Bluegrass masters John Reischman and the Jaybirds take flight at the Shadbolt, December 1

Helming the acclaimed band is Reischman, a composer and mandolin maven

Shadbolt Centre for the Arts presents John Reischman and the Jaybirds on December 1 at 7:30 pm at the Studio Theatre

BLUEGRASS FANS, TAKE NOTE: John Reischman and the Jaybirds are known for nailing the genre, and the group celebrating its 20th anniversary this year has an upcoming show at the Shadbolt.

The troupe has seven acclaimed albums to its name and two Juno nominations. At its helm is musician and composer Reischman, whom Bluegrass Unlimited has called “one of the world’s undisputed masters” of the mandolin. He has three critically praised solo instrumental albums and has recorded on scores of other projects including the Grammy-winning True Life Blues: The Songs of Bill Monroe.

Joining Reischman in the local concert is Los Angeles-based guitarist Patrick Sauber, who played on the 2016 Grammy-nominated album The Hazel and Alice Sessions by Laurie Lewis and made an appearance in the film A Mighty Wind with Christopher Guest. Chilliwack singer-songwriter and bass player Trisha Gagnon has been described by Sing Out! as “one of the most versatile” and “irresistible” lead vocalists in bluegrass, her strong and distinctive style ranging from “mournful and plaintive” to “hopeful and yearning.” Nanaimo’s Nick Hornbuckle has developed his own sound on the five-string banjo: a two-finger roll. “Nick Hornbuckle’s banjo can be downright spine-tingling,” according to the L.A Daily News. His solo album 12×2 (+/-1), was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award in 2015. And Spokane-based fiddler Greg Spatz is portrayed as a “world-class bluegrass fiddler” by Fiddler Magazine. Audiophile Audition says Spatz’s “virtuosic playing is flawlessly delivered time after time,” while Bluegrass Unlimited has. noted he “lays down some seriously fine bluegrass fiddle” on the latest Jaybirds release.

For more information, see Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

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Gail Johnson

Gail Johnson is a Vancouver-based journalist who has earned local and national nominations and awards for her work. She is a certified Gladue Report writer via Indigenous Perspectives Society in partnership with Royal Roads University and is a member of a judging panel for top Vancouver restaurants.

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