Axel Filip is an Argentine drummer, composer, improviser and arranger currently based in Berlin. He is known for his versatility and ability to perform within a wide range of musical genres, from jazz and popular music to Argentine folk music, avant-garde, free and conducted improvisation.
As a composer, Axel explores the relationship between jazz, improvisation, poetry and folklore music, creating soundscapes that evoke complex yet visceral emotions. He has a keen interest in nurturing his artistic practice and developing a unique sound and language of his own.
In addition to his work as a performer and composer, in 2018 won a grant from the National Arts Foundation for a project that focused on researching, collecting, arranging, and recording music written by Argentine music composers. This project served to expand a repertoire of Argentine music arranged and reinterpreted under the perspective of jazz music, with a particular focus on using each piece as a platform for improvisation.
Axel obtained his bachelor's degree in jazz music at the Conservatorio Superior de Musica Manuel de Falla in Buenos Aires and his European Jazz Master's degree at the NTNU Music Department (Trondheim), Rhythmic Music Conservatory (Copenhaguen) and Jazz Institute Berlin.
As a bandleader, Axel has released “El equilibrio secreto de las cosas” (ears&eyes Records 2019), “Sesión Efénea” (Club del disco 2020), and “Sendero” (ears&eyes records 2021). His current project Axel Filip & Maleza features an international group comprising Mirna Bogdanović on vocals, Mathilde Vendramin on cello, Joakim Rainer Petersen on piano and Lisa Hoppe on bass with whom will release "Habitat" on October 26th 2023 through Unit Records.
OTHER EDUCATION
- Obtained a double diploma from the Patagonic Institute of the Arts (IUPA) for two seminars about Astor Piazzola's music, both in analysis of his arrangements as drums in his music, given by Nicolas Guerschberg and Daniel Pipi Piazzola.
- Took part of two different residencies and concerts at Centro Cultural Kirchner with Marilyn Crispell and Ben Goldberg.
- Participates in a one week workshop with clarinetist and composer Ben Goldberg during his residency at Centro Cultural Kirchner.
- SIM workshop directed by Ralph Alessi in New York at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.
CONCERTS / FESTIVALS
Performed in many concerts and festivals such as Buenos Aires Jazz Festival, Jazz a la Calle (Uruguay), Lučenec Amfiteater, ZWE Jazz Club (Vienna), Santa Fe Jazz Festival, ShapeShifter Lab (NYC). Stilverk1 (Trondheim), Improklubb (Bergen), Samfundet Theater (Trondheim), Centro Cultural de la Memoria Haroldo Conti (Buenos Aires), with Gården Contemporary Circus at Rinkeby (Stockholm), Hamar Jazz Club (Bergen), Thelonious Club (Buenos Aires), Copenhagen Jazz Festival (Denmark), San Martin Theater (Cordoba), Bushwick Improvised Music Series (NYC), Centro Cultural Kirchner and Usina del Arte (Buenos Aires), El Ganzo Hotel (San Jose del Cabo), KMH (Stockholm), Ramallo Jazz Festival, Roseti (Buenos Aires), Konsert Ni Muser (Trondheim), and many others.
Played and collaborated on different artistic projects with Fred Selva, Andres Beeuwsaert, Camila Nebbia, Paul Pignon, Juan Cruz de Urquiza, Ernesto Jodos, Violeta Garcia, Santiago Leibson, Sergio Wagner, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Signe Emmeluth, Martin Pantyrer, Mette Rasmussen, Juan Pablo Arredondo, Joakim Reiner Petersen, Ingrid Feniger, Stefan Bartus, Alexander Riris, Frederico Heliodoro, Pablo Passini, Alan Bartus, Rodrigo Amado, Francisco LoVuolo, Juan Canosa, Sebastian de Urquiza, Kenneth Jimenez and Valentin Garvie, among others.