The Note•Ables
OUR STORY
The Note-Ables is a group of professional musicians who shatter the stereotype that people with disabilities have limited talents and abilities. The group first met in April 1999 when they started jamming and writing their own songs together. By that summer they had started playing small gigs in the Reno/Sparks area and have since expanded to performing 20-30 gigs each year. In addition to being professional and crowd pleasing, the group’s activities have also increased the visibility of people with disabilities and added to the dynamic arts community in the Truckee Meadows. With a blend of covers and original songs, the musical style of The Note-Ables ranges from blues to country to jazz to classic rock. Consider booking The Note-Ables at your next party, fundraiser or corporate/community event. The band will bring diversity, fun, and music guaranteed to bring a smile to your attendees.
Meet The Note•Ables
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Keyboard, VocalsA life-long musician with a stunning voice and perfect pitch, Jeanine received a bachelor’s degree in music in 2002 from the University of Nevada, Reno. Her voice and keyboard skills have been the backbone of The Note-Ables ever since she started with the group in 1999. Jeanine has sung with the UNR Symphonic Choir for years. She is also a composer and her pieces have been performed by the Reno Pops Orchestra and the University of Nevada, Reno’s Women’s Choir. Jeanine is a strong advocate for people who are blind and visually impaired, and she has served on the board of the Nevada chapter of the National Federation for the Blind for more than 10 years.
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Electric Guitar, VocalsJeff joined The Note-Ables in December 2013. One would think that Jeff was born with a guitar in his hand because the music just seems to flow from his fingers. He started playing guitar in 1966 at the California School for the Blind in Berkeley. A native of Fresno, Jeff relocated to Reno in 2002 after spending many years on the road. “I travelled around a lot after college, playing with a lot of road bands. I’ve played disco, country, rock and blues but I always was fond of playing flamenco and classical guitar, they are just very different from everything else,” says Jeff. He still keeps up with the band life by playing with several local groups. He says of his time with The Note-Ables, “It gives me a chance to play more often and has opened me up to a new world.”
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Guitar, Vocals
“Wow, he’s awesome!” is what people often say the first time they hear Mark play. Mark is proud of being born and raised in Reno. He started playing guitar at the age of 12, after having already played the accordion and tuba for years. He continued to play throughout high school, and volunteered for the army as soon as he graduated. After suffering serious injuries while in the army, Mark essentially ‘gave up’ for many years. A friend of his suggested that find someplace to volunteer in the community, and he finally found The Note-Ables in 2006. The rest, as they say, is history! He started volunteering for various classes and officially joined the band in 2007. A perfectionist, Mark practices every day – always wanting to get things just a little tighter. As he often says, “I joined to help others, but it has fulfilled me and given me a purpose in life.”
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Bass, Vocals, Saxophone
Michael started volunteering with The Note-Ables when he was a junior in high school, and he officially joined the band in 2010. In addition to playing with The Note-Ables, Michael graduated from Truckee Meadows Community College with an associate’s degree in computer programming. He has been working as an engineering assistant at Quality Engineering Solutions in Reno since 2015, and hopes to combine his loves of music and engineering some day to become a sound engineer. Michael is a multi-talented musician and his real love of music lies in the dark corners of “death metal.” Michael says that The Note-Ables has had a huge impact in his life. “I joined because they needed a bass player and I love it. It’s pretty much given me my communication skills.”
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Vocals
Becca has been singing since she was in high school and has been a member of The Note-Ables since 2005. She loves to perform and encourage others to pursue their goals. Becca is an athlete with the Special Olympics and enjoys working out on a regular basis with her bodybuilder husband Ryan. By taking private lessons and practicing every day, she is well on her way to her goal of becoming a famous singer some day. “I’m in The Note-Ables because I want to inspire people and to show everybody that they can do anything they want. It has also taught me how to be more independent.”
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Vocals
Tony is another member of the band who was born and raised in Reno. Tony comes from a musical family, and he grew up playing the guitar and singing with his dad. He works at High Sierra Industries, and also loves to fix vacuum cleaners, which he sells at flea markets on the weekends. In addition to his great voice, Tony has a phenomenal musical memory. Give him the title of any song from the last 50 years and he can tell you who wrote it and who performed it. Tony loves being in The Note-Ables because he loves “to sing and show people that music is fun.”