The singer-songwriter and ‘contemporary folk balladeer’ Chris Jones was brought up in Cwm y Glo near Caernarfon in north Wales, but graduated in Fine Art at Bristol University before spending a period as a Life Drawing teacher.

He had started singing traditional Welsh songs unaccompanied, but then learnt to play the guitar and picked up songs from all the Celtic countries and England as a student. He then started arranging the songs to suit his own unique style of playing from singing in folk festivals and sessions. Chris is most frequently compared to Meic Stevens, which is always a compliment, but his songwriting and guitar playing are more reminiscent of Bert Jansch or John Renbourn. Apart from Meic Stevens and Plethyn from Wales, Chris also lists Dick Goughan from Scotland, Christie Moore and Planxy from Ireland and Woody Guthrie and Nick Jones as his influences. “I see myself more as part of the living tradition in development, and I enjoy the process and challenge of re-interpreting the folk songs for a contemporary audience” says Chris Like all of these great characters and revered guitarists, Chris’ songs reverberate with a life hard-lived.

His music had to take a back seat when he suffered two, major, debilitating accidents. These are, perhaps, the reason his name and his music aren’t better known. “When Chris recorded a session for Georgia Ruth’s C2 programme at the tail-end of 2013, the yearning, unaffected beauty of his songs - the truth in his rich baritone - reduced the battle-hardened engineers and production staff to tears. And yes, that’s as rare an occurrence as you might imagine.” Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales Chris has also been chosen to be part of the Horizons - a scheme delivered by BBC Cymru Wales in partnership with Arts Council Wales to develop new, independent contemporary music in Wales - this year Horizons promotes 12 artists.

‘Dacw’r tannau’ was recorded in Sain Studios, Llandwrog near Caernarfon in March 2014 and produced by Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci member John Lawrence.

Tracks –

1: Hen Ferchetan

2: Next Market Day

3: Dacw 'nghariad

4: Fair Flower of Northumberland

5: Ffarwel i Blwy Llangywer

6: Sam Hall

7: Llongau Caernarfon

8: Willie O'Winsbury

9: Y Gwydr Glas.

Canwr/gyfansoddwr gwerin yw Chris Jones. Fe’i magwyd yng Ngwm y Glo, ger Caernarfon, Gwynedd, ond aeth ymlaen i raddio mewn Celf Gain ym Mhrifysgol Bryste, a threuliodd cyfnod fel athro ‘Life Drawing’ yn Lloegr.

Dechreuodd ganu caneuon o Gymru yn ddigyfeiliant, ac yna dechreuodd ddysgu canu’r gitâr. Daeth ar draws nifer o ganeuon traddodiadol y gwledydd Celtaidd a Lloegr wrth ganu mewn band gwerin fel myfyriwr, ac yna dechreuodd drefnu rhai’r o’r caneuon ar gyfer ei arddull unigryw mewn sesiynau a gwyliau gwerin.

Mae Chris yn cael ei gymharu’n fwyaf aml â Meic Stevens, sy’n dipyn o anrhydedd yn wir. Ond mae'r caneuon y mae'n eu hysgrifennu a'i arddull ar y gitâr yn ein hatgoffa'n fwy o Bert Jansch neu John Renbourn. Ar wahân i Meic Stevens a Plethyn o Gymru, ymhlith ei ddylanwadau mae Chris yn nodi Dick Gaughan o’r Alban, Christie Moore a Planxty o’r Iwerddon, a Woody Guthrie a Nick Jones. “Dwi’n gweld fy hun fel rhan o draddodiad byw ac yn dewis bod yn " trad folk" meddai Chris, “a dwi’n mwynhau’r broses a'r her o ail ddehongli caneuon gwerin i gynulleidfaoedd cyfoes.”

Fel pob un o’r cymeriadau gwych a’r gitaryddion mawr-eu-parch hyn, mae caneuon Chris yn adlewyrchu bywyd sydd wedi bod yn galed. Pan gafodd ddwy ddamwain fawr a effeithiodd yn arw arno, roedd rhaid i’w gerddoriaeth gymryd cam yn ôl. Dyna pam, efallai, nad yw ei enw a'i gerddoriaeth mor gyfarwydd ag y dylai fod. Meddai Adam Walton o BBC Radio Wales: “When Chris recorded a session for Georgia Ruth’s C2 programme at the tail-end of 2013, the yearning, unaffected beauty of his songs - the truth in his rich baritone - reduced the battle-hardened engineers and production staff to tears. And yes, that’s as rare an occurrence as you might imagine.” Hefyd, mae Chris yn rhan o brosiect Gorwelion eleni - sef cynllun a redir gan BBC Cymru Wales mewn partneriaeth â Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru i ddatblygu cerddoriaeth gyfoes annibynnol, newydd yng Nghymru. Mae’r cynllun yn hyrwyddo 12 artist dros gyfnod o flwyddyn.

Recordiwyd yr albym yn Stiwdio Sain, ger Caernarfon ym mis Mawrth 2014 gyda John Lawrence yn cynhyrchu.

Traciau -

1: Hen Ferchetan

2: Next Market Day

3: Dacw 'nghariad

4: Fair Flower of Northumberland

5: Ffarwel i Blwy Llangywer

6: Sam Hall

7: Llongau Caernarfon

8: Willie O'Winsbury

9: Y Gwydr Glas.