Loosely, Folk presents Jan Bell

Event information

Our new season kicks off with a special solo show featuring, from Brooklyn, Jan Bell (of The Maybelles).

Enchantingly fusing Anglo-Americana sounds Jan Bell has a wonderful knack of breathing new life into time worn folk tales and rare used human stories. Yorkshire-born, her latest album pays tribute to her family’s coal-mining roots with a series of songs from both sides of the Atlantic including a handful that she wrote herself. She’s lived in New York for the past 20 years, but listening to her sing such ‘English’ songs as “Dirty Old Town or her own “Yorkshire Water” it’s plainly obvious she’s not forgotten her Yorkshire roots.
4 Stars, Alan Cackett Maverick Magazine

Bell was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Her folk songs have taken her to stages both sides of the Atlantic. Including Greyfox Bluegrass Festival NY, International Bluegrass Music Awards Nashville, Brooklyn Folk Festival, Glastonbury, Broadstairs, and Devon Folk Festival. The recipient of several awards including Best Alt. Country album (Independent Music Awards); Village Voice TOP 10 Folk Albums; Top 3 Albums CMR Nashville UK; and The Brooklyn Country Music Hall of Fame. Bell came to New York City at nineteen to teach theatre and story telling. Since then making her home in New Orleans, The Ozarks, Colorado, New Mexico and mainly NYC. Highlights of city life include an invitation from The Woody Guthrie Archives to write music for found lyrics; a Manhattan Women's Prison Christmas show; Opening for Steve Earle, and Wanda Jackson. Her band The Maybelles also opened for Odetta, and Emmylou Harris at the Ozark Folk Festival.