Dan Monte Calvo has been all over the world with his banjo, accumulating the influences of many amazing musicians that shifted his paradigm of music and life. He has toured with the Transatlantic Bluegrass Band and French bluegrass band The Apple Trees. He also writes and composes original music.

In 2014, after twenty two years as a firefighter, Dan set out to play banjo in as many different countries as possible and documented it on his blog, The Dan Project, which was featured on Fox 13 News Seattle. He spent nine years traveling through England and Europe playing banjo both solo and in bands. He lived in Costa Rica and Central America for six years where he produced a bluegrass music festival. In 2024, he returned to Seattle after a few years living and traveling throughout Southeast Asia, playing music with other travelers and at open mics, always with his banjo in tow!

Dan believes it is important to guide students and give them the tools they need to play and experience all types of music. “To create their own music and style is so important,” he says. “It comes with time, determination and most of all, desire.”