Mind the Gap bios

Mary Baker (fiddle, bodhra/n) has been playing Irish traditional music since the 1980s, and has been an essential player at Champaign sessions since her arrival in 1994. Her approach and attitude toward traditional music have been most influenced by musicians from Offaly and Mayo whom she has been fortunate to call friends. She also has particular admiration for the music of Julia Clifford RIP, Paddy O'Brien of Nenagh RIP, Sea/n Ryan of Offaly RIP, and the many wonderful proponents of the music of East Galway.

Lisa Boucher (fiddle, vocals) fell in love with Irish music in 1986, when she happened upon a Chicago pub where a session was taking place. She was a founding member of The Chancers, a Chicago Irish band, and she has taken medals in fiddle and ceili band competitions at the Midwest Regional Fleadh Cheoil. In addition to playing and singing with Mind The Gap and other Champaign-Urbana groups, she teaches fiddle and maintains an Internet discussion list dedicated to Irish music in Central Illinois.

Dave Glenn (concertina, bones) first stumbled onto a pub session in 1994, and little did he know he would become so involved with Irish music. He had been playing blues harmonica, but he bought an anglo concertina and taught himself how to play tunes on it, even though he'd never seen one played before. Dave has studied with John Williams, Father Charlie Coen and Gearoid O Hallmhurain, and in 1997 he won the gold medal for senior concertina at the Midwest Regional Fleadh Cheoil.

Dan Niven (guitar, banjo, mandolin) has been playing guitar at varying levels of intensity (and decibels) since the age of 15, and began playing Irish music in 1994 after first listening to various crossover bands that mixed Irish traditional music with bluegrass, jazz, or rock -- and now he's hooked. Among his influences are guitarists Daithi Sproule, Micheal O'Domhnaill, Arty McGlynn, and Zan McLeod (with whom he also studied briefly), as well as the many great players at local sessions.

Last updated 18 October, 1999