November
14th
John Reischman & the Jaybirds
The 2009-10 RBA concert season is something of a bluegrass mandolin symposium. Frank Wakefield kicked off the series with an incendiary concert on Oct. 24th, and mando masters Mike Compton, Jody Stecher, Tom Bekeny, and Ron Thomason, among others, are all featured in upcoming months. Bill Monroe's legacy is in good hands, and this was most evident on Nov. 14th when John Reischman & the Jaybirds performed for RBA.
For this concert, John & the Jaybirds did something a little different: the second set of the show will be a performance of Reischman's all-instrumental, all-original masterpiece album, "Up In the Woods," on the tenth anniversary of its release.
Perhaps inspired by what the Contra Costa Times calls the "latest concert trend: classic album, from start to finish," John & the Jaybirds are in synch with the likes of Van Morrison ("Astral Weeks") and Devo ("Are We Not Men?"), but are the first bluegrass band to do this. It’s bound to be a special event.
 "Up In the Woods" is a landmark recording, showcasing both John's extraordinary compositional skills -- does anyone else write such memorable tunes? -- and his peerless mandolin playing. Tony Trischka calls it "one beauty of an album. John Reischman makes it strong, pretty, clean, and rich, no matter the mood or tempo. And, as a bonus he's given us a blast of high pedigree, spanking new original tunes that pretty well cover the entire rooted landscape of Bill Monroe's music. John is one of the few who manages to combine heart and technique in his playing. He's precise, but in being so he never sacrifices the soul of his music."
John Reischman is, of course, well-known to California bluegrass fans. After playing and recording for many years with the Good Ol' Persons and the Tony Rice Unit, he moved from the Bay Area to Vancouver, BC, where he's led John Reischman & the Jaybirds since 2000. The band is currently recording their fifth album, and have set new standards for the successful integration of bluegrass and old time music. As FolkWax says, John Reischman & the Jaybirds offer “clarity, energy, good ensemble work, classy originals, and an adventurous approach to the world of bluegrass and folk music — along with engaging stage humor in powerful live shows.”
 The band is comprised of musicians ideally suited to perform the “Up In the Woods” tunes, as well as the extensive Jaybirds repertoire — which was featured in their first set on Nov. 14th.
Jim Nunally, a San Francisco Bay-area veteran of several decades as a leading guitarist, songwriter and singer, appeared with John on the Grammy-winning CD "True Life Blues: The Songs of Bill Monroe," is a producer and session stalwart, and is also a member of the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience.
Chilliwack, B.C.-based Trisha Gagnon (acoustic bass) is portrayed by SingOut! as “one of the most versatile” and “irresistible” vocalists in bluegrass, her strong and distinctive style ranging from “mournful and plaintive” to “hopeful and yearning.”
Nick Hornbuckle, now living in Nanaimo, B.C., has developed his own voice on the five-string banjo, a unique sound with a two-finger roll unlike other contemporary banjo players. “His banjo can be downright spine-tingling,” wrote the L.A. Daily News.
Spokane, WA-based Greg Spatz is hailed as a “world-class bluegrass fiddler” by Fiddler magazine; his wide-ranging chops have made him a popular West Coast player for years, including stints with the legendary Frank Wakefield, and resophonic guitarist Rob Ickes.
Joe Ross (Bluegrass Now) reviewed "Up In the Woods" when it was released: “This highly-recommended album is one that you can listen to over and over without ever tiring of it. If you like tone, clarity, and dynamics in your instrumental music, then this album is for you. While each tune has its own story, I was particularly impressed with the overall feeling that I was left with when the last few measures of track 12 came to an end. I just felt like spinning the entire album again....and again...and again.”
Alex Varty (Georgia Straight, Vancouver) says that the album is "especially notable for John's big, confident tone, his rhythmic assurance, and, especially, his knack for penning sing-able melodies that conceal a devious twist. Even if you don't like bluegrass, the perfectly beautiful 'Ponies in the Forest' might convert you to the cause, and there are half a dozen tunes on 'Up in the Woods' that are just as fine."
www.TheJaybirds.com
Photo by Donna Scholl
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