Philip Gelb began studying shakuhachi while a senior in college at the University of Florida where he recieved a BA in anthropology. His first shakuhachi teacher was Dr. Dale Olsen bai-o who introduced him to Kinko Ryu shakuhachi playing. He has also studied Meian Ryu shakuhachi with Ronnie Nyogetsu Seldin and with Kurahashi Yoshio. His traditional shakuhachi studies have concentrated on honkyoku, the solo Buddhist repetoire. In addition he always had a very strong interest in new and experimental music and improvisation.

He attended graduate school at the Florida State Universtity School of Music studying ethnomusicology. He founded and directed the New World Ensemble. As director of this ensemble he was responsible for holding several artists in residence, including George Lewis, Richard Teitelbaum, Wadada Leo Smith, Davey Williams, Derek Bailey, Ladonna Smith, Shaking Ray Levis and Lawrence "Butch" Morris. The group also collaborated with several other great musicians including Kazue Sawai, Jill Burton, Gustavo Matamoros, Scott Walton, David Durant and Dana Reason. The New World Ensemble continues today.

Since 1995, Gelb has been performing nationally and internationally as a soloist and in ensembles. Performance highlights include the World Shakuhachi Festival, Lincoln Center, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (San Francisco), Mills College (Oakland), Knitting Factory (New York), Session House (Tokyo), Tiara Koto Concert Hall (Tokyo) Munster Neue Musik Festival (Germany), Earshot Jazz Festival (Seattle), Music Gallery (Toronto), Center For New Music and Audio Technologies (Berkeley), Gainesville Jazz Festival, Subtropics New Music Festival (Miami), University Of California SanDiego, Bard College, Stetson College, Rollins College, University of Vermont, and Earlham College and two appaerances as guest soloist with the Seattle Creative Orchestra.

Gelb's current projects include The Space Between (a trio with accordionist Pauline Oliveros and pianist Dana Reason), duets with interactive electronics composer Chris Brown, a trio with violinist Carla Kihlstedt and cellist Hugh Livingston. Other musicians with whom he frequently collaborates are koto master Shoko Hikage, multi instrumentalist Joe McPhee, and synthesizer player Tim Perkis.

Thousand Oaks (2005)
Recorded at Maybeck Recital Hall in Spring 2004 "...a rare level of nuance and balanced interaction that invites repeated immersion in a profound listening experience." - Downtown Music Gallery

The Space Between with Matthew Sperry (2003)
On June 5, 2003 the Bay Area community suffered the tragic loss of bassist and improviser Matthew Sperry, friend and collaborator of many, including each of the players in The Space Between.

Headlands (2003)
Recorded live at the Headlands Center for the Arts, Sausalito, California, 8/12/2002 "...each sound has the self-contained integrity of a stroke of masterful calligraphy... each musician seems to have a perfect bead on the other's next steps" - The Wire

The Space Between with Joëlle Léandre (2003)
Recorded live at CNMAT in Berkeley, California, in 2002. "..this is an ensemble made in heaven." - Cadence

The Space Between with Barre Phillips (2001)
Recorded live at CNMAT in Berkeley, California, on two September evenings in Recorded live at CNMAT in Berkeley, California, on two September evenings in 1998.

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