An evolution of friendship and a love of music, Folks Project began during Seattle Center’s International Jazz Day, 2015. Folks Project band consist of pianist Darrius Willrich, drummer D’Vonne Lewis and bassist Evan Flory-Barnes, three of Seattle’s most in-demand musicians.

Darrius Willrich, as keyboardist for Grammy Award winner Digable Planets and the “Future Hip-Hop” band Shabazz Palace tours globally, performing at mega-festivals such as: Pitchfork Music Festival, The Thing Music Festival, Blue Note New York and Blue Note Napa Jazz Festivals, the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival and Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. Folks Project’s Evan Flory-Barnes and D’Vonne Lewis are also members of Seattle’s acclaimed Stranger Genius Award winning band “Industrial Revelation”. Bassist, Evan Flory-Barnes credits included performing on Hip-Hop’s artist’s Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ 2014 Grammy Award CD: “The Heist.” And D’Vonne Lewis is a multi-Earshot award winner, as well as the principal drummer for the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra. D’Vonne also tours with the legendary Hip-Hop group Digable Planets with Folks Project bandmate, Darris Willrich. Together they personify the rich vein of vibrant talent that personifies Seattle’s contemporary jazz scene.

Artwork: Julie Sevilla Drake, Bear Falls Apart, 2020. Courtesy of the Artist.