is a troubadour, songwriter, poet, and multi-instrumentalist. Born in Detroit, he studied theater and poetry at the University of Michigan, moved to Berlin in 2005, and formed his cult klezmer band The Painted Bird, with whom he has produced five award-winning albums. Other musical projects include The Unternationale, Semer Ensemble, Brothers Nazaroff, Bulat Blues, and The Disorientalists. He has worked as a director, composer, lyricist, music curator, writer, and actor at the Gorki Theater, among other venues. He and his partner, the Leningrad-born dancer, video artist, and translator Yeva Lapsker, are cofounders of the Yiddish cultural festival Shtetl Berlin.