I write, sing, and play music in a few different projects. The most active are Charming Disaster (folk-noir duo with songs about death, crime, mythology and the occult) and Funkrust Brass Band (20-piece post-apocalyptic brass band with megaphone vocals). I’ve also released 4 albums with my band Sweet Soubrette (existentialist indie rock) and I collaborate with other artists here and there as a lyricist and vocalist. If you’re interested in a collaboration or a commission, drop me a line. You can listen to some of my past releases below:
Charming DIsaster
Musical duo Charming Disaster was formed in 2012 by Brooklyn, NY-based songwriters Ellia Bisker and Jeff Morris. Inspired by the gothic humor of Edward Gorey, the murder ballads of the Americana tradition, and the dramatic flair of the cabaret, they write and perform songs that use two voices to explore dark narratives and characters with a playfully macabre sensibility. On their three critically acclaimed albums, Charming Disaster has explored love, death, crime, folklore, mythology, and the occult, combining vocal harmonies with clever lyrics and inventive instrumentation. Charming Disaster’s music has been featured on the podcast Welcome to Night Vale, they have toured with renowned cello-rock ensemble Rasputina, and their theatrical live performances have captivated audiences across the United States. Recent appearances include Joe's Pub at The Public Theater in NYC, Brooklyn’s historic Green-Wood Cemetery, the Rochester Fringe Festival, and the Coney Island Sideshow stage.
Sweet Soubrette
Sweet Soubrette is a ukulele-powered indie rock band based in New York City with dark, poetic lyrics, songs that tell stories, and lush instrumentation. It features the vocals and ukulele of award-winning songwriter Ellia Bisker, whose lyrics explore books, bad women, and the mysteries of existence. Her talented backing band offers lush arrangements of bass, drums, strings, horns, piano, and vocal harmonies. Sweet Soubrette has released four albums since 2018.
Solo production
In addition to the album releases above, I’ve self-produced some recordings, including the following:
In 2020 I wrote and recorded four songs inspired by the pandemic and released them as Making Do.
In 2013 I wrote or recorded a song every day for a month. February Songs is a selection of songs from that project.
Funkrust Brass Band
Funkrust Brass Band is a 20-piece post-apocalyptic disco-punk brass band playing all original music with megaphone vocals, heavy tuba bass lines, thundering percussion and searing brass melodies. Their explosive live performances feature full band choreography, signature wasteland/glam uniforms and LED lighting effects. The band mixes post-punk, disco, EDM, metal, and funk with Balkan brass and New Orleans second line sounds, and filters that through the medium of a massive street brass band with a punk rock sensibility.