Brian Friedland

Composer and Pianist Brian Friedland has been writing music and leading bands since junior high school, when his compositions often consisted of three chords and performances were excruciatingly loud, multi-hour “jams.” He could have never imagined then the boldly creative identity and penchant for eclecticism he would eventually develop as a composer. Since leaving the world of three-chord-rock, Friedland has prodigiously composed for a wide variety of compositional situations, ranging from chamber orchestras to thirteen-piece funk bands. He draws inspiration for his compositions from music as diverse as piano great Keith Jarrett, the Bulgarian Women’s Choir, and avant-garde composer Gyorgy Ligeti. Friedland has written extensively for various sized jazz combos and performed his music at the Lima Jazz Festival in Peru, the American Pianists Association Cole Porter competition, and respected Los Angeles jazz venues such as the Jazz Bakery, Cafe Metropol, Catalina’s, and the Vic. While studying jazz composition with greats Vince Mendoza and Kim Richmond at the University of Southern California, Friedland began extensively composing for big band and quickly developed a unique compositional voice in that medium. Kim Richmond declares that Friedland’s music is “not only professional quality material, but inspirationally crafted, and an excellent and interesting mix of art works.” Friedland’s big band compositions are journeys filled with emotive textures, compositional surprises, and rhythmic vitality. Richmond further comments that, “[there are] many great moments fashioned by this amazing creator are already out there. I recommend you seek them out.” His big band features many of Los Angeles’s most accomplished and innovative young musicians and will be performing at the Passadena Jazz Institute on August 8th along with the Robby Marshall Nonet. Saxophonist Robby Marshall will perform new original works for nonet, solo sax, and more