Michael Daves: Bluegrass and Electric At Vinyl Release Event

The vinyl edition of Michael Daves’ latest album has just been released – and it’s coursing with electricity! The reason: for his original February 2016 2-CD release (Orchids and Violence) Michael took 12 traditional traditional songs and interpreted them in contrasting styles: first bluegrass and then electric. Switch around the original CD title, mash up the contrasting bluegrass/electric versions of five songs on vinyl, and you have Violence and Orchids.

Although Michael is a devotee of traditional bluegrass (born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia; mom and dad played fiddle and banjo), he has explored many other musical styles, including rock and jazz. He says there is a thriving bluegrass scene in New York – the success of our annual Brooklyn Bluegrass Bash is evidence of that. To promote the original CD’s February release, he and his two bands played at some of New York’s hottest spots: Rockwood Music Hall, The Knitting Factory and The Bell House. Part of that thriving scene can be found right at Old First: the bluegrass side of Michael’s album was recorded live-to-tape in the Upper Hall (he says it’s a very good room for recording acoustic music).

To celebrate the vinyl release, Michael’s bluegrass and electric bands will each perform a set at Littlefield in Gowanus (622 DeGraw Street) on May 19. That means banjo legend Tony Trischka and fiddler Brittany Hass, as well as Dominick Leslie on mandolin, Larry Cook on bass, and our own Jen Larson lending her amazing voice on harmony vocals.