Multi-instrumentalist Daniel Quayle was born and raised in the Isle of Man, where he was immersed in Manx traditional music from a young age, studying composition and performance under some of the genre's most well-respected musicians.
His versatile accompaniment skills on guitar, bouzouki and piano have taken him all over the world, performing with various groups, and he now plays in the duo Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe & Daniel Quayle, whose debut album was released in 2022.
Who is Daniel?
Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe & Daniel Quayle
Combining the rich traditions of the Isle of Man with the varied sounds of synth pop and Eurofolk, Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe & Daniel Quayle have forged a sound that is both dramatic and compelling. Since the release of their debut album, “The Coast Road”, in 2022, the duo has been invigorating audiences, bringing their distinctive sound to festivals across Europe and beyond, while picking up new influences along the way.
Whether they’re burning through reels or setting the scene for a meditative air, audiences are enraptured by their fresh new take on a musical tradition like no other. Their aim as a duo is to bring Manx music to the masses, and they have already performed at some of the scene’s most prestigious festivals, including Celtic Connections (2024), the Australian Celtic Festival (2024), and Estonia’s Viljandi Folk Music Festival (2021).
Looking ahead, Elizabeth and Daniel are set to release their highly anticipated second album in 2025, building on their unique fusion of tradition and innovation. As they continue to evolve, they remain committed to sharing the rich musical heritage of the Isle of Man with audiences around the globe.
Upcoming Gigs
Past Gigs
What's the skeet?
My current live bouzouki setup with Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe & Daniel Quayle is quite complicated. I use my Richard Osborne Guitar-Bouzouki with this set of strings, put together for the instrument by Tad Sargent (Crossharbour). On the instrument itself is an LR Baggs pickup/mic combi, which I tend to have mostly on the mic setting, as well as a separate pickup just for the bass notes. The pickups both send their signals out of a stereo jack output on the zouk, allowing me to split the signal again using a Y cable.
My Gear
This Y cable plugs into my Presonus Studio 1810c audio interface, and then into my MacBook Pro, where MainStage is running. The bouzouki signal is largely unprocessed, as I quite like the way the pickup sounds, but the bass signal is put through a plugin called Submarine, by Waves. It essentially allows me to add sub-frequencies of either one or two octaves lower than the acoustic sound!
I use a few other things on my Keith McMillen SoftStep 2, such as a kick drum/stompbox, some sub-drops and a whole load of synths (far too many to list here, but if you're interested, feel free to send me an email!)
My (far simpler) guitar setup is a Faith Jupiter FJCEHG Guitar with Elixir Polyweb 80/20 Bronze strings (13-56), which I use in combination with a Boss OC-3 Super Octave pedal to provide bass below my playing, without the need for the laptop (it tracks much better on guitar than on bouzouki). I occasionally make use of some Mooer Audio pedals for more effects, depending on the project.
My banjo is a flat-top tenor banjo of unknown maker with a Mastertone tone ring and a black Deering banjo head. Over the years, I’ve tried a million different string combinations and eventually settled on D’Addario BW042, BW032, NW020 and PL013, which I buy here. These seem to have the right combination of lifespan and tone, as I prefer my strings to have a ‘played in’ sound on the banjo, as it’s naturally very bright.
Teaching
As well as performing, Daniel also teaches guitar (DADGAD and standard tunings) from beginner to advanced levels, and bouzouki (GDAD) and banjo (GDAE) at beginner to intermediate level.
Private lessons can be taught in person in the Isle of Man or wherever Daniel is currently touring, but Skype/Zoom lessons are also available.
Daniel is also available to teach workshops worldwide.
For pricing, to organise a lesson or to book Daniel to teach workshops, get in touch at enquiries@danielquayle.com
Book Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe & Daniel Quayle
Worldwide outside North America, Estonia and Australia
Rich Quarterman
Midnight Mango
RichQ@midnightmango.co.uk
North America, Estonia, Australia / Worldwide PR
Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe
eadbdq@gmail.com
Technical
Will Derries
WD Audio Ltd.
info@willderries.co.uk
All other projects
Daniel Quayle
enquiries@danielquayle.com