Michael Daves & Brittany Haas

MICHAEL DAVES:
Michael was born in 1977 in the southern empire of Atlanta, Georgia. Soon after, he began to make loud noises, so his loving parents put music instruments in front of him. It was a good plan. He grew up in that grand tradition of staying up late & singing real loud. Although he's since moved north, the humid south remains in heart and sinus cavities
Heralded as “a leading light of the New York bluegrass scene” by the New York Times, Daves has garnered attention for his work with Chris Thile, Steve Martin, Tony Trischka, and Rosanne Cash in addition to his solo performances. His most recent project is “Sleep With One Eye Open”, the debut album from Thile and Daves, which was recorded live to tape over four days at Jack White’s Third Man studio in Nashville. The duo makes for "a rip-roaring partnership," says the New York Times. "Bluegrass, in their hands, gets roughed up in the best possible way, with skill and fervor, and a touch of abandon." “Sleep With One Eye Open” received a 2011 Grammy Nomination for Best Bluegrass Album.

Currently Michael lives in New York, where he is supervised by his daughter and two vigorous cats. Brooklyn, New York is a very exciting place to live. In addition to playing music & teaching, Michael enjoys turning the knobs & playing with the buttons some on several pieces of recording equipment. This is why he put a studio into his house.

BRITTANY HAAS:
California-born Brittany Haas is widely regarded as one of the most influential fiddlers of her generation. She grew up honing her craft in fiddle camps nationwide, and came to her unique sound through the old-time fiddling of Bruce Molsky and the innovative stylings of Darol Anger. A prodigious youth, she began touring with Darol's Republic of Strings at the age of 14. She simultaneously studied baboons in the evolutionary biology department of Princeton University (and minoring in music performance, composing with professor Dan Trueman) and joined seminal chamber-grass band Crooked Still. She has toured with them since, and also performed with Yonder Mountain String Band, Tony Trischka, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas (her cellist sister), Abigail Washburn, and The Waybacks. She played her fiddle on Steve Martin's Grammy Award-winning CD, "The Crow," and performed in his band on Letterman and SNL. She released her debut self-titled solo album at 17, produced by Darol Anger and featuring Bruce Molsky, Mike Marshall, Alison Brown and others. Currently residing in Nashville, she is the co-leader of the Brittany Haas/Dan Trueman band who released their debut record "CrissCross" in 2011. She also plays in a fiddle duo with Lauren Rioux, an all-girl indie old-time band called The Fundies, "4tet" with Cleek Schrey (hardanger fiddle/pump organ), Jordan Tice (guitar) and Nic Gareiss (percussive dance), a trio with Jordan Tice and Paul Kowert (bassist in the Punch Brothers), and a duo with Kai Welch.