Ken Filiano | Subvenire

Speaking without words. Just the voice of sound with all its rich implications. In the double bass I have always heard a vast timbral spectrum, a world of sonic and emotional possibility too rich to ignore. The first time I felt the vibrations emanating from just a single string I was attracted to and intrigued by the bass’s powerful potential for stimulating imagination, atmosphere and dreams. I felt it was something that I could explore as a lifelong journey. —Ken Filiano Continue reading

Ken Filiano and Bonnie Barnett | Trio For Two

When a pair of improvising artists takes a dip in the stream of sonic creativity, keeping their heads above water can be less of a challenge than deciding when enough is enough. Knowing when to end means listening into the future, both participants coming to the same conclusion at the same time: that silence is the correct choice for that moment. So when vocalist Bonnie Barnett suggested to Ken Filiano, bassist of choice for the likes of Paul Smoker, Vinny Golia, Richard Grossman and Dom Minasi, to name a few, “Let’s think in terms of short pieces this time,” she wasn’t attempting to set up the potential for a “hit single” or a clever sound-byte but rather, to establish a context for focusing their mutual energies. Their previous Nine Winds release, Live at Roulette, with a full band, was essentially one long improv so this time, she wanted something a little different. Continue reading