Where to start?
Welcome to danhaas.com
The year before I could drive a car legally, I learned how to play 'House of the Rising Sun'. Stuck at home, with only a re-run of the Love Boat to keep me entertained, I was bored enough to pick up my Dad's classical guitar. On the bookshelf in the corner, there was a book called "How to Play Guitar." My future was right inside those pages.
Once I mastered the F chord, I never looked back. I studied every song I could, and soon began writing my own. Eventually, I went so far as to record and release my own songs. I have formed bands and made life-long friendships. I've created music with some of the greatest talents on the planet and have performed thousands of shows throughout the mid-Atlantic region, as a soloist, or with my two bands.
And I still do.
My music goals remain simple: have fun, surprise myself, entertain, and spread joy. With each new performance, I remind myself what an honor and delight it is that I get to both partake and share joy and happiness through music. What a thrill.
Dan
My Bands & Musicians
Dan Haas Trio
Mickey Eckman - drums
Larry Melton - bass
Two of the finest lads in the land. Larry and Mickey. They are the closest of friends and an absolute joy to perform with on a regular basis. Simply the greatest of musicians and humans.
Larry's bass stylings, along with Mickey's no-nonsense drumming, consistency deliver deep and soulful grooves, effortlessly elevating every song we perform. They're the muscle and the backbone, the brains and the wit, the rattle and the hum. There is a comfort in this familiarity, a wild diversity in our song selection, and an infectious joy in each and every performance.
After performing, Larry, Mickey and Dan typically and responsibly enjoy an IPA together. Don't ask what they discuss... it's mostly music-related. Okay? Okay.
Ben's Bones
Jamie Watkins - drums
Josh Chapman - bass
Joe Morson - piano.
My original band. Josh Chapman's jumpy, melodic bass, and Jamie Watkins explorational and exciting drumming, turn my little songs into infectious groove-laden pop gems.
Josh is an amazing player, who can tackle just about any song without blinking. And he nails them.
Jamie delivers a pocket that always surprises me. He has skills yet to be tapped, and I have marveled at how he has grown and evolved his style and approach to the drums over the years.
Joe Morson joined the band a few years later - adding his trademark keys and piano to our nights at 49 West. Joe’s complexity and style added many delightful layers and tones to our sound.
Ben's Bones has one studio album, "Wishful Thinking," produced by Frank Marchand, and one LIVE album, recorded at their sold-out local show at the Ram's Head On Stage, where they have performed many a great night of music.
From the back room at 49 West, to upstairs at Armadillos, to two headline shows on the original Rock Boat, to the main stage at the Dewey Beach Music Festival, there have been countless memorable performaces.
My favorite thing to do during our Monday Night residency at 49 West? I'd regularly spring a new song or two on the band, without warning. It kept us creative & sharp, and made the nights extra exciting.
The Bones still perform a few times a year, so keep an eye out for the next show. You won't want to miss it!
The Talent
Musicians with whom I perform
When the event calls for it, there are a handful of supremely talented musicians who are regularly called upon to elevate the songs.
Ahren Buchheister - guitar
Mike Ault - guitar
Meg Murray - vocals
Evan Cooper - piano, keys & vocals
Bryan Ewald - guitar & vocals
Bobby Muncy - sax
Tim Stanley - horns
Christopher Frick - piano & keys
Contact Dan
ask me anything