Country

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United States of America

Birth

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October 27, 1952 in Patchogue, NY

 

Ken Filiano is a renowned double bassist and composer in the world of classical music. He was born on July 25, 1952, in New York City, USA. Filiano grew up in a musical family, and his father was a jazz pianist. He started playing the piano at a young age and later switched to the double bass. Filiano attended the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with David Walter and Homer Mensch. He also studied with Bertram Turetzky at the University of California, San Diego. Filiano's early influences were jazz bassists such as Charles Mingus, Jimmy Garrison, and Scott LaFaro. Filiano began his professional career in the 1970s, playing with jazz musicians such as Archie Shepp, Anthony Braxton, and Bill Dixon. He also played with the New York City Opera and the New York City Ballet. In the 1980s, Filiano started to focus on contemporary classical music and began working with composers such as John Zorn, Elliott Sharp, and Henry Threadgill. Filiano has performed in numerous festivals and venues around the world, including the Berlin Jazz Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and the Knitting Factory in New York City. He has also performed with the San Francisco Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Filiano has received several awards and honors throughout his career. In 2000, he was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2001, he received a fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts. In 2010, he was awarded a grant from the Chamber Music America New Jazz Works program. Filiano has also released several albums as a leader and as a sideman. His albums as a leader include "Subvenire," "Dreams From a Clown Car," and "Burning Water." He has also recorded with John Zorn, Anthony Braxton, and Elliott Sharp. Filiano is known for his virtuosic playing and his ability to blend different genres of music. He has been praised for his improvisational skills and his ability to create unique and innovative sounds on the double bass. Filiano continues to perform and record, and he remains a vital force in the world of classical music.

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