David Licht (born in Detroit, Michigan) is a founding member of the Grammy-award winning American Klezmer band The Klezmatics.
In addition to his work in traditional and classical Arabic music, Shaheen has participated in many cross-cultural musical projects, including performing with producer Bill Laswell, Colombian singer Soraya, Henry Threadgill, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, and with Jewish klezmer musicians The Klezmatics.
He moved to New York City in 1985 to help manage a recording studio, formed a band called Bongwater, and later met Frank London with whom he started The Klezmatics.
The full-length 'Agua Pa' La Gente' album is a leap in production values, and features guest artists Frank London (The Klezmatics) and Paul Shapiro (Brooklyn Funk Essentials).
In 2008, Grammy Award winning producer, Daniel Blumenfield, of GoodandEvil, Inc. (Sex Mob's Sexotica; The Klezmatics' Wonder Wheel) discovered Mateo music and brought her to New York.
Individually, Metropolitan Klezmer players have worked with such diverse artists as Bonnie Raitt, The Toasters, Bill Frisell, Toshi Reagon, Juan Carlos Formell, Indigo Girls, Burning Spear, Amy Sedaris, Max Roach, Rufus Wainwright, Nora York, and the Microscopic Septet, as well as Jewish music performers from the Klezmatics and Andy Statman to David Krakauer, Sephardic stars Alhambra and SF's Charming Hostess.