John Reischman & the Jaybirds 11th annual Bluegrass Christmas

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Saturday, December 7th, 2019
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

In a marketplace flooded with holiday music, John Reischman and The Jaybirds offer something unique - an exploration of the roots of bluegrass and the sounds of old-time Appalachia in a seasonal concert that has been described as "a lovely romp through the snowy backwoods of American roots music."

Led by Vancouver's world-class mandolinist John Reischman, the twice-Juno nominated band's 11th annual holiday concert includes music from their On A Winter's Night album as well as new material.

Special guest Trent Freeman, of the Juno-winning Fretless, will play twin fiddles alongside acclaimed Jaybirds' fiddler, Greg Spatz.

$5 of every ticket sold will be donated to Our Place Society, which supports Greater Victoria's most vulnerable communities including the working poor, impoverished elderly, mentally and physically challenged, the addicted and the homeless.

The evening includes old carols, ballads, Bill Monroe-style gospel quartets and rollicking instrumentals such as the fiddle-banjo driven Breaking Up Christmas, which refers to an old Appalachian tradition of post-Christmas celebrations lasting into the New Year.

These beautiful and evocative songs are interpreted through the Jaybirds' stylish take on bluegrass that seamlessly blends original songs and instrumentals with Appalachian old-time music for a truly unique sound. With seven acclaimed albums and two Juno nominations, the Jaybirds are simultaneously innovative and unadorned, sophisticated and stripped-down, happily old-fashioned and 21st-century contemporary.

This show is co-produced by the Victoria Bluegrass Association and Cowichan Bluegrass Festival.

Doors open 7:00 pm, showtime 7:30 pm. Advance tickets $25 online at www.brownpapertickets.com, or at Long & McQuade Music, Victoria, and Ivy's Bookshop, Oak Bay. $30 at the door.

Jaybirds website: http://thejaybirds.com