SIMON MAYOR HILARY JAMES
Live reviews


Fiona Talkington, Late Junction Radio 3
“Just fantastic to go and see live. Do catch them if you can.”


Shetland Times
“Dis multi-talented duo hed joost a magical touch tae dir playing. Left you feelin lik you were floatin on a peerie cloud somewhar . Lovely stuff.”


Frank Hennessy, BBC Radio Wales
"Brilliant.... I love it. They really are out on their own these two. The whole thing is just
beautifully put together, as you'd expect from such a class act… fabulous"

 
Arran Banner
Arran Folk Festival
It was probably 11pm when Simon Mayor and Hilary James came on. The audience had remained formal and restrained until then. But with Simon Mayor's first note the audience came to life. They were the perfect foil for each other, he dead-pan and brilliant on mandolin, she singing and offering backing on guitar or bass ... they were great and the audience loved them. Above all Simon Mayor and Hilary James did not speak to their audience as though to an in-crowd and for me it was they who made sitting on a hard seat ‘til midnight worth it.


Glasgow Herald
Edinburgh Festival
Over [90] fretting, double-stringed minutes, give or take time off for demonstrations of similar fiddle and guitar expertise and some sweetly-sung blues, standards and folk songs from Hilary James, Simon Mayor takes the mandolin from hot-licking Texas fiddle tunes through bagpipe marches and Rachmaninov in ragtime to Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba played with blurry-fingered precision.

The whole mandolin family features, including the bass whose use has prompted mistaken suspicions of trick photography and, inevitably, amassing such a varied repertoire has inspired a whole stream of mirthful anecdotes. A gem of teatime fare that may very well turn the humble mandolin into your desert island instrument.

Southern Reporter
On Saturday November 10, Hawick Music Club presented a concert by Simon Mayor and Hillary James, The Hot-Fingered Mandolinists, which can be reviewed in one word: sensational, writes Gordon Macdonald.

From the word go they enraptured the large audience with their personality, and their musicianship, whether on mandolin or fiddle, was outstanding.

The advance publicity stated that “… many play the mandolin, but few play it like Simon Mayor”; no-one in the audience would disagree.

His dry, wry, understated Yorkshire humour was infectious.

Hillary James complemented Mayor in so many ways. Her own distinctive personality came across as genuine and vibrant, which was coupled with her soft,
clear singing voice. Both appeared to enjoy playing as much as we, the audience, enjoyed listening. This informal approach created a cabaret-style atmosphere where bluegrass, folk, and a Brazilian tango mingled happily with Vivaldi, Berlioz and Handel.

Such was the reputation of Mayor and James that several visitors, who came from well outside the area, were overheard saying: “…worth every mile”, “… a real cracker”, “... when are they coming back?” Club president Jim Letham said in advance that this was a concert not to be missed, and all those who were there would, with one voice, agree.

Green Man Review
Fairport’s Cropredy Festival
Hilary James and Simon Mayor are brilliant multi-instrumentalists, switching effortlessly from guitar, mandolin, mandola, fiddle and mandobass. What they can't play repertoire-wise or attempt instrumentally is not worth playing. On stage they are very laid back and their programme ranged from Vivaldi's Mandolin concerto to Texas Fiddle tunes via Django Reinhardt, laced with original children's songs and dry humour.
John O’Regan,


Folk North West
Since the last issue I’ve seen some great artists and heard some great music. So who was good? Well - I went to see Simon Mayor and Hilary James for the first time. Just wonderful - Hilary is a lass with a voice like an angel who also plays double bass and rhythm guitar. Simon is a genius - he played mandolin, mandola, mandocello, fiddle, rhythm guitar and flat-pick guitar. On each one he’s a master.

Add to that a warm, funny, relaxed manner and you have a monstrously enjoyable session. If you see them advertised anywhere make a pilgrimage! One classic was “Here’s a little tune by Ludwig van Beethoven who could have become well known if he hadn’t stuck to classical music!” The next offering after Beethoven was a Texas  fiddle tune!!


Old Time News
Stroud Folk Festival
Pure class... Hilary’s voice suits perfectly the blues numbers and Simon’s mandolin playing is as good as you could get, anywhere.


Appearances include:
Rudolstadt World Music Festival, Germany
Vancouver Folk Festival, Canada
Stephen Leacock Humour Festival, Canada
Mr Anderson's Fine Tunes, BBC Scotland
In Tune, BBC Radio 3
‘Marooned with a Mandolin’ BBC Radio 2 series
Classical Mandolin Society of America
Shetland Folk Festival



Acoustics Records
PO Box 350
Reading RG6 7DQ
England
Tel: +44 (0)118 926 8615
www.acousticsrecords.co.uk