The Evolution of Jamgrass

On June 22, 1989, at the Roma in Telluride, Colorado, during the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the seeds of what would become the modern jamgrass scene were first planted.  On stage was Vince Herman’s Cajun jug band, the Salmon Heads.  Joining them were a couple of friends from the Left Hand String Band, Drew Emmitt on mandolin and Glenn Keefe on bass.  They were also joined by a banjo-picker from Virginia, Mark Vann, who Emmitt had met earlier in the day and invited to play with them at Roma that night.  For Emmitt and Herman, it was simply the continuation of a friendship and musical partnership begun when Herman encountered Emmitt on his first night in Colorado four years prior.  For Vann, it was the first time he played with Emmitt and Herman and the first time the “Big Three” of Leftover Salmon played together on stage.  The music they made at the Roma was more akin to the progressive bluegrass style of bands like New Grass Revival, John Hartford, Hot Rize, and