Fiddle Ensemble
Bands / Ensembles
Darol Anger and the Fiddle Ensemble, later renamed Darol Anger's Republic of Strings, was an acoustic string band led by fiddler Darol Anger, formerly of the David Grisman Quintet, the Turtle Island String Quartet, and the Grammy-nominated Fiddlers 4. The groups core members were Anger (fiddle, baritone violin, octave mandolin), guitarist Scott Nygaard, formerly of Laurie Lewis's Grant Street and Tim O'Brien's O'Boys, Rushad Eggleston (cello), and the young five-string fiddler Brittany Haas, who toured with the band from age 14. Its debut album, Republic of Strings (Compass Records), mixed bluegrass, jazz, classical, folk, Brazilian choro and pop, including Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground." The album featured guest singers Laurie Lewis and Sara Watkins, bassist Todd Sickafoose, and Brittany's sister Natalie Haas on cello on several tracks.
In the newsletter
- No. 32 April 2003