Dylan Fowler


‘The single most wonderful thing about the music of Dylan Fowler is how quickly the listener becomes unconscious of the fact that one is listening to a guitar! The profound musicality of Dylan`s writing and playing makes for an experience that transcends the bounds of what is often accepted as `guitar music.` Dylan creates fine, memorable, emotionally engaging music which goes light years beyond the obvious fact that he is a very talented player of his chosen instrument.’

Don Ross – Canadian Guitar Maestro

Dylan has developed an international career as an instrumentalist that has seen him collaborate with such great British musicians as Danny Thompson and Richard Thompson. He has also worked with the great Husna Arslan in Turkey, Canadian guitar virtuoso, Don Ross as well as Akash Deep in Rajasthan. In recent years he has toured extensively with the Welsh Trio, Alaw – the international trio, Celtic Guitar Journeys and as a soloist on various International Guitar Night Tours in Germany, Hungary and France.

The professional career began back in the 80’s when Dylan teamed up with Dominic Miller (of Sting fame) to form the Latin & Jazz Guitars of Miller and Fowler. The duo became resident at the prestigious Pizza on the Park club in London and in 1984 their debut Album was one of the Sunday Times top albums of the year.

In 1986 his jazz/fusion quartet, Q, was a finalist in the Schlitz Jazz Sounds competion alongside such contemporaries as Andy Shepard and Huw Warren.

In 1989 he became the first recipient of the Lord Harlech Bursary for composition and performance which enabled him to travel and study with various musicians in America.

On his return he formed the innovative ensemble ‘Frevo’ which took some influences from the great contemporary and folkloric musician from Brazil, Egberto Gismonti. The band featured some of the best of the new jazz players of that period playing Dylan’s compositions and arrangements. The group was described as ground-breaking.

In the early 90’s Dylan completed his training as a Music Therapist and began  working part-time with adults with learning difficulties. At the same time he was teaching on the jazz course at the Welsh College of Music and Drama.

In 1997 he recorded his first solo album for the prestigious record label, Acoustic Music Records, based in Germany. This began his transition into folk and traditional music especially from Wales though it was heavily influenced by his interest in European Jazz.

Dylan formed the Welsh/Finnish trio, ‘Taith’ in 2004 with Timo Vaananen and Gillian Stevens. Their debut cd was relaesd on Taith Records in 2005 to great acclaim. The album ‘Now & Then’ was the BBC online album of the week in June 2005.

He has also established Stiwdio Felin Fach at his home in South Wales, specialising in acoustic music with the emphasis on capturing performances. Szapora’s ground-breaking album ‘The Homeland of our Wanderings’ was recorded there in April 2004 and released in December 2004, to wonderful reviews. The studio has gone from strength to strength and in 2011 moved to it’s purpose built space, in a green oak, eco building. Since the studio became established there Dylan has honed his skills as a producer, arranger and engineer. Many award winning cds have been produced over the last 10 years from a whole array of artists who’ve found the space conducive to creativity.

Dylan also tours as a solist and was the European representative at the first Canadian International Guitar festival in 2004 and again in 2014.

He has recently toured in India with Konarak Reddy where they made a big impression at the East West Festival in Bangalore. Festival appearances to date include Bracknell 2002, Berlin 2002, Brosella 2003, Hebridean Festival 2003, Vancouver 2003,Womad 2002 & 2003.International Guitar Night Tour, Germany 2005, East West Festival, Bangalore India 2006

Touring has included Italy, Belgium, Holland, Canada, USA, Norway, Finland as well as many appearances in the UK.

Dylan has also conducted workshops in Bulgaria, Norway and the Czech Republic and was commissioned to write a piece for the Gotze Delchev International Classical Guitar Festival in Bulgaria, May 2006.

In 2010 he formed the Welsh trio, ALAW along with Oliver Wilson-Dickson to explore music from the Celtic music tradition in Wales. There have been many performances over the last ten years at festivals including the largest Celtic music festival in the world, Festival InterCeltique in Lorient as well as BBC Proms performance and collaboration at the 2018 Folk Proms to a capacity audience in the Royal Albert Hall.

Dylan also performs as part of the Celtic Guitar Journeys trio which has also toured extensively throughout Europe.

In 2013 travelled to Argentina to perform as an International Soloist at the wonderful Guitaras del Mundo festival. He also gave a performance and workshop in Patagonia . He also spent a memorable week in Brazil playing concerts with the great Brazilian percussionist, Bosco Dolivera, his great friend and colleague from Frevo days.

In 2015, Dylan began working with Tyhai in an Indo/Celtic collaboration exploring Celtic music from Wales with Indian traditional music. This unique trio features Rajesh David (voice and harmonium) and Peter Stacey on flutes and saxophone.

Dylan continues to tour with ALAW, Celtic Guitar Journeys, Tyhai and as a soloist whilst maintaining a busy schedule of recording in Stiwdio Felin Fach.

Selected Recordings:

The Latin & Jazz Guitars of Miller and Fowler

Frevo

Industry – Danny Thompson/Richard Thompson

Taith – Now & Then

Alaw – Melody

Alaw – Dead Man’s Dance/Dawns y Gwr Marw

Celtic Guitar Journeys

Tro – Gwyneth Glyn

Ffawd – Julie Murphy

Portrait – Dylan Fowler

Ffynnon Ofer – Dylan Fowler

Passionate Landscape – Dylan Fowler

Gwanwyn – Tyhai