Search - John Reischman & Jaybirds :: John Reischman

I Highly Recommend This CD !

Okanagan Dreamin' | North Vancouver, B.C. Canada | 09/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John Reischman & the Jaybirds are as good as any bluegrass band I've ever listened to. Heard them live the other night at our local fair and they are superb muscians! They harmonized perfectly too. Trisha Gagnon on bass with her long hair kinda reminded me of Crystal Gayle. Trisha in particular is fantastic on the hauntingly beautiful "Come With Me", my personal favorite cut on this fabulous CD. John Reischman is an absolute master of his mandolin. From bluegrass to swing to latin, no one's better!"

Nice mix of bluesy, folky, hard-edged, haunting music

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 04/13/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The eclectic John Reischman is simply one of my favorite mandolin players at present. He is considered a "Mando Monster". Reischman's most recent project, "John Reischman and the Jaybirds" brings him back to his bluegrass roots with a full band that also includes hot pickers Jim Nunally (guitar), Nick Hornbuckle (banjo), Greg Spatz (fiddle) and Trisha Gagnon (bass). The Jaybirds' contemporary bluegrass sound is largely due to their emphasis on innovative originals, unique personal arrangements of traditional songs, and their instrumental prowess. John's progressive, yet old-timey flavored, instrumental composition, "Salt Spring" opens the album. Their interpretation of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings' haunting "Winter's Come and Gone" follows with a beautiful duo of John on lead and Trisha on tenor. The album weaves its way through songs which feature the lead singing of Trisha, John or Jim. Trisha Gagnon sings powerful leads on "My Home Far Away," "Come With Me," "Bravest Cowboy", and one of my favorites on the album entitled "Blossoms on the Almond Tree". Jim sings lead on the hard-driving bluegrassy "Don't Wake Me Up" and Ralph Stanley/Bill Grant song, "Medicine Springs." Besides the Welch/Rawlings song mentioned above, John also sings a smooth lead with Trisha on tenor on a duet of "Katy Dear." Other original instrumentals on the album include "Poisoning the Well", the bouncy "Jaybird Ramble" and "Prairie Girl". The old-timey "Booth Shot Lincoln" really allows Spatz and Hornbuckle to shine on fiddle and banjo. In a clear tribute to up-tempo old-time fiddling and picking, the traditional "Hog Eye" brings this highly-recommended album to a wonderful and fitting closure. Sometimes bluesy, sometimes folky, sometimes hard-edged, sometimes haunting, John Reischman and the Jaybirds can be counted on for a powerful, dynamic and fresh presentation that you will receive much pleasure and enjoyment from. And be sure to catch this band live if you can.
--by Joe Ross, moderator/reviewer for "Nwbluegrass""