Jo Freya: Mentor. Icon. Legend.

Jo Freya: Mentor. Icon. Legend.

From Chatterbox with Mel Biggs by Mel Biggs Music

February 2, 2026 · 1h 7m · Episode 26

About this episode

Jo Freya discusses her extensive career in the British Folk Scene and her contributions to music education.

Jo Freya is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter and composer based in Nottinghamshire, England. Over an extensive career spanning five decades she has been part of some of the most groundbreaking acts on the British Folk Scene. Her journey started when she was 14 in The Old Swan Band – a band that explored and reaffirmed the joyousness of English traditional music, at a time when most English folk musicians were playing celtic music. From this healthy foundation of tunes and song she was invited to join Blowzabella - and the rest is history. Jo is a prolific writer of songs and tunes, as well as shows. Her music is played across festivals in Europe and she has performed extensively both solo and with groups such as Fraser Sisters, Coope Boyes & Simpson, Narthen, Moirai, Token Women, Freyja, Tanteeka, and Maalstroom. Jo is a busy music educator, having run many schemes including 'Komposit' her young people's composition project . She is currently the artistic director of England's National Youth Folk Ensemble and was recently awarded the EFDSS Gold Badge for outstanding contribution to folk music. Jo and Mel met at a series of music workshops held in Wantage…

People in this episode

Host: Mel Biggs

Guest: Jo Freya

Topics covered

  • folk music
  • music education
  • songwriting
  • British Folk Scene
  • music collaboration

Keywords

  • Jo Freya
  • folk music
  • songwriter
  • music educator
  • British Folk Scene

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Old Swan Band, Blowzabella, Fraser Sisters, Coope Boyes & Simpson, Narthen, Moirai, Token Women, Freyja, Tanteeka, Maalstroom

Places: Nottinghamshire, Wantage

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