Guitarist, singer and songwriter, Kris Drever’s originality sits confidently alongside the folk music tradition he comes from.
Known for his soulful vocals, intricate guitar work and insightful writing, Drever has garnered acclaim from critics and fans worldwide.
From his work with revered prog-folk trio LAU to an album in collaboration with Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble and fiddler John McCusker, or the visionary, nature-focused 'Spell Songs' project, Drever is no stranger to collaboration.
His solo recording career won him a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for the title track of 2016 'If Wishes Were Horses', and it is in solo form that audiences have seen him perform most in recent years.
Since the summer of 2023, though, Drever has been out on the road performing with his exceptional band.
"Collaboration has always been at the heart of my enjoyment of music. I love the freedom of heading out on my own; I love the challenge of trying to realize full arrangements with just a guitar and a vocal, but, for me, nothing comes close to building those invisible cathedrals with my comrades.”
At the core of this current collaboration is a group of talented musicians: Louis Abbott, a multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, known for his work as the frontman of the Scottish Indie collective Admiral Fallow, contributes drums, guitars, keys, and vocals to the ensemble.
Euan Burton, Kris Drever's long-time co-producer and a stellar double bassist, brings a rich depth to the sonic landscape.
Rachel Lightbody, a highly prized jazz singer and accomplished backing vocal artist, adds a touch of elegance and soulful harmony to the band.
"Having gotten together increasingly frequently in recent times for various TV and online performances, we’ve worked up a broad variety of my own material. We’ve found a route into songs from across my back catalogue, and in many cases opened them up in ways that I could never have figured out on my own."
The result is a fresh sound, a retrospective collection that breathes new life into familiar tunes.
“The excitement of real musical dialogue is overwhelming: the knowledge that something is happening in front of me that can’t ever be exactly replicated is fascinating and frankly, even after 30 years as a musician, miraculous.”
Kris Drever Band