Northwest Folklife

Bluegrass mandolinist John Reischman and singer/bassist Trisha Gagnon will join the powerful old-time music duo Jason & Pharis Romero for Northwest Folklife’s third Folklife Masters concert. These artists represent the best of West Coast Canadian roots music, and this will be the first time they’ve ever performed together. John Reischman brings a rich knowledge of the bluegrass tradition along with a bold taste for composition. He will be joined for this concert by star vocalist Trisha Gagnon, a wonderful singer and noted songwriter. Also joining him will be The Romeros, masters of old-time country music. Together, they will explore a common groud of murder ballads, gospel shouts, and square dance tunes that has inspired the likes of Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley and Hank Williams. This Folklife Masters concert will travel the high lonesome path that connects the mountain music of Scots-Irish settlers to the polished sheen of Nashville bluegrass.  

As one of the acoustic world’s top-ranked mandolin players and composers, veteran artist John Reischman is renowned for his exquisite taste, tone and impeccable musicianship. His mastery of the instrument is showcased today in the powerful bluegrass band John Reischman and the Jaybirds, and his Latin/jazz instrumental duo with highly-regarded acoustic guitar stylist John Miller of Seattle.

Born in California, John first played guitar at age 12, exploring fingerpicking and blues styles before discovering the mandolin at age 17. Drawing inspiration from the playing of bluegrass patriarch Bill Monroe and new acoustic mandolin pioneers Sam Bush, Andy Statman and David Grisman, John was also influenced by his exposure to the hot swing of guitarist Django Reinhardt and pioneering jazz mandolinists. John’s synthesis of this wide range of genres was honed over more than two decades of performing beginning in the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1970s. As an original member of the legendary Tony Rice Unit, John helped to define the 'new acoustic' instrumental scene in the early 1980s with appearances on the band’s groundbreaking Rounder albums. He cemented his reputation touring and recording before moving to Vancouver, British Columbia in the early 1990s to pursue a solo career. John’s debut solo album, North of the Border (Rounder) highlighted his musical depth and composing skills in a variety of acoustic settings that Bluegrass Unlimited magazine called "monumental ... it establishes a remarkably high standard for mature, tasteful mandolin music".

Trisha Gagnon has been with The Jaybirds since the beginning, debuting on their 2001 album and wowing audiences with her crystal clear voice, solid basslines and carefully crafted songwriting. The Los Angeles Daily News has said of her, “Bassist Trisha Gagnon's pristine voice lends itself equally well to old English ballads, Civil War soldiers' prayers and her own stirring evocations of rural life”. Trisha has a stand-out voice that shines through on every recording and a style of songwriting that sounds timeless and contemporary. 

Husband-and-wife duo Jason & Pharis Romero (of The Haints) meld vocal harmonies so tight they can only be formed through marriage with a subtle mastery of old-time clawhammer banjo and guitar. Their sound harkens back to the earliest age of radio, when borders had yet to be defined and artists still roamed freely across the sonic landscape of America.  The Romeros have recently formed a critically acclaimed stringband, The Haints, with expert fiddler Erynn Marshall, but are best known for their intense jam sessions held at local events in the Northwest’s old-time music community.

Together, Jason & Pharis dip into the deep well of old-time mountain music, bringing up songs and tunes so old that they’ve been mostly forgotten and writing songs so good that they sound as old as the hills. The Romeros bring an attitude and intensity to their music that harkens back to a darker side of early Americana and bringsold traditions into a new century.

Folklife Masters presents one-of-a-kind concerts that bring master musicians from different traditions together to collaborate and inspire on stage. The concerts are held in Empty Sea Studios, Seattle's premier acoustic music venue, with professional sound and lighting and the cozy, intimate atmosphere of a house concert. 

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