Biophilia Records
| Biophilia Records | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Fabian Almazan |
| Genre | jazz, world, rock, classical, hip hop |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Harlem, New York |
| Official website | www |
Biophilia Records is an American record label founded in 2011 by musician Fabian Almazan in Harlem, New York. The music label takes an environmentally-conscious approach in its packaging and distribution.
Among the artists on Biophilia Records are bassist Linda May Han Oh; percussionist, composer, and vocalist Rajna Swaminathan, María Grand, Justin Brown, as well as Almazan himself.
History[edit]
Havana, Cuba-born Almazan grew up in Miami, Florida, and became a jazz pianist and studied at the Manhattan School of Music. The Grammy-nominated pianist and composer, performed his own music, while also working with Terence Blanchard.[1] In addition, he performed on film scores for Spike Lee and George Lucas.
Drawing inspiration from biologist Edward O. Wilson's book Biophilia, which is a study in the interaction of humans and the environment, he formed Biophilia Records in 2011 based on that philosophy.[2] Almazan opened the Biophilia Records office in Harlem,[3] first releasing his own, Personalities, then others including Endless Field's eponymous album, Linda May Han Oh's Walk Against the Wind, and 19 more albums over the years.
Philosophy[edit]
Biophilia Records releases all its music on double-sided, 20-panel origami-like packages that include the artwork and liner notes for the album's artist.[4] The package does not contain a CD, instead includes on one of its 20 panels, a code for purchasers to download the music online.[5] Almazan trademarked the packaging as Biopholio™ to offer the music industry an environmentally friendly option.[6]
"There’s this current movement towards vinyl," said Almazan. "But I couldn’t in good conscience start a label and make vinyl and CDs knowing there are already hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic in the ocean, not to mention on land."[2]
Biophilia works with its artists to volunteer with local environmental and sustainability causes,[7][4] and invites fans to volunteer alongside them at events such as marshland cleanups, tree plantings and free community performances for public school children. Label artists gave a solar-powered Earth Day concert in New York's Union Square on March 18, 2017, in partnership with BioBus, a mobile laboratory that brings science to the city's children.[2]
Artists[edit]
- Fabian Almazan[8]
- Linda May Han Oh[4]
- Lara Bello
- Desmond White
- Charlie Christenson[9]
- Rajna Swaminathan[10]
- Adam O’Farrill
- María Grand
- Justin Brown[11]
- Endless Field (Jesse Lewis and Ike Sturm)[12]
- The Awakening Orchestra & Kyle Saulnier[13]
- Stranger Days[14]
- Bryan and the Aardvarks[15]
- Charlie Christenson
- Lara Bello[9]
Discography[edit]
| Year | Artist | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Bryan and the Aardvarks | Heroes of Make Believe | |
| 2012 | Fabian Almazan | Personalities | |
| 2013 | Desmond White | Short Stories | |
| Charlie Christenson | Shipwreckee | ||
| 2014 | The Similar Prisoners | My World Keeps Falling | |
| 2015 | Andréa Wood | Kaleidoscope | |
| Fabian Almazan | "Somewhere in the Waves" | Soundtrack single | |
| 2016 | The Awakening Orchestra | Interlude: Atticus Live! | |
| 2017 | Fabian Almazan | Alcanza | |
| Endless Field | Endless Field | ||
| Linda May Han Oh | Walk Against the Wind | ||
| Lara Bello | Sikame | ||
| Bryan and the Aardvarks | Sounds From The Deep Field | ||
| Desmond White | Glace | ||
| 2018 | Maria Grand | Magdalena | |
| Justin Brown | NYEUSI | ||
| Adam O'Farrill | El Maquech | ||
| Kim Anderson | Yarrow | ||
| 2019 | Rajna Swaminathan | Agency and Abstraction | |
| Linda May Han Oh | Aventurine | ||
| Fabian Almazan | This Land Abounds With Life | ||
| Desmond White | "Gone" | Single | |
| 2020 | Endless Field | Alive in the Wilderness |
References[edit]
- ^ Chinen, Nate (June 10, 2019). "Fabian Almazan Looks to His Homeland and Several Elite Duos Get Serious, in Take Five". www.wbgo.org. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ a b c Denchak, Melissa (December 29, 2017). "Spinning Records Without the Vinyl". www.nrdc.org. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ Agovino, Michael J. (December 14, 2016). "High Notes: This Year Was Terrible, but at Least Local Jazz Labels Are Thriving". Village Voice. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ a b c Zimmerman, Brian (July 1, 2019). "Track By Track: Fabian Almazan's 'This Land Abounds With Life'". Jazziz. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ Chenard, Marc (September 5, 2019). "Biophilia Records: The Greening of Jazz". myscena.org. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ "BIOPHOLIO – Trademark Details". trademarks.justia.com. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- ^ Russonello, Giovanni (June 14, 2019). "The Playlist: Taylor Swift Seeks Harmony, and 10 More New Songs". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ "La cosecha sonora de 2019". El Pais. December 21, 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ a b "Linda Oh Pursues New Direction on Forthcoming Album". DownBeat. March 2, 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Rajna Swaminathan – "Of Agency And Abstraction" – Out April 26th on Biophilia Records". Artvoice. February 15, 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ Niesel, Jeff (June 19, 2019). "Band of the Week: Fabian Almazan Trio". Cleveland Scene. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ Hart, Ron (July 14, 2017). "This Acoustic Duo Is on a Mission to Defend the Earth". Observer. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ "New music A review of this week's album releases". Winnipeg Free Press. January 26, 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ Ham, Robert (March 26, 2018). "Trumpeter Adam O'Farrill Introduces New Band Stranger Days, Shares Video For "Monochrome Fantasy"". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ Muchetti, Luca (October 12, 2017). "Bryan And The Aardvarks: Sounds From The Deep Field". All About Jazz. Retrieved 3 March 2020.