This fiercely progressive, 4-piece string band (guitar, mandolin, banjo, upright bass) is pioneering a new genre of music their fans are calling "ZooGrass"!!! It's a high-energy, gritty-urban-bluegrass with strong elements of folk, rock, blues, ragtime and jazz.
Michael Dion is the guitar/harmonica player, primary songwriter, and lead vocalist of the band. He was born and raised in historic Lowell, MA. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts in 2000, he set out on a 3-year sojourn that would take him around the world. He first settled in Seattle, WA where he taught English and played banjo/ukulele in a traditional bluegrass band. He then traveled to South America to teach English and study the traditional Andean folk music of the Inca people. Eventually, he made his way to the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador where he lived for 1 year and found the vision and the inspiration to write much of the material for this project. Since his return home he has worked diligently toward furthering HDATZ.
David Cleaves is the mandolin player in HDATZ. With a love for music that runs so wide and diverse, how can one not love to listen to David’s mandolin playing? He has a rhythm that never gets lost in the mix and a style that can never be forgotten. David never turns down an opportunity to play with others. That being said, he is very much at home on stage and with the audience. He has lived all over the country and has played in such bands as Root Stand, Sunny Side Up, and Smallexe. He is now dedicated to HDATZ.
Jed Rosen serves as the upright bass player for HDATZ. Since graduating from Keene State College in the spring of 2000 with a BA in music theory and composition, Jed has been involved in a variety of musical projects such as, the South Portland Community Orchestra and the Stage Door Brass Ensemble in Manchester, NH. He is currently directing an instrumental education program at the Mount Vernon Middle School. With a solid foundation in classical and jazz theory and functional harmony, “The Jed Beat” brings a fresh, new twist to a modern, “old time” sound that is HDATZ.
Jon Cumming is the banjo extraordinaire of the band. A seasoned pro with over 20 years of experience playing guitar, banjo, and dobro in and around the Merrimack Valley, he has shared the stage with the likes of Harvey Reid and Catie Curtis. Jon is also a compelling solo performer drawing from influences such as Bruce Cockburn, Tony Rice, and Jerry Garcia to build a rich, unique sound that’s all his own. Thus far, Jon has contributed a number of original songs to HDATZ’s repertoire. He weaves his stellar picking around evocative songs of life and love with a voice that is both calming and uplifting.