Scott Mateo Davies began studying guitar at age nine.  Upon completing high school, he traveled extensively for four years, performing as a folk singer in diverse venues in London, Casablanca, Stockholm, and New Delhi.

After returning to Minneapolis, Davies founded the pop group “The Rogues,” touring the Midwest for the next eleven years.  While on the road, he began playing classical guitar.

In 1982, he moved to Madrid, where he began intensively studying flamenco guitar.  Davies returns to Spain each year to continue his studies and to perform.  Two of his performances have been broadcast on Radio Nacional de España.  His mentors there include David Serva and Aquilino Jiménez “el Entri.”

From 1986 to 1998 Davies was the featured guitarist and ‘ud player for Voices of Sepharad, a group dedicated to performing music and dance of the Spanish Jewish diaspora.  In May of 1995, Voices of Sepharad received the prestigious Robert and Adelle S. Blank Jewish Arts Award in New York.

Davies has been a featured guitarist for The Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater in Chicago since 1989.  He makes frequent guest appearances with flamenco companies throughout the United States.  He is featured on recordings with The Rogues, Dona Peña, Susana Morales, Noami Gutierrez, and Voices of Sepharad.  In 1995 he released his first solo recording, “Paths of Convergence,” to critical acclaim.

In 1999 he was involved in the independent film project, “Puente de Almas.”  He was the featured guitarist and arranged the ensemble music.

In 2000 he created “RaiAction,” a seven-member ensemble performing flamenco-influenced North African Rai music.  In that same year, he and dancer Colette Marie Illarde started their own company, FUEGO Flamenco.  In January of 2002, they presented their original production, “Simply...Flamenco,” to sold-out houses at St. Paul’s Hamline University.  Mateo and Colette were finalists on FOX Television’s “30 Seconds to Fame” in July 2002.

Davies accompanied the legendary Spanish Gypsy flamenco dancer Manolete for four concerts in Chicago in July of 2003.  In September of that year he performed at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago with the Spanish group “Taller de Compas.”  That month he also performed as featured guitarist with famed Iranian singer Sattar.  In November, Davies presented a concert at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis in celebration of the the release of his second solo recording, “Caravana Flamenca, a Flamenco Journey.”

He opened a concert for Spain’s most famous contemporary singer, Jose Mercé, at the Park West Theater in Chicago in February 2004.  He did a solo performance for the Tourism Office of Spain in May, and in July he played another four concerts accompanying dancer Manolete.  In August, Mateo and Colette presented their original production, “Splotches of Spain,” to sold-out houses at the Minnesota Fringe Festival.  He also wrote, arranged, and performed original music for Ensemble Español’s Christmas concerts at Northeastern Illinois University in December.

The year 2005 marked the beginning of a deep involvement in Tango music.  He was featured guitarist in Theatre de la Jeune Lune’s production of Astor Piazzolla’s opera, “Maria de Buenos Aires,” and subsequently became a full-fledged member of the Mandragora Tango Orchestra.  Jeune Lune won a Tony for their outstanding work.

Davies went to Buenos Aires in June, returning in July for his third stint accompanying Manolete with the Ensemble Español.  That November, he co-produced the hugely successful production entitled “Caravan:  Cairo to Cordova.”

Davies played a solo flamenco concert in Guatemala City in February 2006.  2006 proved to be his busiest year yet, as he played flamenco and tango shows too numerous to mention, ending the year with a tour of Poland with the Ensemble Español.

Davies is committed to promoting issues related to education and child welfare.  He is a father of three and a participating sponsor with Children International for fifteen years.  Davies also performs regularly at school assemblies, workshops, and residencies.

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