The Bryan brothers have spent recent weeks making the strings sing on and off court.

Continuing their quest to finish as the year-end No. 1 doubles team for a record fourth consecutive year, twins Mike and Bob Bryan beat Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles, 7-5, 3-6, 10-4 in Shanghai today. The twins raised their round-robin record in the Red Group to 2-0 in beating Bhupathi an Knowles for the second time in three matches.

The victory vaulted the Bryans into the semifinals as they seek to regain the Tennis Masters Cup crown they captured in 2003 and 2004.

"It was obviously a very important match, so it feels good to go 2-0 in the [Red] group," said Mike Bryan. "Puts us in, you know, good position and that takes a little pressure off."

Father Wayne Bryan reports Bob's shoulder, which forced him out of the Davis Cup semifinals in September, is "still sore but is improving with lots of extra therapy.  He and Mike will play a limited number of exhibitions this December so he can fully rest and rehab and be ready to begin the season the first week in January."

The reigning US Open champions have been busy off the court as well. The Bryans hit the stage in Tampa three weeks ago to perform with the Counting Crows. CC's drummer Jim Bogious is a friend of the twins who traveled to Wimbledon and the US Open to watch them in action and has sat in with the Bryan Brothers Band in the past. The twins played on the Counting Crows song "Hangin Around". To view a video clip of the band, please visit Jim Brogious.com then click "hanginaround" and you'll see live concert footage of the twins, playing guitar and organ, with the band.

Ever wonder what a tennis all-star jam band comprised of the Bryans, Yannick Noah, Max Mirnyi, John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Andy Roddick, Pat Cash and Mats Wilander would sound like? Visit our Dancing Days blog posted earlier to read Wayne Bryan's insight on jamming with those and other tennis stars.

The Bryan brothers will be celebrating Thanksgiving  at the home of their grandparents, Carl and Alice Bryan, in Santa Maria, California, later this month, Wayne Bryan reports. Their parents and most of their aunts, uncles and cousins will also be there

If you've always wanted to play with the Bryans, you can camp out with the twins in Vegas next month.