John Reischman
Best known for
Mandolin
Composer
John Reischman is a California-born, Vancouver-based mandolinist whose tone-first approach to a 1924 Loar F-5 has earned a generation of imitators. A veteran of the Tony Rice Unit and longtime leader of John Reischman & the Jaybirds, he is one of the defining mandolinists of the new acoustic era.
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- Born February 28, 1955 in Ukiah, California (Mendocino County); started guitar at 12 and switched to mandolin at 17.
- Toured and recorded with the Good Ol' Persons in the late 1970s and early 1980s San Francisco Bay Area scene.
- Member of the Tony Rice Unit in the early 1980s, helping define the "new acoustic music" movement.
- Relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia in the early 1990s and has been based there since.
- Founded John Reischman & the Jaybirds around 2000; the band has earned multiple Juno nominations.
- Plays a 1924 Lloyd Loar-signed Gibson F-5 mandolin; his composition "Salt Spring" is a modern bluegrass standard.
- Teaches mandolin online via Peghead Nation and is a regular instructor at major camps and workshops.
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John ReischmanPlayed on recordings with John Reischman
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John Reischman and the JaybirdsPlayed on recordings with John Reischman and the Jaybirds
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Scott Nygaard, John Reischman and Sharon GilchristPlayed on recordings with Scott Nygaard, John Reischman and Sharon Gilchrist
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Laurie Lewis and Kathy KallickPlayed on recordings with Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick
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Kathy KallickPlayed on recordings with Kathy Kallick
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Bill EvansPlayed on recording with Bill Evans
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Greg BlakePlayed on recording with Greg Blake
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Mile RocksPlayed on recording with Mile Rocks
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Trent FreemanPlayed on recording with Trent Freeman
