Oren Bloedow (born July 3, 1965) is an American singer, guitarist and bassist. He founded the band Elysian Fields in 1995 with Jennifer Charles. His father, Jerry Bloedow, was 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. 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, Otis Rush, Johnny Copeland and Paul Butterfield. 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. Bloedow names Pastorini as his favorite musician. He attended New England Conservatory in 1987–88, studying with Ran Blake and David Holland. Returning to New York City he joined the community forming at the Knitting Factory which included Previte, Horvitz, and Johnston. In 1990 he coupled up with Knitting Factory employee Charles, who became his songwriting and performing partner. In this period Oren toured on bass for The Lounge Lizards, recording the John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards Live in Berlin 1991 concert film and album. Albums with Columbia recording artists Brenda Kahn and Dog's Eye View followed. In 1995, his musical project with Charles, now called Elysian Fields, was signed to Radioactive Records. He also recorded an album with close friends Medeski, Martin and Wood for Knitting Factory Records in this period. In the 2000's Oren worked extensively with V2/Commotion Records artist Chocolate Genius, contributing to the albums GodMusic and Black Yankee Rock. A Chocolate Genius tour opening for Meshell Ndegeocello brought Oren to that artist's attention, and he played in her band frequently in that decade, working on Comfort Woman, The World Has Made Me The Man Of My Dreams, and Devil's Halo. In 2009 Oren joined members of Antibalas and Director Bill T Jones in creating the Tony award-winning Broadway musical Fela!, based on the life and work of Fela Kuti. That production closed at the end of 2010, but the touring version traveled the world for some time afterwards, including a return to the home of Afrobeat, Lagos Nigeria, for which Oren was present. Another theater project included Bloedow along with Matmos, Gael