Episode 7-Fabian Almazan: This Environmental Warrior Plays Piano

Strictly Jazz Sounds

Fabian Almazan gives his heart, music, and soul to sustaining the environment. He gives so much that he started a record label, Biophilia Records, that does not print CDs or vinyl records. How does he sell recordings? Each carefully designed CD sleeve has a digital code that buyers use to purchase the tracks. If that’s not enough, all recording artists who sign on to the label must commit to giving back to the environment in their own way.

Fabian, who is Cuban-born, Miami-raised and lives in Harlem, NY, feels that a strong connection with the natural world also exists in music. It’s about sustaining music as well as the environment. It’s all part of feeling a connection with the natural world. The very name of the label, Biophilia, explains why New Yorkers would pay outrageously high prices to live near Central Park. He says that human beings are innately drawn to nature. There is a commitment to environmental justice that is intricately connected to the freedom demonstrated by the music and artform called jazz.

I was awestruck by the intensity of Fabian Almazan’s personal perspectives on environmental injustice and the importance of sustainability in how we all must live. There is as much passion for his music as he has for addressing climate change and how both affect our children. We have an obligation to save the environment from a catastrophic loss and to assure that our children are exposed to music and other artistic expression.

It’s the disparate worlds that pains him as they leave so many children behind. Those who have get more while the weak ones wallow in despair.

Listen to Fabian’s own words and how he thinks deeply about his music, sustaining our environment and saving our children from the loss of both.

His Biophilia-released recordings as a leader include Personalities-2011, Alcanza-2017 (the scores are also available on his website), and This Land Abounds with Life-2019. He has two other recordings as a leader, Rhizome with Rhizome (ArtistShare, 2014) and SWR New Jazz Meeting 2015 (Jazzhaus, 2017). As an environmentalist and naturalist, Almazan travelled back to his birthplace where he made field recordings of endemic Cuban birds which were then Incorporated into This Land Abounds with Life (which can be heard in "Songs of the Forgotten".

Remember to subscribe so you can be informed when the episodes are released. Thanks to Fabian/Biophilia Records for providing two recordings for this podcast, “Songs of the Forgotten” and “Folklorism” from This Land Abounds with Life.