Mayor & James ~ brochure copy

Simon’s hilarious banter and mandolin wizardry (he’s one of the world’s leading virtuosos, not to mention his fine guitar and fiddle playing) meets Hilary’s “wonderfully honey-dripping voice” and unusual basses! She might even manage a step-dance if the wind’s in the right direction. Hear them at www.mandolin.co.uk

Simon Mayor & Hilary James – brochure copy (81 words)

Simon’s inimitable brand of off-the-wall humour as well as mandolin, guitar and fiddling wizardry meets Hilary’s ‘honey-dripping’ vocals and unusal basses! If you’ve heard them on Radios 2, 3, Oxford and Classic FM, you’ll know just what a treat is in store. Everything from beautiful folk ballads to lively mandolin tunes, as well as some of their hilarious children’s songs, reminiscent of Belloc’s ‘Cautionary Tales’ …Oh! And a step dance (if Hilary has any breath left!). Hear them at www.mandolin.co.uk

Simon Mayor & Hilary James – brochure copy (186 words)

They’ve lost count of the number of air and road miles they’ve clocked up over the last few years, but with the twin passports of Hilary’s ‘wonderfully, honey-dripping voice’ and Simon’s standing as one of the world’s most renowned mandolinists – in any genre – they’ve taken on an impressive and diverse array of international engagements from Vancouver Folk Festival and The Stephen Leacock Humour Festival (Canada) to Rudoldstat World Music Festival (Germany) and guesting at the Classical Mandolin Society of America.
It’s probably the diversity that surprises most people who haven’t seen them before; the voice and mandolin playing isn’t even the half of it. Both highly talented guitarists, Hilary is also an occasional step-dancer and arguably one of Berkshire’s greatest mandobass players, Simon a dazzling fiddler.
With a repertoire easily crossing from traditional ballads to blues, Berlioz, classical mandolin show-stoppers and some of their own notorious comic songs, it’s all wrapped up in a hugely entertaining stage show and humour as dry as Somerset cider. Serious stuff – but don’t take it seriously! Find them at www.mandolin.co.uk. Hear them at www.mandolin.co.uk

Simon Mayor & Hilary James – brochure copy (224 words)

“A witty and captivating mix of folk, swing, blues and classical showstoppers” (The Guardian) spiced with Simon Mayor’s unique brand of off-beat humour and Hilary’s “honey-dripping voice”. There can’t be many performers who can slide easily from a beautifully evocative Irish ballad into a mandolin and guitar version of Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and finish with everyone singing one of their own notoriously children’s comic songs (reminiscent of Hilaire Belloc and Flanders and Swan). This talented duo have travelled the world from Vancouver to Singapore. Simon is one of the world’s leading mandolin virtuosos as well as a fine guitarist and fiddle player. He has had his own series on Radio 2 and an album in the Classic FM Top Ten chart, but his most thrilling moment was a journey through the square window on BBC’s Playschool! Hilary James’ “elegant singing” (Daily Telegraph) easily crosses the great musical divides from Celtic ballads to blues and Berlioz. Her CDs have been played everywhere from Radio 1 to Latvia and Los Angeles. Described on BBC Radio 4 as “one of Britain’s finest voices” she is also famed for an unusual taste in bass instruments (she may turn up with her giant mandobass or slimline acoustic bass) and she might even manage a step-dance if the wind’s in the right direction.