The Jacob Jolliff Band offers fresh pickin’ at the PAC

Oregon Coast Council for the Arts (OCCA) is pleased to present a live concert event at the Newport Performing Arts Center – The Jacob Jolliff Band on Sunday, July 23, at 2:00 pm.

Fresh off an international tour with Béla Fleck, Jacob Jolliff is back in his native Oregon with his own genre-busting, effervescent ensemble. One of the country’s premier contemporary mandolinists, Jolliff (born in Newburg), has assembled a quartet of spectacular musicians, and they’ll be bringing their fresh take on finger-picking bluegrass and vocal harmonies to Newport for one night only.

“We’re delighted,” said OCCA’s Executive Director Jason Holland. “This group travels all over the United States, Scotland, and Australia. We’re honored they’re making a stop in Nye Beach, giving local audiences an opportunity to experience this exciting, infectious sound.”

At 18, Jolliff was awarded a full scholarship to The Berklee College of Music, where he studied under the late mandolin great John McGann. In 2008, Jolliff joined the New England-based roots music band Joy Kills Sorrow. They spent the next few years touring extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Despite the hectic tour schedule, Jolliff still managed to graduate from college in 2011. The following year he went on to win the National Mandolin Championship.

In 2014, Joy Kills Sorrow went on an indefinite hiatus after three records, hundreds of shows, and thousands of miles in a 15-passenger van. Almost immediately, Jolliff was contacted by the progressive bluegrass jam group Yonder Mountain String Band. He toured and played with them until the end of 2019, releasing three albums in the process.

Jolliff’s current focus is The Jacob Jolliff Band. This ensemble of virtuosic pickers plays his original instrumentals and showcases his vocals. Together, the group has released two albums, “Instrumentals Vol. 1” in 2018 and “The Jacob Jolliff Band” in 2022.

Tickets for this one-afternoon-only event are $35 each when purchased in person at the Newport Performing Arts Center box office (777 W Olive Street) or by phone (541-265-2787). The box office is open Tuesday-Friday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Online ticketing is also available (additional fee applies). To learn more or reserve your seat, visit coastarts.org/events/jacob/