Biography

The Isolation Sessions is a product of Jack Dunlap's quarantine time during the Spring of 2020. The idea was born of wanting to have a representation of the world during quarantine. Making it a solo album was to reflect the idea of social distancing and self isolation. Each song is meant to be a metaphor to reflect Jack's views during this time.

Jack Dunlap has made a name for himself playing mandolin in the D.C. area. Formerly of the trio Bud's Collective, Jack has worked alongside past and present members of Mountain Heart, Audie Blaylock and Redline, Dailey and Vincent, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, Blue Highway, Chris Jones and the Night Drivers and Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, to name a few. Though growing up playing bluegrass music, Jack stretches his instrument into other genres such as jazz, swing, blues, rock, classical, country, Eastern Indian folk music, Celtic, polka and many others. He worked as the apprentice to VA based mandolin legend Danny Knicely through the VA Folklife Program. Knicely and Dunlap recorded the album "Chop, Shred & Split - A Mandolin Player's Apprenticeship" together in 2015. The album went on to win Best Bluegrass Album of the Year at the Washington Area Music Awards (WAMMIES).

In January of 2018, he started the Jack Dunlap Band along with his longtime musical partner Jacob Bly and drummer extraordinaire Randall Witherspoon. In September of 2018, the band performed at Watermelon Park Fest in Berryville, VA with saxophonist Justin Eller sitting in. After that performance, Justin joined the band full time.

Always forging ahead, Jack blazes his trail with the aid of the influences from Sam Bush, John Coltrane, Trey Hensley, Miles Davis, Eric Clapton, Chris Thile, Joe Walsh and other musical greats.