Biophilia Records
{{short description|American record label}}
{{Orphan|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox record label
| name = Biophilia Records
| image =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| parent =
| founded = 2011
| founder = Fabian Almazan
| defunct =
| status =
| distributor =
| genre = jazz, world, rock, classical, hip hop
| country = United States
| location = Harlem, New York
| website = {{URL|https://www.biophiliarecords.com/}}
}}
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
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.{{cite news |last1=Chinen |first1=Nate |title=Fabian Almazan Looks to His Homeland and Several Elite Duos Get Serious, in Take Five |url=https://www.wbgo.org/post/fabian-almazan-looks-his-homeland-and-several-elite-duos-get-serious-take-five#stream/0 |accessdate=29 February 2020 |work=www.wbgo.org |date=June 10, 2019}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Denchak |first1=Melissa |title=Spinning Records Without the Vinyl |url=https://www.nrdc.org/stories/spinning-records-without-vinyl |accessdate=29 February 2020 |work=www.nrdc.org |date=December 29, 2017}} Almazan opened the Biophilia Records office in Harlem,{{cite news |last1=Agovino |first1=Michael J. |title=High Notes: This Year Was Terrible, but at Least Local Jazz Labels Are Thriving |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2016/12/14/high-notes-this-year-was-terrible-but-at-least-local-jazz-labels-are-thriving/ |accessdate=29 February 2020 |work=Village Voice |date=December 14, 2016}} 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
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.{{cite news |last1=Zimmerman |first1=Brian |title=Track By Track: Fabian Almazan’s ‘This Land Abounds With Life’ |url=https://www.jazziz.com/track-by-track-fabian-almazans-this-land-abounds-with-life/ |accessdate=29 February 2020 |work=Jazziz |date=July 1, 2019}} The package does not contain a CD, instead includes on one of its 20 panels, a code for purchasers to download the music online.{{cite news |last1=Chenard |first1=Marc |title=Biophilia Records: The Greening of Jazz |url=https://myscena.org/marc-chenard/biophilia-records-the-greening-of-jazz/ |accessdate=29 February 2020 |work=myscena.org |date=September 5, 2019}} Almazan trademarked the packaging as Biopholio™ to offer the music industry an environmentally friendly option.{{cite web |title=BIOPHOLIO – Trademark Details |url=https://trademarks.justia.com/872/50/biopholio-87250499.html |website=trademarks.justia.com |accessdate=10 March 2020}}
"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."
Biophilia works with its artists to volunteer with local environmental and sustainability causes,{{cite news |last1=Russonello |first1=Giovanni |title=The Playlist: Taylor Swift Seeks Harmony, and 10 More New Songs |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/14/arts/music/playlist-taylor-swift-madonna-lil-jon.html |accessdate=29 February 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=June 14, 2019}} 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.
Artists
- Fabian Almazan{{cite news |title=La cosecha sonora de 2019 |url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2019/12/20/babelia/1576837051_067937.html |accessdate=1 March 2020 |work=El Pais |date=December 21, 2019}}
- Linda May Han Oh
- Lara Bello
- Desmond White
- Charlie Christenson{{cite news |title=Linda Oh Pursues New Direction on Forthcoming Album |url=https://downbeat.com/news/detail/linda-oh-pursues-new-direction-on-forthcoming-album |accessdate=1 March 2020 |work=DownBeat |date=March 2, 2017}}
- Rajna Swaminathan{{cite news |title=Rajna Swaminathan – "Of Agency And Abstraction" – Out April 26th on Biophilia Records |url=https://artvoice.com/2019/02/15/rajna-swaminathan-of-agency-and-abstraction-out-april-26th-on-biophilia-records/ |accessdate=1 March 2020 |work=Artvoice |date=February 15, 2019}}
- Adam O’Farrill
- María Grand
- Justin Brown{{cite news |last1=Niesel |first1=Jeff |title=Band of the Week: Fabian Almazan Trio |url=https://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/bnad-of-the-week-fabian-almazan-trio/Content?oid=30730213 |accessdate=2 March 2020 |work=Cleveland Scene |date=June 19, 2019}}
- Endless Field (Jesse Lewis and Ike Sturm){{cite news |last1=Hart |first1=Ron |title=This Acoustic Duo Is on a Mission to Defend the Earth |url=https://observer.com/2017/07/endless-field-album-release-interview/ |accessdate=2 March 2020 |work=Observer |date=July 14, 2017}}
- The Awakening Orchestra & Kyle Saulnier{{cite news |title=New music A review of this week's album releases |url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/music/new-music-jan-26-411807715.html |accessdate=2 March 2020 |work=Winnipeg Free Press |date=January 26, 2017}}
- Stranger Days{{cite news |last1=Ham |first1=Robert |title=Trumpeter Adam O'Farrill Introduces New Band Stranger Days, Shares Video For "Monochrome Fantasy" |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/03/trumpeter-adam-ofarrill-introduces-new-band-strang.html |accessdate=2 March 2020 |work=Paste Magazine |date=March 26, 2018}}
- Bryan and the Aardvarks{{cite news |last1=Muchetti |first1=Luca |title=Bryan And The Aardvarks: Sounds From The Deep Field |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sounds-from-the-deep-field-bryan-and-the-aardvarks-biophilia-records-review-by-luca-muchetti.php |accessdate=3 March 2020 |work=All About Jazz |date=October 12, 2017}}
- Charlie Christenson
- Lara Bello
Discography
| class = "wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Artist ! Album ! Notes |
| 2011
| Bryan and the Aardvarks | Heroes of Make Believe | |
| 2012
| Fabian Almazan | Personalities | |
| rowspan = "2" | 2013
| Desmond White |Short Stories | |
| Charlie Christenson
| Shipwreckee | |
| 2014
| The Similar Prisoners | My World Keeps Falling | |
| rowspan = "2" | 2015
| Andréa Wood | Kaleidoscope | |
| Fabian Almazan
| "Somewhere in the Waves" | Soundtrack single |
| 2016
| The Awakening Orchestra | Interlude: Atticus Live! | |
| rowspan = "6" | 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 | |
| rowspan = "4" | 2018
| Maria Grand | Magdalena | |
| Justin Brown
| NYEUSI | |
| Adam O'Farrill
| El Maquech | |
| Kim Anderson
| Yarrow | |
| rowspan = "4" | 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
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.facebook.com/BiophiliaRecords/ Facebook]
- [https://twitter.com/biophiliarecord?lang=en Twitter]
- [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaRGlSQpTJbCt7JM8wwfmCg YouTube]
{{Authority control}}
Category:American jazz record labels