Humor & Heart (Mark Iler and Jess McKeegan) performs everything from old Pop and Rock songs and Folk classics to Celtic tunes and songs and Sea Shanties, always with passion and often with a humorous twist. Best known for their fun, good-time party music, they make a party wherever they go. Mark and Jess have been performing as Humor & Heart in Washington since 2004. Mark Iler Mark Iler is a gifted singer/songwriter, performer and MC. Originally from Detroit, Mark has lived in the Puget Sound area since 1988. Mark performs throughout the Pacific Northwest as a solo singer/songwriter, accompanying his wry acoustic folk rock/ popular/humor ballads on guitar, tenor guitar, and harmonica - as well as in Humor & Heart with Jess playing 60's and 70's pop/rock and Celtic. Mark and Jess also play in a Celtic trio, Curlew's Call with Annie Henry Mark is in demand as a studio session player and live concert sideman, frequently appearing with Hank Cramer, The Kevin Jones Band, and a variety of solo artists. Mark generously shares his time as MC and sound volunteer for the Victory Music musicians' co-op, hosting "open mics" and song circles throughout the Puget Sound area for over 20 years. Mark has recorded 11 CDs with Hank Cramer and their work has earned critical acclaim. Heartland Public Radio named their version of "My Sweet Wyoming Home" the #5 Cowboy Song of 2007. Texas Public Radio's "Random Routes" chose two of their songs - "Della and The Dealer" and "Two of A Kind" - for their Top Twenty of 2007. The Western Music Association nominated Hank's "Way Out West" CD as the best Traditional Album of 2007. Mark holds a degree in sound recording, and owns and operates a professional audio services company, Grey Hawk Productions. Jess McKeegan In her musical life, she is known as Jess McKeegan, a singing musician who also plays the Irish Whistle, Guitar and Mandolin. Jess enjoys singing some of the more "Bawdy" pub type songs as well as the sad beautiful laments of Ireland. As a Celtic session player, Jess excels at playing the Irish Whistle (also known as the Pennywhistle or Tin Whistle) and singing sea shanties, ballads, and bawdy songs (her favorite). In her youth in the Philadelphia area, Jess started out playing guitar and singing at local coffee houses then spent a few years singing and playing flute in funk and disco bands. She studied flute and music theory at the Bryn Mawr Conservatory of Music. Her love of traditional music and acoustic instruments pulled her back to her Irish roots 20 years ago. Since then she's been a regular at Irish sessions in the Olympia area. Jess performed with the humorous nautical band Budd Bay Buccaneers for 7 years. She has performed with Hank Cramer since 2003 and appears on several of Hank's CDs. Jess and her partner, MarK Iler, also perform in a Celtic trio with Annie Henry known as Curlew's Call. Their duo Humor & Heart performs everything from old Pop and Rock songs and Folk classics to Celtic and Sea Shanties. In her professional life, Jess is known as Jessica Jensen and is the owner and Senior Attorney of Cap City Law, a full service civil law firm with an emphasis on holistic and collaborative law in Olympia.