The Birds Sang In Bellingham Last Night!

[Glassweb]

John Reischman and the Jaybirds flew into town here in Bellingham yesterday, brought out the sun for the first time in days, and then proceeded to deliver the goods with a fantastic show in the Grand Ballroom at our local YWCA. What an uplifting performance... this is music as it "should be" - great playing, great singing... some good humor (JR is quite droll...) and they even brought their own "general store" with them - selling everything from CD's to music instruction manuals to filddle novels to superb home-made raspberry jam made by their lovely and talented bass player/singer/songwriter Tricia. John was, as usual, the master of mandolinistic space and time. I always get the feeling with John that he's just teasing us... I know his abilities as a player, a singer and a songwriter go way deeper than he feels the need to prove. Look, if you've played mandolin for a couple of years with The Tony Rice Unit that can only say one thing - you're b#d a** you-know-what! In any case, Da Birds tore it up... even doing a couple of double-fiddle numbers with a local gal sitting in on second fiddle. No coincidence that the number that really got the crowd going was Bill Monroe's "The Last Whipoorwill"... a cut off their new CD done in the classic Monroe/Martin style. To me if Bluegrass ain't got the blues in it then it ain't no part of nuthin'... and they really got the point across on this one.
It's been a pretty good run here in B'ham for shows mandolinistic - first the Andy Statman Trio, then The Punch Brothers and now John Reischman and The Jaybirds... PAS MAL as they say in Canada! (well, in the French part anyway!) If you get a chance to catch The Jaybirds please do so... but set them free after the concert so everyone else will get a chance to see 'em! Over and out... Glassweb ;)

[Lukas J]

Glad your concert experience was "stellar." When I saw him live a few years ago, it prompted me to learn mandolin. He's truly a monumental player as is the rest of the group. I busted my teeth on fiddler Gregory Spatz's tune, "Bish Bash Falls" but I'm still at least 60 BPM behind them. It's nice that for us Washingtonians, they're local enough to make frequent appearances in 3 corners of the state.

[Rob Fowler]

Sounds just like my experience with them almost a month ago down here, Glass. I'm still getting "flashbacks" from that show.

Always enjoy your reviews, Glassweb....keep 'em coming!!!

I'll say it one more time: Best bluegrass band on the West Coast.

[Glassweb]

Thanks Rob! Hey, wanna blow your mind? Go on YouTube, type in "chinese blugrass" and then click on the video of The JayBirds playing Katy Hill onstage in Vancouver BC with a group of virtuoso Chinese musicians playing along (strongly) on traditional Chinese instruments. I wouldn't steer ya wrong on this one... AMAZING!!!

[Rob Fowler]

Yup, you were right about that, Glass! I especially enjoyed the Pipa solo. :mandosmiley:

Here's the vid. for others to enjoy!

[Glassweb]

Yeah mon! That pipa player better be careful or she may be offered a spot in Allison Krause's band! Might actually be kinda cool!