Nora - vocals
From singing herself to sleep as a baby, to touring Europe with choirs, Nora made a long journey that led her to Mountain Echo. She can’t stop singing sad, quiet songs, but she mostly enjoys belting across theaters with her eyes closed.
She also: teaches voice lessons. Directs a choir. Milks cows. Is a professional gardener. Hand makes beaded bracelets. Is an aromatherapist. Loves to bake. Is a yoga teacher. Speaks three languages. Loves to clown.
Mark - Upright Bass, Cello
In his long and winding career, Mark has played on Prairie Home Companion, etc. etc.
Mark also: loves sharks. Has a dog. Gives the best hugs.
Jeff - Mandolin, Octave Mandolin, Banjo
Jeff has been playing mandolin, banjo, and guitar for over 40 years. He was a founding member of the award winning Pep Boys (the bluegrass band, not the auto supply chain). He founded Wolfgang’s Revenge, an all-instrumental quintet that played his original compositions. Jeff was also an original member of The Brewflies, a roots and bluegrass band. In addition to playing and singing, he is a prolific songwriter: one tune he wrote, Bluegrass in Your Soul, was reviewed by Dave Higgs of Nashville public radio as being “perhaps the best song of this ilk he’s ever heard”.
Ben - Upright Bass
Ben plays guitar and sings, but this time the band won’t put up with that, so he will resort to thumping the old dog house. He’s been at it for a long time, but they just now let him play anything besides “Will the Circle be Unbroken”. Why the bass? The notes are so low that most folks can’t tell when he’s out of tune! He started out in jazz and classical, but what is up with that stuff? So many notes! So little time to play them! Ben grew up Flushing, New York but has lived all over the country since. He has been kicked out of bands in Ohio, Connecticut, California, New Hampshire, Missouri, and Vermont. He has performed with the Central Signal Jazz Trio, Chamber Jazz, Live Jazz, The Joe Levesque Big Band, the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra, Charlie Messing and the Monolithic Duo, The University of Vermont Orchestra, The Stanford University Jazz Ensemble (with Stan Getz!) and many others. He currently performs with Live Jazz in Vermont and Old School in the New York North Country. His latest project is to stay out of the way and not fall over with Mountain Echo from the Adirondacks of New York.
