Mandobass evangelist Jason Beals is an avid purveyor of all things strings, and firmly believes in the restoration and playing of vintage instruments. Rather than stuffing them away in museums, Jason regularly hosts ‘petting zoos’ where folks who would otherwise never see old mandolin-families get the chance to put them through their paces.  He is the founder and principal arranger of the Ecco Mandolin Ensemble, a Boston-based quintet which pushes the boundaries of what could (and should!) be performed on the mandolin family.  His mandolin-based compositions ‘The Gibbous Suite’ and ‘Waltzing Away’ have been featured on the Moth Radio Hour. When not Eccoing, he regularly accompanies his wife and her group of Scottish Gaelic singers and occasionally resuscitates his folk-funk band, Bean.