The Gentle Good
| Gareth Bonello | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Gareth Huw Bonello |
| Also known as | The Gentle Good |
| Born |
13 April 1981 Cardiff, Wales |
| Genres | Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, cello, piano |
| Labels | Gwymon, Bubblewrap Records |
| Associated acts | Richard James, Cate Le Bon, Sweet Baboo, Gruff Rhys, Martin Callingham, Lisa Jên, Geraint Jarman, Georgia Ruth, Aled Rheon, Laura J. Martin, Ida Wenøe |
| Website | www |
The Gentle Good is the stage name of Gareth Bonello, a singer-songwriter and folk musician from Cardiff who performs in English and Welsh. The stage name is inspired by Bonello's, with "Gareth" traditionally meaning "Gentle" in Welsh. In addition to his own material, Bonello has had a longstanding partnership with musician Richard James and has also collaborated with other artists as a session musician.
Bonello started performing in Cardiff open mic nights in his early twenties and soon moved on to writing and performing his own material.
His debut EP was self-released in 2005 and titled Find Your Way Back Home. It included two English tracks and two Welsh tracks.
Bonello's first EP on a label, Dawel Disgyn, was released on Gwymon in 2007. It features Seb Goldfinch on violin, Llion Robertson on keys and Lindsey Leven (now in Gulp) on backing vocals. Robertson has also produced all of Bonello's albums to date.
Bonello's debut album While You Slept I Went Out Walking was released in 2008. Sung in both Welsh and English, it features renditions of traditional tracks and original songs. After the album's release, Bonello was invited to play at the 2008 Festival Interceltique de Lorient and as part of the Wales programme at the 2009 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. He's previously performed at the Glastonbury Festival, as part of the 2009 Emerging Talent Competition, and at the SXSW festival in Texas.
Second album Tethered for the Storm, released in 2010, included an a cappella duet with Lisa Jên Brown of Welsh-language folk band 9Bach and backing vocals from Cate Le Bon. The album featured The Mavron Quartet with string arrangements by Seb Goldfinch.
In October 2011 Bonello travelled to Chengdu, China as part of The British Council's China Residencies, in collaboration with the PRS for Music Foundation. The residency at the Chengdu Associated Theatre of Performing Arts produced Bonello's third album, Y Bardd Anfarwol (The Immortal Bard), released in 2013. It was recorded both in China with local musicians and back in the UK with The Mavron Quartet, members of the UK Chinese Ensemble and contributors such as Laura J. Martin on flute and Lisa Jên, who sang lead vocals on one track. The Welsh-language project, which combines Welsh and Chinese folk traditions, is based on the life and works of Chinese poet Li Bai. In 2014 it won Best Welsh Album at the National Eisteddfod. In 2015 the play Rhith Gân by Wyn Mason, based on Y Bardd Anfarwol, won the Drama Medal at the Montgomeryshire and the Marches National Eisteddfod. The play was first staged at the 2016 Eisteddfod in Abergavenny, with Bonello serving as musical director.
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Wikipedia