Cellist Erik Friedlander grew up exposed to R&B and jazz since his father photographed many of the most famous album covers for Atlantic Records during the ‘50s and ‘60s. As a result of his exposure to this music and the music of the string trio Arcado, his idea of what role a cello could play in jazz and modern music changed drastically. Not too long after this, Friedlander began working with saxophonists John Zorn and Marty Ehrlich and trumpeter Dave Douglas. The next year he formed his own group, Chimera, a quartet with clarinetists Chris Speed and Andrew D’Angelo and bassist Drew Gress. In addition, Friedlander still performs classical music at the highest level. Friedlander’s current project is his first solo CD entitled Maldoror, a series of ten improvisations based on poems in the surrealist collection Chants du Maldoror written by Isidore Ducasse as Comte de Lautremont (1846-1870). Friedlander’s stunning technique, both conventional and extended, are awe inspiring in concert, and should work wonderfully in the intimate Shedd Chapel.