Newgrass, jamgrass, thrashgrass — the list keeps growing. Just last week, the Finnish folk band Frigg brought “nordgrass” to the area. With so many bluegrass-inspired bands mixing in other styles, we now have a whole range of sub-genres. And don’t forget groovegrass, which is how Jatoba, a trio from Brattleboro, describes their sound.
You can hear for yourself when Jatoba plays at the Shea Theater Arts Center in Turners Falls on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. The show is a co-bill with 2 Car Garage, a funky rock band from Wendell.
“This will be Jatoba’s third time playing the Shea Theater,” said Jatoba’s multi-instrumentalist John Jamison. “The first was in 2024 when we supported Wolfman Jack, and then in 2025 we returned for our own show. It’s quickly become one of our favorite rooms to play, so we’re excited to be back.”
Along with Jamison, who plays guitar, mandolin and sitar, the band features Jason Scaggs on guitar and banjo and Jeff Richardson on upright bass. All three provide vocals. Their music blends bluegrass and rock and utilizes the fast tempos of bluegrass, groove-heavy rhythms, strong harmonies and rockabilly bass lines. Thanks to Jamison you might even hear some sitar in their songs.
Jamison and Scaggs grew up in Virginia and started playing music together when they were teens. They became bluegrass fans early on, but they also came of age during the grunge era and loved bands like Nirvana, Radiohead and Stereolab.
The band formed in 2008, by which time they were living in Vermont. After playing together in other bands, Jamison and Scaggs started performing as a duo and called themselves Jatoba, naming the group after a type of wood.
“We wanted a name that felt rooted, something that suggested strength, longevity and a connection to acoustic music,” Jamison said. “While we were working outside and trying to come up with a band name, we came across a piece of lumber stamped with the word ‘Jatoba’. When we looked it up, we learned it’s a South American tree that dates back to prehistoric times and is known for having deep roots. That felt like a perfect fit, so we ran with it.”
After spending some time working as a duo, they decided they needed a bassist, so Jeff Richardson joined the band.
Soon after forming, they came up with the term “groovegrass” to describe their unique sound.
“We are definitely not traditional bluegrass, but that music is still a big part of our DNA,” said Jamison. “We like to take things in different rhythmic and melodic directions, sometimes using beatboxing and arranging as a trio in ways that feel more like a quartet or quintet.”
Jatoba have played throughout the Northeast, sharing the stage with groups like the Jeff Austin Band, Greensky Bluegrass, Trampled by Turtles, The Infamous Stringdusters and Leftover Salmon. They have also appeared at festivals such as Northlands Music & Arts Festival, Jerry Jam, Dead of Summer Music Festival, Friendly Gathering, and StrangeCreek.
They’ve released three studio albums so far, including, “Last Man Standing,” which was released in 2018. This past summer, they released a live album called, “Jatoba Witness, Vol. 5.”
Now, they’re finishing up a new album, “Borrowed Time,” which they plan to release this spring. The long break between studio releases happened because the band took a short hiatus in 2018, and just as they were ready to regroup, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived.
“We recorded the album with Billy Straus in Putney, Vermont, and it’s been an amazing experience. He’s a Grammy-nominated studio engineer with an Emmy-winning production team, and it’s been an honor to work with him,” said Jamison. “The record is all original material and features our friend Phil Bloc on fiddle on a few tracks.”
“We genuinely feel this is our strongest recording to date,” he added, “complete with some groovegrass interludes and interesting sonic textures.”
As they finalize work on the album, the band is keeping their winter touring schedule light, so take advantage of this chance to see them at the Shea. And what should the uninitiated expect from a Jatoba concert?
“If you’ve never seen Jatoba before, expect something familiar but a little sideways,” Jamison explained. “While we come from bluegrass and acoustic roots, we stretch that foundation into groovegrass territory, blending spontaneous composition, improvisation, and plenty of energy.”
So as the band likes to say, “Come out and dance your grass off!
“We try to create something that feels alive in the room — something you can lock into, move to, and get lost in for a while,” Jamison said. “And who knows — if you show up, dance, and make a lot of noise, you just might end up on our next live album.”
This is an all ages show and tickets are available at sheatheater.org.
Summer dreamin’
As we recover from winter storm Fern, I’ve found that the best way to get through winter is to look forward to summer. The Green River Festival, happening June 19-21 at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield, announced the final additions to the lineup last week.
The festival, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year, added acts like Tunde Adebimpe, Lila Iké, Ruby Ibarra, Alex Amen and She Returns From War. Included in the group is a host of local talent in the lineup, as well as local artists J Mascis, June Millington, Eavesdrop, Mal Devisa, LuxDeluxe, Splendid Torch, The Baxbys and more.
This is an incredibly diverse lineup. All passes, including parking and single-day passes are now on sale at Greenriverfestival.com.
In other warm-weather news, weekend camping passes for May 22-25 (Memorial Day weekend) for the StrangeCreek Campout in Greenfield are on sale now at strangecreekcampout.com and will increase in price on Feb. 1. The lineup will be announced soon. Additionally, some of the shows for the summer music series at Tree House Brewing in South Deerfield will be announced in early February.
Finally, the Fresh Grass festival, held every September at Mass MoCA in North Adams, has announced it will take a break in 2026 and return in 2027.
Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at Soundslocal@yahoo.com.