Pianist/composer Jeff Haas, the son of German Jewish immigrants, grew up in Detroit in a home rich with music in the Judaic and classical traditions. His father was a temple organist for a large reformed congregation and young Jeff developed a passion for Judaic music at a very early age, spending countless hours sitting beside his dad on the sanctuary organ bench.

Jeff began classical piano studies at the age of five. He spent his early teen years studying piano, theory and composition at the famed Hochschule fur Musik in Berlin and, returning to the states, he attended the Motor City's renowned Cass Technical High School. In the midst of his classical studies, Jeff discovered his sister's copy of Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane: Live at the Five Spot and his passion for jazz was born. He went on to study theory and composition at the university level but it would be nearly two decades before the aspiring musician and composer would develop a very personal and engaging musical voice that combined his love for jazz, Judaic and classical music.

In 1996, Haas' unique blend of African-American, Jewish and European musical traditions received national attention with the release of L'Dor VaDor - Generation to Generation, voted top ten jazz album of the year by the Albuquerque Journal. The Pittsburgh Tribune called it, "A marvelous blend of [Hebrew] folk music and jazz. Four stars!" Genre Magazine wrote, "The richness of Hebrew folk music refreshingly sifted through a hip jazz sensibility for a totally swinging kaleidoscope of magical musical moments." The Dallas Morning News described Jeff's music as "swinging Hebrew folk jazz and you don't have to be Jewish to dig it!"

Jeff's music also came to the attention of legendary jazz pianist Dave Brubeck who said, "In combining these great musical traditions, [Haas] has created a soulful music that transcends ethnic barriers. I congratulate him and his colleagues for their fine playing."

In 1998, Jeff received a commission to write an original jazz suite commemorating the sesquicentennial celebration of metro Detroit's Jewish community. The critically acclaimed composition, The Bridge Lives, portrays a significant and timely social message about building bridges between cultures, generations and identities.

The Detroit Free Press called Haas' music, "extending backward to his familial and religious roots and extended forward to his burgeoning career as a jazz musician·his blend of Jewish music and jazz offers a path lit with originality." Iconoclast jazz master Ahmad Jamal praised Jeff for "the depth of his compositional effort and the admirable use of the universal language of music."

In 2000, Jeff composed Motown Mosaic, a jazz suite premiered for SRO crowds for the 300th anniversary celebration of the City of Detroit.

In 2002, Jeff completed an extended composition commissioned for the Martin Luther King Day Celebration.

In late 2002, Jeff received a Creative Artist Grant from ArtServe Michigan to compose a double quartet - The Age of Confluence - written for jazz and string quartet. Haas' book of original music now contains over 90 compositions.

In addition to an active performing schedule in concert venues, colleges & universities, churches & synagogues and clubs & festivals, Jeff frequently conducts diversity workshops in K-12 public schools as well as the university level using his original music as a springboard for interactive discussion about overcoming barriers and creating more awareness and understanding about people from different cultures and backgrounds.