About Us
Evelyn Thom (Fiddle)
Hailing from Chicago, Evelyn is a multi-instrumentalist with focus on fiddle and guitar. Evelyn has enjoyed taking the stage across the United States as well as Ireland, Croatia, and Canada. She has studied with fiddle greats such as Liz Carroll, Oisín Mac Diarmada, Sean Cleland, Devin Shepherd, and Dylan Foley.
As a soloist, Evelyn has competed at the All-Ireland many times and holds several regional medals from the Midwest Fleadh, winning the gold standard in 2020. She was also a youth scholarship recipient for the Swannanoa Gathering, Scoil Éigse, and the Francis O’Neill Irish Arts week.
She is the 2019 winner of the Ireland Agency Award in recognition of her passionate work with the Chicago music community as teacher, performer and artist. Evelyn absolutely loves bringing traditional Irish music to life with Steve Morrow and Jesse Langen in Fiddle In The Middle, and hopes you join her in tapping your feet and enjoying the music as much as she does!
Jesse Langen (Guitar)
Jesse is a guitarist who plays a variety of styles of music. He has played with The Chicago Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Joffrey Ballet, and in Paddy Homan's “I am Ireland” on PBS.
Jesse and his brother Tim grew up learning fiddle tunes from their grandfather Clarence, and that grounding laid the foundation for Jesse’s approach to traditional music. In Irish music, he can be heard regularly in sessions around Chicago, as well as with Fiddle in the Middle, in the Kilgubbin Project, and in the band Compas with his brother Tim and bodhran player Amy Richter.
In other styles of music, he can be heard in Chicago, throughout the country and elsewhere in the world with Ensemble Dal Niente, in Hasco Duo with Soprano Amanda DeBoer Bartlett and in Katet with singer/songwriter Katie Jimoh and percussionist Tim Mulvenna. Jesse teaches guitar and composition at Chicago Academy for the Arts.
Steve Morrow (Bodhrán, Vocal)
Steve brings a rich multi-instrumental experience to the Irish drum known as the bodhrán. His study and training in piano, woodwinds, strings, and percussion bring an exceptional musicality, sensitivity, and groove to the wee drum.
Steve's love for Celtic music inspired him to pick up the bodhrán in 2012 after being magnetized by traditional and modern rhythms that he has woven into his unique style. He has performed on stage at the Milwaukee Irish Fest, Pittsburgh Irish Fest, and many other regional and national venues.
In addition to Fiddle In The Middle, Steve has played and recorded with STEAM, BackWest, Reverie Road, The Bow Tides, the Kilgubbin Project, and áthas. Steve is a regular in the rich Chicago Irish traditional session scene.
Our Origin Story
We formed Fiddle In The Middle in 2021 during a tour of the southwest and west coast states. During that tour, we recognized a unique and infectious synergy and realized we had much more to share as a group. The band members are based in the Chicagoland area and we draw our inspiration from deep roots and fresh interpretations of Irish, Celtic, and world music.
Fiddle In The Middle brings you the energy and emotion of traditional Irish folk music, played with passion, heart, and irrepressible joy!