Our Story
Formed in the fall of '08 at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Chasing Blue plays a mix of original and traditional bluegrass material with unique arrangements and hard-driving style. Original material holds true to the bluegrass tradition but strong lyrical ideas and progressive musical ideas make the Chasing Blue sound.
Michael Reese, guitar
Mike was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio where he learn the bluegrass tradition from his father and mother, Larry and Cindy Reese. At fourteen he was accepted into the School for Creative and Performing Arts where he studied jazz guitar, and orchestral percussion. Michael and his parents started a family bluegrass band called “NewClover”, where Mike played the 5 string banjo. Mike donated his time and talents along with his family to play at The Clovernook Center for the blind and Visually Impaired in Cincinnati, as well as Miami White Water Senior Center. After graduating Berklee College of Music in 2011 with a Bachelor's Degree in Guitar Performance, Mike spends his time off the road teaching music and producing.
Laura Orshaw, mandolin
Laura Orshaw “has firmly established [herself] as a significant emerging artist in the arena of traditional American music,” according to Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. Laura grew up in a musical family in Northeastern Pennsylvania; at age 10 she learned to play and sing from paternal grandmother and regional Old Time musician, Betty Orshaw. Throughout her teens Laura performed across the Northeast with her father in The Lonesome Road Ramblers, performing classic bluegrass from the 1950's around one mic. She recorded two solo fiddle projects in her early teens and recently released her new solo project, "Songs of Lost Yesterdays". Laura has 12 years of experience performing, teaching private lessons, and conducting educational programs and workshops throughout the Northeast and now makes her home in Cambridge, MA. Her passion for teaching is also evidenced in her professional education, as a master's level counselor, and her work at Lesley University as Coordinator for their Expressive Therapies Graduate Program.
Maggie MacKay, banjo
Maggie is the first female principle banjo player to graduate from Berklee College of Music with a degree in Professional Music with an emphasis on songwriting and performing. A Nova Scotia native, now residing in Boston, Maggie fuses her maritime influences with blues, rock, and traditional bluegrass. In 2012 Maggie released her first full length solo project of original material, recorded in Nashville TN and produced by Ryan Roberts and Dave Demay. Maggie has been featured in a 2012 Women of the Banjo Calendar and 2014 Banjo Babes Calendar and Compilation CD.
Alex Muri, bass
Alex hails from a small farm in Sudbury, MA and began playing bass at the age of six when he started studying classical music with his school orchestra. He held the position of principal bassist in the Berklee Contemporary Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with many notable musicians including Mark O'Connor. Alex completed his degree in Music Therapy at the Berklee College of Music.
Danny Musher, fiddle
Maryland boy, born and raised, Danny comes from a long line of musicians, and inspired by his Dad, he first started playing music at the early age of 4. After studying classical violin for 14 years, Danny returned to his bluegrass roots and has been fiddlin ever since. Danny has played in numerous bluegrass and country bands in the Rhode Island and Boston area. He loves the key of B and his favorite tempo is fast.