Biography
Photo by Danell Beede 2008
Jocelyn Arem is a major voice for women's rights, America's musical heritage, and community organizing; singing, teaching, folklore studies and activism. Arem's life and work support the concept of community based culture. She is a musician, project coordinator, producer and MC who has performed throughout the U.S.A. and the UK. The Feminist Review hailed her "exquisite musical ability, intellect and literary sensibilities".
A classically trained singer and self taught guitarist, she has performed her own material at various national and international venues, festivals and benefit events including Caffe Lena, Club Passim, Avery Fischer Hall and VDAY NYC, working and performing with artists and activists from Pete Seeger and Jane Fonda to the Persuasions. Arem's first full-length record, "What the Mirror Said" was self-released in March 2006. The nine tracks, all composed and produced by Arem, were recorded by Carl Landa (percussionist for the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio, the Martha Graham School, and Julliard). The album features Baba Israel (Open Thought Music) guitarist Mark Klein, and award-winning playwright and activist Eve Ensler. With stunning new photography by Emma Dodge Hanson, (Jewel, Shawn Colvin, Sarah McLaughlin, Ani Difranco) "What the Mirror Said" lends itself to the raw sounds of vocal percussion, acoustic guitar, and to such diverse pursuits as women's rights, the examination of the role of artists and their craft, and the preservation of America's musical heritage.
Arem also has a career as a folklorist, archivist, photographer, stage manager cultural historian and consultant; Since 2000 she has worked with Caffé Lena, the country's oldest continuously running coffeehouse and the Archive of Folk Song/Culture at the Library of Congress; Arem initiated The Caffe Lena History Project to document and preserve the Caffe's history and its impact on the culture of American music. She is now working on a book that will explore Caffe Lena's impact on and place in America's cultural history. To learn more about the Caffe Lena History Project please visit: www.caffelenahistory.org . Arem researches, photographs and writes on a variety of folk music and cultural studies topics, and is available for consulting work, editing and project researches.
Jocelyn's career includes a long list of affiliations, projects and campaigns. She has done stage managing, booking, production, and/or artist management work for many organizations including:
- The National Council for the Traditional Arts
- Caffe Lena Inc.
- The Highlander Institute
- Gideon Freudmann (Cellobop)
- Lively Lucys Coffeehouse
- Pete Seeger's Hudson Clearwater Revival
- The Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival
- The International V-Day Movement
She has worked with such renowned artists and activists as:
- Pete Seeger
- Jane Fonda
- Ani Difranco
- Toshi Reagon
- Holly Near
- Eve Ensler
- Doc Watson
- Shemekia Copeland
- Christine Lavin
- Guy Davis
She has been invited to share the stage with:
- The Persuasions
- Alix Olson
- Jonathan Byrd
- Pamela Means
- SONiA (Disappear Fear)
- Ember Swift
- Stephen Kellogg
She has performed at various national and international venues, including:
- Avery Fischer Hall in Lincoln Center (NYC)
- The Highlander Center's 75th Anniversary Celebration (TN)
- Caffé Lena (Saratoga Springs, NY)
- The Bitter End (New York, NY)
- The Cats Cradle (Carrboro, NC)
- Club Passim (Cambridge, MA)
- The Freight and Salvage (Berkeley, CA)
- Jammin Java (Vienna, VA)
- Vday benefit in York, England (UK)
- Friday Night Fireside Music Series: West Mountain Inn (Arlington, VT)
Music
Order Jocelyn's CD, What the Mirror Said (2006) by Credit/Debit Card or PayPal Account.
CDs cost $15 each + $3 s/h ($1.50 s/h for each additional CD ordered.)
Contact
Contact Jocelyn via email: jocelyn (at) jocelynarem.com