Multi-instrumentalist/Songwriter
About
About
Evan Rhodri Davies is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter based in Leeds, UK.
Evan grew up surrounded by creativity and decided from an early age that musical invention and performance was his passion. Beginning at age 12 on the electric guitar and finding confidence playing rock and metal music, he later discovered bluegrass and folk, taking up the mandolin. In recent years, he has gained a reputation in the UK folk/roots scene as a proficient and creative practitioner with bold and inventive artistic ideas.
Evan is known as a confident and spontaneous stage performer and has toured around the UK and Europe. He has performed at festivals including Edinburgh Fringe, SummerTyne Americana, Twinwood Festival and many bluegrass festivals around the UK, Netherlands and France. He has also supported Grammy winning/nominated artists including Sarah Jarosz, Tim O’Brien and Yola Carter, as well as Chance McCoy (Old Crow Medicine Show), Chatham County Line and Holy Moly and the Crackers. As a sideman, Evan has also appeared onstage alongside renowned Swedish fiddler Lena Jonsson and New York jazz-bluegrass legend Grant Gordy.
Evan plays a range musical styles from around the globe. After beginning with the American bluegrass and old time tradition, he later found a love for Anglo-Irish, Scandinavian and Eastern European folk as well as gypsy jazz and experimental free jazz. In his original music, he also draws inspiration from rock and alternative music, often citing Radiohead, Laura Marling and This is the Kit as influences.
Evan is also an experienced teacher, having provided private mandolin, guitar and banjo lessons for over 5 years and since 2017 has been a tutor at Leeds College of Music for their BA (Folk) course.
