Originally from the Netherlands, Loes van Schaijk is a singer-songwriter and instrumentalist based in Prague, Czech Republic. Because of her natural voice and clever songwriting somewhere at the meeting point between jazz, folk, and bluegrass, her work has been compared to that of eclectic songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, and Sting. When Loes sings, she pours her heart and soul into it and connects with the audience by making them smile, cry, think, and sing along.
Loes currently performs her original material in various formations:
* As a DUO with Honza Bartošek (2 vocals, guitar, violin)
* As an acoustic TRIO (3 voices, guitar, violin, bass)
* Or with a full BAND (3 voices, guitar, violin, bass, drums, banjo)
Collaborations and cover/tribute projects include:
* Cake and Ale (female vocal harmony trio)
* The Celtic Link (predominantly Irish/Scottish trad songs and tunes)
* The Back Porch Ramblers (feel-good early jazz and New Orleans string band music with Eliška and Steve Walsh)
Bluegrass Book
Loes researched the Dutch bluegrass scene in the first half of the 2010s and published the book "High Lonesome Below Sea Level," with black-and-white photography by Marieke Odekerken, in 2014. Order a physical copy or read it online HERE.
Road to Westport 2025 - Tour Reports
In May and June 2025, Loes & Honza went on a long tour from the Czech Republic to Ireland through Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, England, and Northern Ireland. In Ireland, they played as The Celtic Link with Caolán O'Neill Forde.
Loes wrote 7 tour reports for the e-zine Insounder including photos and videos. An enjoyable read!
Find them here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7