Jennifer Charles
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Charles is an American
singer, musician, composer, and poet. Along with Oren Bloedow
, she co-founded the New York
band Elysian Fields
.
. While Charles was growing up, her mother was a torch singer in Washington D.C. clubs and her father had a radio show that played jazz
. At the age of 14 she began her professional theatre career, appearing in plays and experimental theater productions at places like The Studio and The Source theaters.
In 1987, she moved to New York to continue her theatre and academic studies, receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts from N.Y.U.
's Tisch school in just three years. Upon graduating she appeared in various off-broadway theater, had a stint singing in a dive piano bar and curated a performance/poetry series at the original Knitting Factory
. She has also curated at Tonic, DJed in Paris, and most recently at John Zorn
's The Stone in December 2008.
Elysian Fields
was founded in 1995 and have released five full length records (six counting one produced by Steve Albini
that was suppressed). They have also contributed to many compilation CDs, including the first song on John Zorn
's Serge Gainsbourg
tribute album. This song, their rendition of "Les Amours Perdues", also appeared in Lea Pool's film Emporte Moi.
Besides Elysian Fields, Charles has other projects. She and Bloedow recorded La Mar Enfortuna for Zorn's Tzadik label, featuring renditions of Sephardic
and Ladino
songs. She has studied classical India
n singing with teacher Gulamji.
In late 2007, she and Bloedow put out a second Tzadik full-length, under the band name La Mar Enfortuna
, called "Conviviencia". Charles sings in five languages on the record, including Ladino, Spanish, Aramaic, Arabic, and Greek
.
Charles also makes up a quarter of the band Lovage
, along with Dan the Automator
, Mike Patton
and Kid Koala
. The band recorded its debut album titled Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By
in 2001. Charles co-wrote and sang most of the material on the album. She has also worked with bands like Firewater, turning in performances on "The Circus" and "Mr. Cardiac" from 1996's Get Off the Cross, We Need the Wood for the Fire
, as well as Xian Hawkin's "Sybarite", the latest Foetus
record, Love
, as well as working with Matt Johnson
of The The
, and on several of John Zorn
's records.
Charles recorded in French
with the French composer Jean-Louis Murat
for the album A bird on a poire in 2004, which was nominated for a Victoires de la Musique award best pop
album.
She had a guest spot on ex-Nine Inch Nails
drummer Chris Vrenna's solo project Tweaker. She sang and co-composed the track "Crude Sunlight", which appeared on the 2004 album 2am Wakeup Call. Charles co-composed music with Johnny Klimek
and Reinhold Heill (Run Lola Run
) for the film Tangled. Elysian Fields' version of Bob Dylan
's "Tangled up in Blue" can be heard in the film's credits.
She produced the latest Oren Bloedow solo record She Goes With me to a Blossom World, which came out in 2008.
Recently Charles was back on stage in the Off Broadway production "Lightning at Our Feet", inspired by poet Emily Dickinson
, under the direction of Obie winner Bob McGrath, with film maker Bill Morrison
and composer Michael Gordon
, which was part of the Next Wave festival at Brooklyn Academy of Music in December 2008, where she sang and acted, channeling the iconic 19th century poet.
Charles has been touring her latest Elysian Fields effort The Afterlife in 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, musician, composer, and poet. Along with Oren Bloedow
Oren Bloedow
Oren Bloedow is an American singer, guitarist, and composer. He founded the band Elysian Fields in 1995 with Jennifer Charles.His father, Jerry Bloedow, b...
, she co-founded the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
band Elysian Fields
Elysian Fields (band)
Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...
.
Biography
Jennifer Charles was born in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. While Charles was growing up, her mother was a torch singer in Washington D.C. clubs and her father had a radio show that played jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. At the age of 14 she began her professional theatre career, appearing in plays and experimental theater productions at places like The Studio and The Source theaters.
In 1987, she moved to New York to continue her theatre and academic studies, receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts from N.Y.U.
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Tisch school in just three years. Upon graduating she appeared in various off-broadway theater, had a stint singing in a dive piano bar and curated a performance/poetry series at the original Knitting Factory
Knitting Factory
The Knitting Factory is a music venue and concert house with locations in Brooklyn, Boise, Reno, and Spokane. The club originally specialized in jazz and experimental music and has expanded to showcasing all genres of music, performing arts and comedy....
. She has also curated at Tonic, DJed in Paris, and most recently at John Zorn
John Zorn
John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
's The Stone in December 2008.
Elysian Fields
Elysian Fields (band)
Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...
was founded in 1995 and have released five full length records (six counting one produced by Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
that was suppressed). They have also contributed to many compilation CDs, including the first song on John Zorn
John Zorn
John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
's Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
tribute album. This song, their rendition of "Les Amours Perdues", also appeared in Lea Pool's film Emporte Moi.
Besides Elysian Fields, Charles has other projects. She and Bloedow recorded La Mar Enfortuna for Zorn's Tzadik label, featuring renditions of Sephardic
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
and Ladino
Judaeo-Spanish
Judaeo-Spanish , in Israel commonly referred to as Ladino, and known locally as Judezmo, Djudeo-Espanyol, Djudezmo, Djudeo-Kasteyano, Spaniolit and other names, is a Romance language derived from Old Spanish...
songs. She has studied classical India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n singing with teacher Gulamji.
In late 2007, she and Bloedow put out a second Tzadik full-length, under the band name La Mar Enfortuna
La Mar Enfortuna (band)
La Mar Enfortuna is the Sephardic side project from the alt rock group Elysian Fields, Oren Bloedow and Jennifer Charles. La Mar Enfortuna is a modern interpretation of lost or forgotten music, mostly of the Sephardim, from the 11th to the 16th century, with songs sung in Ladino, Arabic, Aramaic,...
, called "Conviviencia". Charles sings in five languages on the record, including Ladino, Spanish, Aramaic, Arabic, and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
.
Charles also makes up a quarter of the band Lovage
Lovage (band)
Lovage is a collaborative project headed by Dan the Automator, under his pseudonym "Nathaniel Merriweather" . The album is called Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By, which was created in team with Mike Patton and Jennifer Charles, who both provide vocals...
, along with Dan the Automator
Dan the Automator
Daniel M. Nakamura , better known by the stage name Dan the Automator, is a Japanese-American hip hop producer. He founded the record label 75 Ark, which was distributed by Tommy Boy Records during its short existence....
, Mike Patton
Mike Patton
Michael Allan "Mike" Patton is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and actor, best known as the lead singer of the metal/experimental rock band Faith No More. He has also sung for Mr...
and Kid Koala
Kid Koala
Eric San , who records under the name Kid Koala, is a Canadian DJ, turntablist, musician and an author of graphic novels. He is signed to the British record label Ninja Tune, is a member of alternative hip hop supergroup Deltron 3030, and The Slew with Dynamite D and former members of the...
. The band recorded its debut album titled Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By
Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By
Nathaniel Merriweather Presents... Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By is the debut and so far only album of Lovage, released in 2001. Produced by Dan The Automator...
in 2001. Charles co-wrote and sang most of the material on the album. She has also worked with bands like Firewater, turning in performances on "The Circus" and "Mr. Cardiac" from 1996's Get Off the Cross, We Need the Wood for the Fire
Get Off the Cross, We Need the Wood for the Fire
-Personnel:Firewater*Tod Ashley – vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, bouzouki, production*Duane Denison – guitar*Yuval Gabay – drums, djembe, tambourine*Kurt Hoffman – saxophone, clarinet, accordion*Jim Kimball – drums...
, as well as Xian Hawkin's "Sybarite", the latest Foetus
Foetus (band)
Foetus is the primary musical outlet of industrial music pioneer J. G. Thirlwell. Until 1995 the band underwent various name changes, all including the word foetus. Monikers adopted at different times include Foetus Under Glass, You've Got Foetus On Your Breath and Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel...
record, Love
Love (Foetus album)
Love is a Foetus album released on CD by Ectopic Ents/Birdman Records in 2005. Initial copies include a DVD disc with additional content.Love is Ectopic Ents #ECT ENTS 027.-CD:All songs by J. G...
, as well as working with Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson (singer)
Matt Johnson is a musician best known as the founder and only constant member of the group The The. Johnson is known for his often deeply introspective lyrics. Musically he ranges from slow acoustic hooks to techno-pop....
of The The
The The
The The are an English musical and multimedia group that have been active in various forms since 1979, with singer/songwriter Matt Johnson being the only constant band member.-Early years :...
, and on several of John Zorn
John Zorn
John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
's records.
Charles recorded in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
with the French composer Jean-Louis Murat
Jean-Louis Murat
Not to be confused with Jean-Paul MaratJean-Louis Murat is the pseudonym of the French singer / songwriter Jean-Louis Bergheaud. He spent much of his childhood with his grandparents in Murat-le-Quaire.- Albums :...
for the album A bird on a poire in 2004, which was nominated for a Victoires de la Musique award best pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
album.
She had a guest spot on ex-Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
drummer Chris Vrenna's solo project Tweaker. She sang and co-composed the track "Crude Sunlight", which appeared on the 2004 album 2am Wakeup Call. Charles co-composed music with Johnny Klimek
Johnny Klimek
Johnny Klimek is an Australian film and television composer, currently based in Los Angeles. He is known by association with German filmmaker Tom Tykwer, with whom he and longtime partner Reinhold Heil have collaborated on seven films, including Run, Lola, Run and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer...
and Reinhold Heill (Run Lola Run
Run Lola Run
Run Lola Run is a 1998 German crime thriller film written and directed by Tom Tykwer and starring Franka Potente as Lola and Moritz Bleibtreu as Manni. The story follows a woman who needs to obtain 100,000 German marks in 20 minutes to save her boyfriend's life...
) for the film Tangled. Elysian Fields' version of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's "Tangled up in Blue" can be heard in the film's credits.
She produced the latest Oren Bloedow solo record She Goes With me to a Blossom World, which came out in 2008.
Recently Charles was back on stage in the Off Broadway production "Lightning at Our Feet", inspired by poet Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life...
, under the direction of Obie winner Bob McGrath, with film maker Bill Morrison
Bill Morrison
Bill Morrison is an American comic book artist and writer, and co-founder of Bongo Comics . He currently serves as creative director of Bongo Comics....
and composer Michael Gordon
Michael Gordon
Michael Gordon may refer to:*Michael Gordon , American film director*Michael Gordon , British film editor*Michael J. C...
, which was part of the Next Wave festival at Brooklyn Academy of Music in December 2008, where she sang and acted, channeling the iconic 19th century poet.
Charles has been touring her latest Elysian Fields effort The Afterlife in 2009.
Discography
- 2009: Elysian FieldsElysian Fields (band)Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...
- The Afterlife, Diluvian/Vicious Circle (writer, vocalist, rebab) - 2008: The Heavy Circles, Dynamite Child' (bgvs)
- 2008: Oren Bloedow- She Goes With Me To A Blossom World, Diluvian (producer, bgvs, keyboards)
- 2007: La Mar Enfortuna, Convivencia, Tzadik (voc, writer)
- 2007: Foetus - Vein, Birdman (voc)
- 2006: Ben Perowsky's Moodswing Orchestra - El Destructo (writer, vocalist)
- 2006: Elysian FieldsElysian Fields (band)Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...
- Bum Raps And Love Taps, Diluvian/Naive (writer, vocalist, keyboards) - 2005: Foetus Love - Birdman Records (vocalist)
- 2004: Jean Louis Murat - A Bird On A Poire, Labels (vocalist)
- 2004, 2003: Elysian FieldsElysian Fields (band)Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...
- Dreams That Breathe Your Name, Diluvian (writer, vocalist, farfisa) - 2004 Tweaker - 2 AM Wake-Up Call, IMUSIC (writer, vocalist)
- 2003 Ben Perowsky - Camp Songs, Tzadik (vocalist)
- 2003 Sasha Argov - Great Jewish Music, Tzadik (vocalist)
- 2003 Foetus - A Tribute to the Sisters of Mercy, EFA (vocalist, writer)
- 2002 Frank London - Scientist at Work, Tzadik (vocalist)
- 2002 John Zorn - Film Works XII - Three Documentaries, Tzadik (vocalist)
- 2002 Sybarite - Scene of the Crime, 4AD (writer, vocalist)
- 2002 John Zorn - IAO Music In Sacred Light, Tzadik (vocalist)
- 2001 illy B Eats - Drop the Needle, Amulet (vocalist)
- 2001 Zoar - Clouds Without Water (vocalist)
- 2001 LovageLovage (band)Lovage is a collaborative project headed by Dan the Automator, under his pseudonym "Nathaniel Merriweather" . The album is called Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By, which was created in team with Mike Patton and Jennifer Charles, who both provide vocals...
- Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady ByMusic to Make Love to Your Old Lady ByNathaniel Merriweather Presents... Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By is the debut and so far only album of Lovage, released in 2001. Produced by Dan The Automator...
, 75 Ark (writer, vocalist) - 2001 Firewater Psychopharmachology, Jetset (vocalist)
- 2001 Oren Bloedow and Jennifer Charles - La Mar Enfortuna, Tzadik (vocalist, bells, wurli, writer)
- 2000 Elysian FieldsElysian Fields (band)Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...
- Queen of the Meadow, Jetset. (writer, vocalist, mini moog, guitar, wurli) - 1999 Liminal (unreleased) (writer, vocalist)
- 1999 What's the Word Volume 1 - Various Artists, Deezal (writer, vocalist, piano)
- 1999 DJ Logic - Project Logic, Ropeadope (writer, vocalist)
- 1999 Jean Louis Murat - Mustango, Labels (vocalist)
- 1998 Great Jewish Music: Marc BolanGreat Jewish Music: Marc BolanGreat Jewish Music: Marc Bolan is a tribute album featuring the music of English singer/songwriter Marc Bolan of the band T.Rex. Produced by Danny Cohen, it was released on John Zorn's label Tzadik Records in 1998 as part of their series on "Radical Jewish Culture", following similar prior tributes...
- Various Artists, Tzadik. (vocalist) - 1998 Elysian FieldsElysian Fields (band)Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...
- The Albini record (unreleased) Radioactive (writer, vocalist) - 1998 Oren Bloedow - The Luckiest Boy in the World, Knitting Factory Works (bgv)
- 1997 Elysian FieldsElysian Fields (band)Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...
Meets DJ Cam - Radioactive (writer, vocalist) - 1997 Great Jewish Music: Serge GainsbourgGreat Jewish Music: Serge GainsbourgGreat Jewish Music: Serge Gainsbourg is a tribute album featuring the music of French singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. Executive-produced by John Zorn, it was released on Tzadik Records in 1997 as part of their series on "Radical Jewish Culture"....
Various Artists, Tzadik (vocalist) - 1997 Life in a Blender Two Legs Bad, Fang (phoned in whispers)
- 1997 Live Secret Samadhi, Radioactive (bgv)
- 1996 Jennifer and Kenny Siegel Sessions (unreleased) (vocalist)
- 1996 Firewater Get Off The Cross ... We Need The Wood For The Fire, Jetset (vocalist)
- 1996 Elysian FieldsElysian Fields (band)Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...
- Bleed Your Cedar, Radioactive (writer, vocalist, rhythm king, percussion) - 1996 Elysian FieldsElysian Fields (band)Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...
- Elysian Fields EP, Radioactive. (writer, vocalist) - 1992 Oren Bloedow - Knitting Factory Works (bgv)