Photos by Jason Henke
J2B2, aka John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band, premiered their forthcoming CD, From The Crows Nest, releasing mid-July, in an acoustically perfect intimate theatre at BMI headquarters here. Although illness kept multi-instrumentalist and longtime Jorgenson collaborator Herb Perdersen home in California, Johnny J saved the day calling on Darin and Brooke Aldridge to fill in. It was so sudden that Brooke was looking at the lyrics on her iPhone, yet adding high harmony that was shadowlike.
Everything was totally acoustic, with the only electricity going to the lightbulbs and the artistry that the band—including tastemaster Rob Ickes (dobro) and Mark Fain (on the best sounding bass I have heard in decades) brought to the performances. Jon Randall, who is on the CD and a sometime J2B2-er too, joined in for the two songs he contributed to the record, the uplifting “Die Tryin’” and his huge downer “Whiskey Lullaby,” which is gorgeous its own way. Other writers who have provided material for a CD I can’t wait to hear all of are, Guy Clark, the Rodneys—Crowell and Dillard, Mitch Jayne, Bill Anderson and Chris Hillman.
Jorgenson, the son of a band director, ended with a short Q&A session that further showed just how much music means to him, regardless of the genre he puts his heart and soul into.
After the show I got to examine Darin’s 1935 Martin guitar. Light as the “Feather” instrumental it had just played, it vibrated in my hands from his voice as he spoke reverently of its history. A magical instrument that is every bit as alive as the songs we were all fortunate to hear.
—Ken Spooner
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