Simon Mayor - CD review The Living Tradition R2 Magazine If you are partial to the music of the * * * * 4-star review mandolin and its siblings the mandola, Simon Mayor's albums are usually a mandocello and mandobass, then you melange of periods and styles and The will love this recording of a master Art of Mandolin is no exception: musician at his absolute best. It’s great classics to early 20th century, to his value with 14 pieces of music ranging from the classical repertoire of own compositions, spanning 400 years. Debussy, Purcell and Chopin (Simon’s The set is topped - and tailed - by a bit version of The Minute Walse will have of stage chat, and the first track is also your jaw dropping) to Simon’s own live, giving an initially erroneous compositions that, in my opinion, stand impression of this studio set. up well in such illustrious company. He Simon explores the mandolin family is assisted by the wonderful Hilary accompanied, as always, by Hilary James on Mandobass (and vocal on the James, and by Frank Kilkelly on guitar traditional song Brezairola - truly on the Django Reinhardt piece sublime). Django Reinhardt’s Anouman 'Anouman'. features Frank Kilkelly on guitar. It The opening 'Bolero' (Calace not Ravel) seems likely that Hilary features was written for the mandolin and is all elsewhere on the CD, but the details flying fingers, and its followed by are not made clear. I suspect that some Debussy's 'The Girl With The Flaxen of the playing here is multi-tracked Simon – if so, it is an amazing feat of Hair' , arranged for the instrument, disciplined musicianship. which is delicate and full of sunshine. I said that there were 14 pieces of Hilary sings the lullaby 'Brezairola' music on this CD, but we mustn’t between two of Simon's own pieces forget the spoken ‘intro’ and ‘tailpiece’ before the hair is let down with 'Maple lifted from a performance at the Ilkley Leaf Rag'.We flit back and forth across Playhouse. These spoken pieces are the years with Chopin's 'Minute Waltz', important as they serve to remind the Purcell's 'Rondeau' and several really listener that the music is, after all, excellent original pieces culminating in played by mere mortals. That can be 'Fantasia On The Yorkshire Anthem' or difficult to remember when faced with 'On Ilkley Moor Bah T'at as it is better playing of this quality. The accompanying known. booklet is full of useful stuff I did not I'm not sure that The Art Of Mandolin know about the mandolin family of hangs together thematically or if it is instruments, though I have played actually intended to, but each piece is a mandolin for many years. One of the joy to listen to. best things I have heard so far this year. Dai Jeffries Phil Thomas Acoustics Records, PO Box 350, Reading RG6 7DQ, England. +44 (0)118 926 8615 www.acousticsrecords.co.uk www.childrensmusic.co.uk Simon Mayor - CD review Exposé pioneered by Gibson in the 20th British mandolin master Mayor offers century. In all, like all of mayor’s this collection of fifteen tunes, a previous releases, this is a thoroughly selection of four centuries worth of enjoyable collection sure to please all classical adaptations and traditional fans of acoustic stringed instrumental pieces, a half dozen originals, a beautiful music. Django Reinhardt tune, and even Scott Peter Thelen Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag,” here arranged as a mandolin septet with guitars. Musician Magazine Mayor plays Mandola, mandocello, One of the world’s leading mandolin guitar, and of course mandolin, often players, Simon Mayor has developed an multi-tracked; Joining him is regular outstanding reputationboth live and as collaborator Hillary James on a guest on numerous recordings. This mandobass, double bass, and guitar, as album displays his matchless playing and well as contributing vocals on the breadth of genres, from classical to beautiful “Brezairola,” a French folk ragtime. Superb. lullaby from Chants D’Auvergne, arranged by Joseph Canteloube in the fRoots 1920s. No amplifiers here, this is an A peerlessly produced, flawlessly entirely acoustic set, with one live piece executed personal journey through 400 (“Bolero” by Calace) opening. Mayor’s years of music history in the expert original “Taxi Horn Rag” fits nicely with hands of one of our premier mando the Joplin tune, drawing inspiration maestros. Simon's own compositions sit from its style, while other Mayor well alongside his skilful arrangements orginals here tend to reference folk and of anything from Reinhardt and Joplin classical stylings. The Irish traditional to classical and baroque. Constantly “Lord Mayo” receives an introspective entertaining. arrangement here for solo mandocello, while Brahms’ “Hungarian Dance No. The Mike Harding Folk Show 2” gets the impressive full mandolin Simon Mayor is a brilliant mandolin family treatment. A Mayor-James player, a man I envy: his great artistry, composition “Nocturne In Blue And Gold” is one of the disc’s most his great craft. His new album, The Art Of Mandolin is absolutely suberb... I hauntingly beautiful originals. The love this to bits... the genius of the booklet includes ‘Mandolin Journey,’ a short four-centuries-in-three-pages mandolin! history of the mando-family of Mark Radcliffe Folk Show instruments from their origins in the Mediterranean to the flat-back models dextrously done... played exquisitely... Acoustics Records, PO Box 350, Reading RG6 7DQ, England. +44 (0)118 926 8615 www.acousticsrecords.co.uk www.childrensmusic.co.uk Simon Mayor - CD review Northern Sky James, the set is as good a starting place For anyone who is still in any doubt as for newcomers to the instrument and to the mandolin family's versatile old hands alike. nature, Simon Mayor explores the Allan Wilkinson diverse range of the instrument(s), with Celtic-rock.de fifteen pieces of music covering gypsy Die Kunst der Mandoline steht im jazz, ragtime, classical and traditional Mittelpunkt der neuen CD von Simon folk music, to name but a few. Multi- Mayor. Wobei es immer eine Kunst ist, tracking various members of the dieses Musikwerkzeug stilecht instrument's family, including einzusetzen. In unserer stark von der mandocello and mandola, together with Rockmusik geprägten Welt, wird dieses the mandobass, courtesy of long-time kleine Saiteninstrument oft für musical partner Hilary James, who also Showeffekte, oder zur Vervollkommnung plays guitar and double bass, the set is des Klangbildes verwendet. Das ist presented as a live album, though I keinesfalls verwerflich. Auf The Art of doubt much of this was recorded live, Mandolin ist aber zu hören, was wirklich in just the introduction and closing thank- diesem kleinen Saiteninstrument steckt. you's. Mit vielen unterschiedlichen Spielvarianten der Mandoline, vermittelt Mayor eine The dexterous mastery of the Reise durch die Jahrhunderte. Dabei wird mandolin is demonstrated here, from sie von Instrumenten wie Gitarre, Bass, the intricate arrangements of Fantasia Mandola und Mandocello, sowie der on a Yorkshire Anthem (On Ilkla Moor zauberhaften Stimmen von Sängerin Hilary Baht 'at - if you will), to the sore fingers James begleitet. nimbleness of Chopin's Minute Waltz, Hurst Jost familiar to many as the theme tune to English translation: the long running radio panel game Just The art of mandolin is the focus of the a Minute, by way of the gentle beauty of new CD by Simon Mayor. And it is an art, Debussy's The Girl with the Flaxen Hair to arrange music in an authentic style with and the good time silent movie feel of class. In a world heavily influenced by rock Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag. music, this small stringed instrument is Covering a 400 year span, Mayor has often used for effect, or to add to an chosen to tackle some familiar pieces ambience. This is fair enough but in The Art of Mandolin you hear what this small of music that are just as enjoyable stringed instrument is really capable of. today as they were at any time in the past, expertly performed on Showcasing many different styles of instruments that really ought to be mandolin, Mayor provides a journey through the centuries, accompanied by recognised alongside their wood and instruments such as guitar, bass, mandola string peers. With just the one vocal and mandocello, as well as the enchanting piece, Joseph Canteloube's lullaby voice of singer Hilary James. Brezairola, beautifully sung by Hilary Acoustics Records, PO Box 350, Reading RG6 7DQ, England. +44 (0)118 926 8615 www.acousticsrecords.co.uk www.childrensmusic.co.uk Simon Mayor - CD review Bright Young Folk then there is Contemplation. This latter tune is a very aptly named tune as it is Simon Mayor has long been well slower, darker almost, and certainly can established as a master of the Mandolin act as a musical description of that very and its family (Mandola, Mandocello, concept. Mandobass) as not only a musician but as a tutor too, working to spread his grasp of You can tell that Simon Mayor is a well the instrument to others. His latest album established musician and tutor, the (with the help of Hilary James) delves into variation and thought he put into this the history of the instrument exploring album makes it an educational experience classical pieces of music such as Brahms’ even for those who do not play the Hungarian Dance No 2, which is often mandolin or its friends themselves. seen on the piano but here is gallantly Paul Rawcliffe interpreted onto the mandolin with the Around Kent Folk highest of efficiency. We also get treated to Chopin and his Minute Waltz showing Simon's fascination with the mandolin has just Mayor has a strong feel for music and never been with the instrument alone but all of its implications, not merely how to with the textures offered by the family - pick up mandolin and strum some notes the mandola, mandocello and mandobass.