Gruff Rhys

Gruff Rhys
Biography

Gruff Rhys / Gruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys (born 18 July 1970) is a Welsh musician, composer, producer, filmmaker and author. He performs solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. In 2014, Rhys composed the film score for Set Fire to the Stars about Dylan Thomas and starring Celyn Jones and Elijah Wood. The jazz group he formed to record the music features drummer Chris Walmsley, double-bassist Jim Barr (Portishead), Gavin Fitzjohn on trumpet and pianist Osian Gwynedd (formerly of Big Leaves and Sybridion) on piano, with strings arranged by Gruff Ab Arwel (Y Niwl). Additional string music was recorded by the Elysian Quartet. In September 2015, Rhys won the 2015 BAFTA Cymru award for Original Music for the score.