SWANZEY, N.H. — Local “groovegrass” band Jatoba has become a mainstay of the Northlands Music & Arts Festival — pickin’ and grinnin’ (and jammin’) through late-night sets on the Campground Stage the last three years.
This year, when festival organizers inquired as to whether Jatoba wanted to play a marquee Saturday afternoon slot on one of the festival’s main stages, the band’s only hesitation came from the shock of actually being asked.
“I was surprised they put it in the form of a question,” said guitarist and vocalist Jason Scaggs with a chuckle. “I’m just like, ‘Do you have to ask?’ I was like, ‘Hold on, let me check on our availability. Maybe we’re playing the Green River Festival that day or something.'”
No, the band — Scaggs (guitar, banjo, vocals); John Jamison (guitar, mandolin, vocals); and Jeff Richardson (upright bass, vocals) — will be back at the picturesque Cheshire Fairgrounds this weekend, this time not only playing twice late-night on the Campground Stage, but also at 1 p.m. Saturday on the Mountain Stage, where big-name national acts Yonder Mountain String Band, Lotus and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) will perform later in the day.
“We haven’t been on a bill on a main stage at a festival with this caliber of bands,” Scaggs said, “and it’s just super. It’s really cool to have that kind of feeling. I looked at the lineup the other day, and just to be sharing the same stage with Yonder Mountain, Lotus, JRAD … I’m just like, what am I even looking at?”
JRAD will headline Saturday’s lineup with two sets of their high-energy, improvisational rock that blends the Grateful Dead’s psychedelic essence with their own modern, spontaneous style. Dirty Heads, a reggae rock band from California, is the headliner on Friday night, while Disco Biscuits, a Philadelphia-based electronica jam band, will cap the fifth annual festival with two sets on Sunday night.
The festival will also feature standout sets from Dogs In A Pile, Little Stranger, Ghost‑Note, Circles Around The Sun, Andy Frasco & The U.N., The Slip, Jennifer Hartswick Band, Dizgo, Super Sonic Shorties, Hayley Jane Band, Mihali, and more, with powerhouse vocalist Kanika Moore returning as artist‑at‑large throughout the weekend.
Northlands has built a national reputation for its thoughtfully curated lineup, welcoming boutique atmosphere, and seamless festival experience. Fans can explore vibrant art installations, a curated vendor village featuring local artisans, distinctive food and beverage offerings, daytime wellness programming, and intimate stage layouts that make it easy to catch every moment of the music.
Known as the beating heart of the festival after dark, the Campground Stage showcases an eclectic mix of rising artists, jam‑scene favorites, and late‑night collaborations. Among the bands playing that stage (beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday) are Consider the Source, Creamery Station, Dr. Fameus, Solar Circuit, Big Blitz, Canopy, Johnny Mullenax, Space Bacon, Leon Trout and more. It’s an integral part of the Northlands experience that keeps the music and community energy flowing well into the night.
“In this situation, we don’t repeat anything, we’re definitely going to do what we do best on the main stage,” Scaggs said. “The only thing that keeps coming up in terms of tailoring our set list a little bit is, our main stage slot is 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and so that’s like middle of the day, kind of a family vibe for that festival, so we’re gonna get up there and rock as hard as we can. But we’re not gonna be playing Ween’s ‘Piss Up A Rope’ or anything like that on the main stage. We have one cover song designated for the main stage. We’re going to be playing for a lot of people that don’t know us. We want to kind of showcase what we sound like, and then throw a cover in there to kind of feed the masses a bit.”
Based in Brattleboro, Jatoba is a high-energy groovegrass trio that has been captivating audiences since their formation in 2008. Known for their unique musical chemistry, the members of Jatoba seamlessly communicate through spontaneous composition and improvisation, bringing an unpredictable and dynamic element to their performances.
Influenced by their roots in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire, Jatoba has provided support for celebrated acts like Greensky Bluegrass, Trampled By Turtles, Rusted Root, The Kitchen Dwellers, The Infamous Stringdusters, and Leftover Salmon, and have been featured at festivals such as Northlands and Frendly Gathering.
Scaggs won’t go so far as saying Jatoba created the genre now known as “jamgrass,” but they certainly helped open the envelope a bit — at least in New England.
“Back in 2010, we were just kind of pushing the boundaries in a part of the country where bluegrass is already a little tricky to get to the masses,” Scaggs said. “I grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, and bluegrass down south, it’s like religion — not so much up here. We didn’t really know another band that was doing what we were doing, and jamming the way we were jamming.”
The band’s versatility is evident in the multi-instrumental talents of each member, enabling them to craft rich, layered soundscapes infused with dynamic bluegrass rhythms that distinguish them within the genre. Their style merges intricate, original songwriting with tight three-part harmonies, driving tempos, and even the occasional touch of beatboxing, delivering a fresh and innovative approach to bluegrass music.
“We’re not that much of a traditional bluegrass band. We don’t sit around and blast traditional bluegrass covers all night long. We have totally different influences that seem to show themselves in what we create. Our energy level shows itself in ways more than just ripping a good solo. We value the craft of songwriting in a way that just kind of feels right to us.”
But speaking of traditional bluegrass — and “ripping solos” — Scaggs said superstar picker Billy Strings has opened new doors for bluegrass-influenced musicians in recent years.
“He’s touched into the zeitgeist,” Scaggs said of Strings, “pushed his way right in there like some of the greats, like Earl Scruggs, Sam Bush, Tony Rice, David Grisman — the same way that all of those guys pushed boundaries — and all of a sudden created a new world with that genre. That’s what Billy’s done for this next generation and for multiple generations. He’s had a meteoric rise, and it kind of pulls everyone along with him too, and allows more room for bands like us, to where people are like, ‘Oh, if you like Billy, there’s this band I saw the other night called Jatoba …
“There’s a whole ‘nother demographic of fan base now. The older folks are still kicking around, and then, because of the jams or whatever, we’re tapping into a more youthful audience, and you don’t always get that chance.”
Scaggs said he is looking forward to meeting new friends — and seeing some older ones in the audience this weekend at Northlands.
“I hope our fans will be there and holler for us, man. We’re going to really love it when we see some familiar faces, because people around here kind of know what it means to us to have that stage slot, you know, so we want to share it with everyone that’s kind of in the know and dialed in, for sure.”
Tickets for Northlands Music & Arts Festival 2026, including full weekend passes, camping options, VIP experiences, and limited single‑day tickets, are available now. For tickets and additional information, including the full daily schedule, visit: www.northlandslive.com.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.reformer.com ’
