Janks Set for Brooklyn Show Tonight, National Tour, Share “I Don’t Give Any”
“With their New Orleans-inspired take on the protogenic power of rhythm & blues, the band uses early rock & roll as a loose template and turns it on its head, adding bass sax and pedal steel instead of bass and lead guitar into a unique melting pot of raucous, ramshackle rock & roll and old timey jugband country folk.”
–Jof Owen, Holler, May 27, 2025
“Inspired as much by his Crescent City contemporaries as NOLA institutions”
–Hobart Rowland, Magnet Mag, April 29, 2025
“Justifiably proud of the upcoming album.”
–Judy Bass, Wide Open Country, April 7, 2025
“The only band I’d stay up till 2AM for!”
–Esther Rose
“Rollicking rhythm & blues.’”
–American Blues Scene, April 28, 2025
“Extraordinary… loose and lively… raw and mysterious, almost in the vein of Tom Waits”
–Glide Magazine, June 26, 2025
You’re strolling down an alley in New Orleans or Brooklyn late at night and this sound jumps out at you — rock & roll, classic rhythm & blues, sung and played with verve, personality, and joy. The dance floor is full. You stroll in and hear original songs that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on the legendary Specialty Records 45s of the 1950s and ‘60s.
Jackson and the Janks, fomented in New Orleans, now based in Brooklyn, have seen their music streamed over 1 million times. The band’s second album Write It Down came out today on Jalopy Records. The unique arrangements of Janks have deep roots in the Crescent City, too, with Jackson Lynch (who lived in NOLA for years) on guitar and vocals, Matt Bell (Esther Rose) on lap steel, Craig Flory (Tuba Skinny) on bass saxophone and Sam Doores (The Deslondes) sharing backing vocals while trading-off on drums and keys. All but two songs were recorded in New Orleans to vintage tape by Jon Atkinson (Kim Wilson, Nora Brown, Henry Gray, Jontavious Willis, Martha Spencer, Bill and the Belles).
On the heels of packed sets at SXSW, in Brooklyn and Nashville, spotlights from Magnet, Wide Open Country, and Holler.Country, an Edmonton, AB festival play, the release of a solo Jackson session from Gems on VHS, Jackson & The Janks will play at Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn tonight and then launch a national July tour and shared album highlight “I Don’t Give Any” today. “I Don’t Give Any” kicks off with a striking horn riff before lumbering into a Bo Diddley-inspired beat (HEAR/SHARE).
Of the song, Jackson Lynch says, “’I Don’t Give Any’ is about not giving any (shits) and trying to get some. Being around town to have fun and have no bothers. Written on a solo two day drive back to New York, just ready to get back.”
Jackson and the Janks have performed at the Brooklyn Folk Fest, Blackpot Festival (Louisiana), and Oldtone Festival (New York) and did a video session for tastemaker series GemsOnVHS and Jackson did solo sessions for Paste and Western AF. This year has already seen the band play at SXSW as well as two nights at the Nashville, TN branch of Skinny Dennis on bills with the Deslondes. They are confirmed to perform at September’s Oldtone Festival in the Hudson Valley.
Jackson spent years living in New Orleans, busking on Royal Street to pay rent and feed himself, alongside folks who later came to prominence, like Sierra Ferrell and Tuba Skinny. In the process, he learned how sing and to project his voice. The band started out covering gospel songs before Lynch picked up his pen.
Born and raised in Ireland, Lynch started on guitar then learned his first fiddle tunes from his grandfather, a traditional Irish fiddler. Lynch discovered roots music via his dad’s wide-ranging record collection, which had everything from old-time to New Orleans rhythm & blues. His dad is a musician, radio DJ, and tarot-reader. Lynch and his mom moved to the Lower East Side in NYC when he was eight years old and he joined the Jalopy Theatre scene at 16 years old. Lynch is also a member of the old-time string band trio Down Hill Strugglers on vocals and fiddle. He sometimes also sits in with Nora Brown in concert and appears on Brown’s 2021 album Sidetrack My Engine.
Jackson is inspired by classic New Orleans music like Bobby Charles, Irma Thomas, Smiley Lewis, James Booker, but also by his friends’ projects like Tuba Skinny, The Deslondes, The Loftiness, Esther Rose, and Chris Acker. Unlike the debut album, all but one song on the album are Jackson Lynch originals, inspired by his time living and playing music in the Crescent City. The first single was “The Kick,” calling back to a time when a song could just be about a dance. It is an actual dance that Lynch learned over a Thanksgiving dinner among musicians in New Orleans. “Let’s Leave Here,” which came out last month, took shape during the eerie, deserted days of COVID lockdowns in NYC. “Beats Me” recalls Jackie Wilson. “Lament,” a cover of a 1959 single by Mamie Perry, brings to mind Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, in the Janks’ reading. “Riding on a Smile” brings some tenderness. “Windowsill,” which came out as a single in April, is a tongue-in-cheek ballad about devotion to one’s partner.
Brooklyn Folk Fest founding producer Eli Smith said, “It’s amazing how steeped he is in American folk music, I mean in in a major way, more than almost anyone, Blues, gospel, old-time songs and ballads, traditional Irish music. He plays the fiddle, guitar and banjo. He is well-versed in the canon of American folk music from field recordings, 78s, and archival sources.”
Jackson & The Janks tour dates
June 27 – Jalopy Theater – Brooklyn, NY (album release show)
July 2 – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
July 3 – Hideout – Chicago, IL
July 4 – Raccoon Motel – Davenport, IA
July 5 – Dusty’s Bar – Minneapolis, MN
July 6 – House Concert – Eau Claire, WI
July 8 – Hi Dive – Denver, CO
July 9 – Reed’s Package Liquors – Laramie, WY
July 10 – Mint Bar – Sheridan, WY
July 11 – Roly Poly Coffee – Bozeman, MT
July 12 – Party Palace – Butte, MT
July 13 – Longstaff House – Missoula, MT
July 14 – Range Rider Bar – Enterprise, OR
July 15 – house concert – La Grande, OR
July 16 – Shakedown – Bellingham, WA
July 17 – house concert – Shaw Island, WA
July 18 – Spare Room Restaurant & Lounge – Portland, OR
July 19 – House Concert – Albany, CA
July 20 – Synapsis Union – Eureka, CA
September 4-7 – Oldtone Roots Music Festival – Hillsdale, NY
