Mandolinist

The Jacob Jolliff Band is the next generation of bluegrass supergroups, led by one of the country's premier contemporary bluegrass mandolinists. Before joining Yonder Mountain String Band, Jacob Jolliff founded beloved New England roots band Joy Kills Sorrow, while attending Berklee School of Music on a full scholarship. In 2012, Jolliff had the distinctive honor of being named the National Mandolin Championship winner. A fixture of the national bluegrass community, he has collaborated and shared the stage with Darol Anger, Sam Bush, Ronnie McCoury, Jerry Douglas, Chris Thile, and David Grisman to name a few. When Joy Kills Sorrow disbanded in 2014, Jolliff got the call to join Yonder Mountain String Band, in which he was a member until 2020.

Jacob Jolliff Band

The Mauch Chunk Opera House

 Jacob Jolliff is one of the world’s premier contemporary mandolinists. In 2011, he graduated from Berklee College of Music, having studied there on a full scholarship. The following year, in 2012, he won the USA’s National Mandolin Championship in Winfield, KS. A fixture of the bluegrass scene, he has performed and collaborated with Béla Fleck, Tony Trischka, Michael Daves, Grant Gordy, Wes Corbett, and Alex Hargreaves, to name a few. Additionally, throughout his 20s, he toured as a member of the groups Joy Kills Sorrow and Yonder Mountain String Band. Currently, his focus is on his own ensemble, The Jacob Jolliff Band—one of the most cutting-edge progressive bluegrass groups on the scene today. They’ve released three albums, the most recent of which, “Instrumentals, Vol. 2: Mandolin Mysteries,” dropped in May 2024. The band plays a combination of complex original instrumental music and vocal repertoire that spans from trad bluegrass to unlikely pop covers. Improvisation and the ensemble interplay are at the forefront.

EPSG:4326

Milton Theatre

Jacob Jolliff is one of the world’s premier contemporary mandolinists. He attended Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship and in 2012, he won the USA’s National Mandolin Championship in Winfield, KS. A fixture of the bluegrass community, he has collaborated and shared the stage with Béla Fleck, Tony Trischka and Michael Daves, Grant Gordy, and Wes Corbett, to name just a few. He’s also toured as a member of the groups Joy Kills Sorrow and Yonder Mountain String Band. His own ensemble, The Jacob Jolliff Band, is one of the most cutting-edge progressive bluegrass groups on the scene today. They’ve released three albums; the most recent, “Instrumentals, Vol. 2: Mandolin Mysteries,” was released last year. They play a combination of complex original instrumental music and traditional tunes with improvisation at the forefront. In 2022, Jacob was called on by banjo master Béla Fleck to tour as part of My Bluegrass Heart. He performed around the country alongside Béla and some of the top musicians in the genre. The Jacob Jolliff Band is a group of virtuosic pickers – Jolliff on mandolin and vocals; Myles Sloniker on bass; Ross Martin on guitar; and Jackson Earles on fiddle. “Jacob is a serious player…he is a mandolinist to watch.” — Béla Fleck

Blackstone River Theatre

An alumnus of celebrated progressive bluegrass bands Joy Kills Sorrow and the Yonder Mountain String Band, Jacob Jolliff is one of the genre’s top mandolinists and a sought-after collaborator, sharing the stage with Darol Anger, Tony Trischka, Sam Bush, David Grisman, Ronnie McCoury, Michael Daves, and many others.. 

The Jacob Jolliff Band

Groton Hill Music Center

Jacob Jolliff was born into a musical family in Newberg, OR. His dad started him on the mandolin at age seven and required him to practice ten minutes each day. But after six months of practicing this minimal amount, something clicked, and almost overnight he started putting in several hours of intense practice daily. And this hasn't changed in the last 20 years.

River Raisin Centre for the Arts

Jacob Jolliff is one of the world’s premier contemporary mandolinists. He attended Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship and In 2012, he won the USA’s National Mandolin Championship. A fixture of the bluegrass community, he has collaborated and shared the stage with Béla Fleck, Tony Trischka and Michael Daves, to name a few. He also toured as a member of the groups Joy Kills Sorrow and Yonder Mountain String Band. His own ensemble, The Jacob Jolliff Band, is one of the most cutting-edge progressive bluegrass groups on the scene today. They’ve released two album, with a third on the way in May 2024. They play a combination of complex original instrumental music and trad tunes. Improvisation is at the forefront.

The Jacob Jolliff Band / Tall Poppy String Band

Joe's Pub

After wowing audiences as part of Béla Fleck’s band last year, mandolinist Jacob Jolliff returns to Rockport this summer with his own band in tow. A former member of two massively popular progressive bluegrass bands, Joy Kills Sorrow and the Yonder Mountain String Band, Jolliff remains one of the country’s premier contemporary mandolinists.

Shalin Liu Performance Center

Tony Trischka is considered the consummate banjo artist and perhaps the most influential banjo player in the roots music world. For more than 50 years, his stylings have inspired a whole generation of bluegrass and acoustic musicians with the many voices he has brought to the instrument.

Mandolinist

Jacob Jolliff

Events

Past events

Sep 11, 2025

Jacob Jolliff Band · Mauch Chunk Opera House

Sep 5, 2025

Jacob Jolliff Band · Milton Theatre

About

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