Oren Bloedow
Oren Bloedow (born July 3, 1965) is an American singer, guitarist, and composer. He founded the band Elysian Fields in 1995 with Jennifer Charles. His father, Jerry Bloedow is a playwright, poet, and film editor whose theater, the Hardware Poet's Playhouse, participated in the New York avant-garde scene in the 1950s and 1960s.
Oren Bloedow | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 3, 1965 New York City |
| Genres | Jazz, pop, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass guitar |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Associated acts | The Connotations, Pajama Garden, Dog's Eye View, Elysian Fields, The Lounge Lizards, Chocolate Genius, 101 Crustaceans, La Mar Enfortuna |
| Website | elysianmusic |
Career
Bloedow's first musical affiliations were with Phillip Johnston, Bobby Previte, and Wayne Horvitz, all of whom worked with him in Bobby Radcliff's blues band in the 1980s. With Radcliff, Bloedow backed up Dr. John,[1] Otis Rush, and Johnny Copeland, also Paul Butterfield shortly before he died. Another close collaboration was with guitarist Ron Anderson of The Molecules. In 1985 a friend of Anderson's introduced Bloedow to 101 Crustaceans, whose leader, Ed Pastorini, is Bloedow's oldest continuing musical associate and was a member of Elysian Fields.[1] Bloedow names Pastorini as his favorite musician.
He attended New England Conservatory in 1987–88. He performed at the Knitting Factory with Previte, Horvitz, and Johnston. In 1990 he began working with Jennifer Charles. He recorded an album with Medeski, Martin and Wood for Knitting Factory and played bass as a member of The Lounge Lizards. He has also worked with Chocolate Genius, Lizz Wright,[1] Meshell Ndegeocello, Martha Wainwright, and Yerba Buena. As a solo act he has worked with Elysian Fields, Ed Pastorini, and 101 Crustaceans. He performed with La Mar Enfortuna at the Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków.
Discography
- Oren Bloedow (Knitting Factory, 1992)
- Luckiest Boy in the World (Knitting Factory, 1998)
- La Mar Enfortuna (Tzadik, 2001)
