Erik Friedlander is an American cellist and composer based in New York City.[1]
A veteran of New York City's experimental downtown scene, Friedlander has worked in many contexts, but is perhaps best known for his frequent collaborations with saxophonistJohn Zorn.
Friedlander grew up in a home filled with art and music: his father is photographerLee Friedlander, noted for the cover photographs he took forAtlantic Records. He is of Jewish descent from his father and of Finnish descent through his paternal grandmother.[2] His father's fondness forR&B and jazz helped shape Friedlander's taste in music. He graduated fromColumbia University in 1982.[3]
Friedlander started playing guitar at age six and added cello two years later. Apart from his work with Zorn, Friedlander has worked withLaurie Anderson,Courtney Love andAlanis Morissette, and is a member of the jazz/fusion quartet Topaz.[4]
^"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
