J2B2 (John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band)

 

J2B2 is an all-star bluegrass supergroup featuring four legendary, award-winning musicians:  John Jorgensonon acoustic guitar, mandolin and vocals; Herb Pedersen on banjo, acoustic guitar and vocals; Patrick Sauber on acoustic guitar and vocals; and Mark Fain on bass – delivering bluegrass like no one has ever heard it before. 

 

The combination of forces by Jorgenson, Pedersen, Sauber, and Fain form a spot-on union of impeccable musicianship, incomparable songwriting, incredible harmony vocals (a fresh twist combining bluegrass with elements of West Coast folk rock) and seasoned showmanship. This is the “high lonesome sound” of American roots music at its finest.

 

John Jorgenson is a co-founder (with Herb Pedersen and Chris Hillman) of the formative country rock group Desert Rose Band.  In 1990, Jorgenson founded the Hellecasters and toured with Sir Elton John's band for six years, before later reuniting with John as lead guitarist for many European dates of the record-breaking Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.  An impressively eclectic range of artists including Sting, Luciano Pavarotti, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Joel, Barbra Streisand, Bob Seger, and Earl Scruggs have sought out Jorgenson to be part of their own recordings and/or performances. Music legends and guitar greats such as Tom Petty, Peter Frampton, Tommy Emmanuel, Duane Eddy, Joe Bonamassa and Brad Paisley have also sung Jorgenson's praises.  Jorgenson portrayed Django Reinhardt in the Hollywood feature film Head in the Clouds.  In 2008, Jorgenson won a GRAMMY® Award for Best Country Instrumental with Brad Paisley and was nominated for Best Bluegrass Album with Earl Scruggs.

 

GRAMMY® Award Nominee Herb Pedersen is a former member of the Desert Rose Band, legendary bluegrass band The Dillards and bluegrass super-group Old and In the Way, among others.  A sought-after singer/songwriter, musician, and vocal arranger, he has worked with such music legends as John Fogerty, Tom Petty, Mudcrutch, Chris Hillman, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Earl Scruggs, Tony Rice, Dan Fogelberg, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, Stephen Stills, and John Denver.

Patrick Sauber is a talented multi-instrumentalist who has quickly made a name for himself as a young performer in the world of bluegrass, folk, western and old-time music. Equally adept on guitar, mandolin, banjo and cajun accordion, Sauber has played with Doc Watson, Richard Greene, Peter Rowan, Tim O'Brien, John Fogerty, Laurie Lewis, and John Reischman, among others. Sauber played on the 2016 GRAMMY®-nominated album The Hazel and Alice Sessions by Laurie Lewis and appeared in the film A Mighty Wind with Christopher Guest.

 

GRAMMY® Award-winning bassist and producer Mark Fain has recorded and performed with Bruce Hornsby, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Tom Petty, John Oates, Alan Jackson, Ry Cooder, John Fogerty, Chris Hillman, Dwight Yoakam, Alison Krauss, Travis Tritt, Joan Osborne, The Chicks, Martina McBride, Rosanne Cash, Jack Black, and Cody Johnson. Fain previously was a longtime member of Ricky Skaggs' band, Kentucky Thunder.  In addition to touring with J2B2, Fain is a substitute player with the Grand Ole Opry house band in Nashville.

 

J2B2’s vastly acclaimed debut album, From The Crow’s Nest, was recorded at Sheryl Crow’s home barn studio in Nashville, Tennessee. The album was released as part of a John Jorgenson limited edition, 3-CD box set calledDIVERTUOSO (Cleopatra Records). DIVERTUOSO includes three new distinct albums by Jorgenson: J2B2 - From The Crow’s Nest; John Jorgenson Quintet - Returning (gypsy jazz); and John Jorgenson - Gifts From The Flood (instrumental electric guitar).

 

J2B2 has toured around the world at famed festivals and theatres.  The band has played the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville many times and headlined the star-studded Guitar Town Festival in Copper Mountain, Colorado frequently. 

 

 

"It would not be a stretch to call J2B2 a Dream Team of string musicians..." -The Patriot Ledger

 

"Expect fireworks and amazing playing from some of the best string players in the world." -Yes! Weekly

 

"(J2B2) delivers bluegrass with a touch that no one else has...they bend and shape their vocals with incredible harmonies...likewise, their instrumental prowess is top shelf.  They put on a high-energy show and had the audience up on their feet..." -Elmore Magazine

 

"Marvelous instrumental interactions...capped by an encore that negotiated the gears to the point where seat belts were advisable." -The Herald (Scotland)

 

"There's a touch of California breeze in their sound, but it's bluegrass at its core." -Craig Havighurst / Music City Roots

 

"There was warmth, and storytelling, and lots of laughter..." -IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association)

 

"A generous and fully appreciative audience, clearly well aware they were in the company of musical giants, spurred on four wonderful musicians to instinctively push themselves beyond their comfort zone of absolute excellence...but for all the skill and finesse on this show, this was primarily a night of high lonesome feelings, of heartfelt music expertly delivered and warmly received." -The Granville Chambers (UK)

 

For more information, visit www.johnjorgenson.com