quartet album recorded with Uri Caine, bassist Mark Helias, and drummer Ches Smith, appeared in 2024.
Albums
