Guto Dafis sings songs of broken hearts and dysfunctional relationships, usually from the Welsh tradition (in Welsh), and occasionally the odd self-penned number, Bob Dylan cover or blues (in English). He accompanies himself on the melodeon (or two-row diatonic button accordion, or whatever you like to call it!). He also plays tunes (usually Welsh), and from time to time enjoys playing for Breton dancing (whether Breton tunes, or Welsh ones which fit).
He works alone; in a duo with guitarist Danny KilBride; and in the duo Toreth with fiddler Gareth Westacott. Toreth have played festivals and concerts in Wales, England, Ireland, Brittany and Estonia.
In the past he has played melodeon or keyboards with groups as diverse as Rhondda rock band The Watermelons; The Vinegar Flies (with singer-songwriter Chris Ridgeway, currently of Cakehole Presley); south Wales ceilidh outfit Juice (with assorted KilBride brothers); and Cardiff r’n’b institution Red Beans and Rice.
Guto is also a storyteller and has told stories at festivals, museums, city farms and schools.
Some recordings:
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Megin (fflach:tradd CD212H) - a compilation of squeeze-box music from Wales and the Marches, including four tracks by Guto
The Rough Guide to the Music of Wales (RGNET 1052 CD) - includes one of Guto’s tracks from Megin
Toreth (fflach:tradd CD265H) - with Gareth Westacott
Blas (fflach:tradd CD282H) - a compilation of tracks from the fflach:tradd label, including two tracks from Toreth Levitation (Country Mile Records CMR002) - a South Wales tribute to Jon Langford (The Mekons, Three Johns, Waco Brothers etc) - Guto contributes one track
The CDs on the fflach:tradd label can be ordered at record-shops or on line through the distributors Discovery Records or directly from www.fflach.co.uk .
Levitation can be ordered from www.countrymile.org , and snippets of sample tracks can be heard at www.myspace.com/countrymilerecs .
The Songs:
Y Ferch a’r Capten, trad, arr. GD (The Girl and the Captain) – he wants to but she doesn’t …
Trw’r Drysni a’r Anialwch, trad, arr. GD (Through the Thickets and Wild Places) – a choice not made; come back tomorrow, she says, and I’ll let you know whether it’s you or him, or maybe someone else entirely (life’s like that sometimes) …
How Long is Forever (GD) – well, how long is forever? …
Pan O’n i’n Rhodio Rhyw Foreuddydd, trad, arr. GD (As I Walked Out One Morning) – he leaves it too late to express his emotions and loses the love of his life …
(None of the songs on this page are on any of the above recordings. Three tracks from the Toreth CD can be heard on the Toreth website. Clips from Megin, Toreth and Blas can be heard on the Fflach website.)