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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. 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. Almazan opened the Biophilia Records office in Harlem, 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. The package does not contain a CD, instead includes on one of its 20 panels, a code for purchasers to download the music online. Almazan trademarked the packaging as Biopholio™ to offer the music industry an environmentally friendly option.

"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, 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
• Linda May Han Oh
• Lara Bello
• Desmond White
• Charlie Christenson
• Rajna Swaminathan
• Adam O’Farrill
• María Grand
• Justin Brown
• Endless Field (Jesse Lewis and Ike Sturm)
• The Awakening Orchestra & Kyle Saulnier
• Stranger Days
• Bryan and the Aardvarks
• Charlie Christenson
• Lara Bello

Discography

References

1. 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.
2. ^ Denchak, Melissa (December 29, 2017). "Spinning Records Without the Vinyl". www.nrdc.org. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
3. 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.
4. ^ Zimmerman, Brian (July 1, 2019). "Track By Track: Fabian Almazan's 'This Land Abounds With Life'". Jazziz. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
5. Chenard, Marc (September 5, 2019). "Biophilia Records: The Greening of Jazz". myscena.org. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
6. "BIOPHOLIO – Trademark Details". trademarks.justia.com. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
7. Russonello, Giovanni (June 14, 2019). "The Playlist: Taylor Swift Seeks Harmony, and 10 More New Songs". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
8. "La cosecha sonora de 2019". El Pais. December 21, 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
9. ^ "Linda Oh Pursues New Direction on Forthcoming Album". DownBeat. March 2, 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
10. "Rajna Swaminathan – "Of Agency And Abstraction" – Out April 26th on Biophilia Records". Artvoice. February 15, 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
11. Niesel, Jeff (June 19, 2019). "Band of the Week: Fabian Almazan Trio". Cleveland Scene. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
12. Hart, Ron (July 14, 2017). "This Acoustic Duo Is on a Mission to Defend the Earth". Observer. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
13. "New music A review of this week's album releases". Winnipeg Free Press. January 26, 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
14. 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.
15. Muchetti, Luca (October 12, 2017). "Bryan And The Aardvarks: Sounds From The Deep Field". All About Jazz. Retrieved 3 March 2020.

External links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube

• American jazz record labels
• World music record labels
• Rock record labels
• Hip-hop record labels