Guitarist, composer, and educator Dave Devine is known throughout the Denver jazz and rock scene for his virtuosity and versatility as a performer. With a background in classical guitar performance and a deep abiding love for guitar pedals, his sound is one of dense melodic layers, ambient washes, and lush sonic landscapes.

Devine’s recording projects have ranged from experimental jazz (momen terra, Static Trio) and chamber pop (Greybird, Delby L), to jazz metal (Hate Camels), ambient (Mountain Coast), and art rock (DOORS THAT DON’T). Devine presents his original compositions with his group Dave Devine Relay, blending effect-heavy guitars, layered synths, and shifting meters into rich instrumental pop songs.

In Invisible Bird, a modern jazz trio with trumpeter Shane Endsley (Kneebody) and drummer Scott Amendola (Nels Cline Singers), Devine serves as one of three distinct compositional voices, presenting original music that traverses an array of textures from rootsy backbeat grooves and pop melodies to swirling soundscapes and meditative structures. Invisible Bird released their debut album Flutter to Fuzz in 2018 with guest appearances from Orenda Fink (Azure Ray) and Sam Amidon.

Devine has recorded with Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band (Body and Shadow, Blue Note), John Grant and the Czars (Sorry I Made You Cry, Bella Union) John Raymond and S. Carey (Shadowland, Libellule Editions). Dave has performed with Ron Miles, Art Lande, The Barr Brothers, Don Byron, Marc Broussard, Janet Feder, and Neil Halstead.

Devine presents his chamber arrangements of Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti western scores annually in conjunction with the Denver Western Stock Show. The Good, The Bad, and the Devine is a show as much educational as it is entertaining, and currently features Tania Katz (vocals), Shane Endsley (trumpet), Patrick Lee (keyboards), and DeVotchKa members Tom Hagerman (violin), Jeanie Schroder (bass), and Shawn King (drums).

Originally from Indianapolis, Dave Devine earned his undergrad in classical guitar performance at Butler University. He earned a Performer’s Diploma in classical guitar performance and completed graduate work in jazz studies at Indiana University, where he was teaching assistant to David Baker. An educator at heart, Devine is faculty with the Jazz and American Improvised Music program at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where he has taught since 2002.