Bluegrass band coming to Ramah

Independent Staff

John Reischman and the Jaybirds, a top flight bluegrass band featuring Grammy-award winning musicians, will perform in the intimate setting of Ramah's New Barn Dance Hall on Friday evening. [Courtesy Photo]

RAMAH — John Reischman and the Jaybirds, one of the acoustic world's top-ranked mandolin players and his bluegrass band, will be performing at the New Barn Dance Hall on Friday evening.

This top-flight bluegrass band is currently touring in the Southwest and will appear at the Durango Meltdown on Saturday and Sunday. But on Friday, the band will perform in the intimate setting of the New Barn Dance Hall, located about four miles east of Ramah on Highway 53, at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $10.

The band includes two musicians front man John Reischman and guitarist and vocalist Jim Nunally who performed on the Grammy-winning album "True Life Blues, The Songs of Bill Monroe." In addition, the band includes Trisha Gagnon on bass and vocals, Nick Hornbuckle on banjo, and Greg Spatz on fiddle.

Reischman is well known to acoustic music fans for his brilliant mandolin work as an original member of the legendary Tony Rice Unit. He went on to tour and record for many years with California's Good Ol' Persons, and he released two outstanding solo instrumental albums. In addition to performing on "True Life Blues," Reischman played on vocalist Kate MacKenzie's Grammy-nominated "The Age of Innocence" and Susan Crowe's Juno-nominated album "This Far From Home."

John Reischman and the Jaybirds have spent six years touring North America and Europe, have released three critically-acclaimed albums, and have earned a Canadian Juno nomination. With a unique traditional sound, the mandolin master and his band are known for powerful original songs and instrumentals, soaring vocals, and refreshing interpretations of songs from the old-time repertoire, presented with their own bluegrass twist.

The Jaybirds' self-titled debut album was released in 2001, which was followed by "Field Guide" in 2003. "Field Guide" received a Juno Awards nomination for best roots and traditional group and was selected by Acoustic Guitar magazine as one of the top CDs of 2003. The Jaybirds' third album, "The Road West," was released in 2005. "The musicianship is, as ever, flawless," Vancouver's Georgia Straight magazine said on its release. "Any argument about John Reischman and the Jaybirds being a leading bluegrass band can be settled by listening to their exceptional third album, The Road West," said Billboard in its review.

The Jaybirds will be performing selections from their new CD, "Stellar Jays," which will be available at the show although it won't be officially released until May.

John Reischman and the Jaybirds offer a blend of vintage gems, original vocal songs and trademark original instrumentals variously bluesy, hard-edge and haunting that make them one of the most interesting bands on the circuit today.

For more information about Friday's show, call Joel at (505) 783-4422 or e-mail Don at dgrieser@wildblue.net.