The JAES
Janie Rothfield, Allan Carr, Ellen Coplin & Sean Hoffman
Spring 2026 Shows!
Saturday March 28-House Concert/Jam at Honky Tonk on Hazel in West Philly
Sunday March 29 Afternoon Contra Dance followed by a concert presented by Progressive Acoustics in Arden DE
Thursday April 2-House Concert/Jam in Fairfield (Near Lexington) VA
Friday April 3-House Concert/Jam in Staunton VA
Saturday April 4-Fiddle Workshop with Janie/Square Dance in Capon Bridge West VA
The JAES are a modern stringband-folk quartet; blending traditional American roots and Celtic music with original songs and compositions with spectacular instrumentals and multi-part vocals!
The JAES (Janie Rothfield, Allan Carr, Ellen Coplin, and Sean Hoffman) is a modern folk quartet that delivers a "fiery and inventive" blend of American roots and Celtic music. Formed after a chance encounter in 2023, this supergroup combines decades of mastery on fiddles, clawhammer banjo, guitar, mandola, concertina and cello to create a sound that is both deeply traditional and fearlessly contemporary. Their performances are marked by sublime multi-part harmonies and a groove that bridges the gap between Appalachian old-time and Scottish balladry.
Fresh off a prestigious showcase at the Your Roots Are Showing folk conference in Belfast, Ireland, the band has quickly established itself as a powerhouse on the international folk circuit.
Whether they are tearing through a driving West Virginia fiddle tune or delivering an original, soul-stirring ballad, The JAES bring an infectious energy and instrumental virtuosity that leaves audiences spellbound. Their music is an exploration of the old and the new—fearless, creative, and undeniably fun.
Praise for the Band
"Master instrumentalists with wonderful voices that blend in sublime harmonies." – Performance Review
"A fiery and creative exploration of traditional music from both American and Celtic influences." – Showcase Spotlight
"Janie Rothfield is a power-house American fiddler... widely recognized for her traditional and inventive style, in-the-pocket rhythm, and whimsical groove." – Artist Profile
"Ellen Coplin's cello combines all of the essential elements to great music—melody, rhythm, drive, and bass in one!" – Musical Highlights
The JAES YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@TheJAESMusic
Website
https://janierothfield.com/the-jaes
The JAES Album on Bandcamp
https://thejaes.bandcamp.com/album/two-plus-two
Download THE JAES New CD on Bandcamp
https://thejaes.bandcamp.com/album/the-jaes
Subscribe to our YOU TUBE CHANNEL https://www.youtube.com/@TheJAESMusic
HOW IT ALL STARTED! The meeting of the two couples! The Winter of 2023 reknowned folk duo Janie Rothfield (Connecticut) and Allan Carr (from Aberdeen, Scotland) were on tour in the Midwest-friends suggested they contact Sean Hoffman and Ellen Coplin in Fort Wayne, Indiana about a Wednesday night pub gig. Janie and Allan invited Sean and Ellen to join them on a few songs and tunes (no rehearsal-no previous time playing together) and from that moment they knew this was the start of a something really special-resulting in a fiery and creative exploration of their shared love of traditional music from both American and Celtic influences, prolific original material, and a desire and willingness to be fearless with musical explorations and arrangements. Magic!
2023-2025 With busy duo and other band commitments and touring, the two couples managed to cross paths again in Indiana, Edinburgh Scotland, and Virginia…continuing their creation of new repertoire and pushing the musical boundaries resulted in the original sound that is THE JAES! Calendar matching enabled the foursome to get together in December 2024, to create and record 5 pieces of music (at the home studio of Al Tharp in Lexington VA) launched on bandcamp in March 2025. An additional four pieces of new music were recorded in June 2025 with plans for a full release in Summer 2026!
In Spring 2025, The JAES had their first tour and concerts together with shows in Missouri, Indiana, Pennsylvannia, Massachussetts and NY plus a debut Festival appearance at Folky Fish Fest in St. James MO. Fall 2025 Midwest Shows in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin! 2026 started off with shows in Germany then a featured Showcase Concert at Your Roots are Showing folk music conference in Belfast, Ireland! Spring 2026 gigs in Philadelphia, Arden Delaware, Lexington VA and Staunton, VA!
PRESS RELEASE HERE
Groovy intro right into a lively lovely jig LIttle Burnt Potatoes. The tune has been characterized as Irish in origin, although in fact it is the composition of Canadian fiddler Colin J. Boyd,
Bluesy rendition of old time songs Chilly Winds followed by West VA old time tune Waynesboro from Edden Hammons.
6886 (by Janie Rothfield) a fiddle tune blending Old Time groove and a cool modern arrangement. The title is because for Janie the A part is 6 beats/8 beats…and the B part is 8 beat/6 beats! Or how ever you want to count them!
Classic American cowboy song that shows off The Jaes harmonies, Sean’s harmonies, Janie’s country fiddling and Ellen’s concertina!
Janie, Allan, Ellen and Sean are all master instrumentalists with wonderful voices that blend in sublime harmonies! Plus they are really fun and entertaining:)
Janie Rothfield (fiddle, banjo, mandola) brings her fiery and inventive old-time fiddling, clawhammer banjo stylings and a vibrant body of original fiddle tunes and songs to the band.
Allan Carr (guitar, bodhran, mandola) from Aberdeen, Scotland brings deep knowledge of the Scottish ballad traditions (and original songs), rhythmic and inventive guitar playing, and charming Aberdeen brogue transport the listener across the ocean to another time and place.
Ellen Coplin’s (cello, concertina, guitar) inventive playing are dynamic elements that tie the twirling fiddles and tasty guitar licks together-Her cello combines all of the essential elements to great music-Melody, rhythm, drive and bass in one!
Sean Hoffman’s (fiddle, guitar) driving, lyrical and occasionally wild fiddle playing adds a distinct flavor to The Jaes sound-a combination of his lifelong playing and studying of bluegrass and Irish traditional music and pursuit of an original style.
