Island
Scuttlebutt
San Juan Islands
Eli West and John Reischman

Eli West and John Reischman

Sunday, December 13, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Lopez Center for Community and the Arts · Lopez Island
204 Village Rd, Lopez Island, WA 98261
John Reischman is one of the premier mandolinists of his generation. He's a master instrumentalist capable of swinging between re-inventions of traditional old-time tunes, deconstructions from the bluegrass repertoire, and compelling original tunes, many of which have become standards. He's also a powerful bandleader, touring his band the Jaybirds all over Canada and the United States. A member of the groundbreaking Tony Rice Unit, Reischman’s mastery of bluegrass, old-time, swing, and multiple Latin American musical styles, coupled with an Old Master's sense of tone, taste, and musicality, has brought him a global reputation as one of the finest mandolinists of his era. But most of all, he's an understated visionary, the kind of master craftsman whose music is virtuosic without ever being flashy and who is renowned for his impeccable taste and tone as an artist. John Reischman embodies the true spirit of acoustic music in the 21st century. Eli West is an American Roots musician from the Pacific Northwest. A multi-instrumental creator of sonic spaces, Eli's former training as a designer informs a sound that is lush and organic - neither manicured nor overgrown. Lauded by Tim O'brien as a musician "making music the World needs," Eli's reputation as a crafter of considered, toneful environments has fostered collaborations with Bill Frisell, Andrew Marlin, John Reishchman, Julie Fowlis, and many other pillars of the growing Americana movement.

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