The Official Version: Jill Egland was born and raised in Bakersfield, California. In college, she studied music, photography and creative writing before embarking on a career in international development. (Being a Pisces, she didn't find her career choice the least bit baffling.) She lived for many years in Southeast Asia, Europe, and eventually, New York's Lower East Side. She returned to Bakersfield with her daughter, and was playing in a community orchestra when she was recruited to the all-women Celtic/Klezmer band out of which, several iterations later, Banshee in the Kitchen was born.
Jill describes herself as "a recovering classical musician. I started playing piano when I was 4. I'm sure Mrs. Jones is rolling over in her grave to think that 16 years of classical piano training has culminated in my playing an accordion." She started playing flute in the 4th grade, but only chose the flute because she was sick on the day everyone got to pick their instruments. She really wanted to play the violin. We're OK with that.
Above: no, Jill doesn't play all her instruments, all at once, though we're sure it feels like it, late in the second set! Here she sound checks for our live album concert at Painted Sky Studio in Cambria.
