Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius

Subject: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Aug 23 - 01:21 PM

I have just returned from another session of the Goderich Celtic College in (you guessed it) Goderich, Ontario. This year, I spent much of my time learning O'Carolan tunes with the best mandolin player I have ever encountered, an Englishman named Simon Mayor.

He has a website, of course: https://mandolin.co.uk

His playing is clean and crisp, with a delicious singing tone even in the fastest passages, and his repertoire ranges from the usual jigs, reels and hornpipes to the Vivaldi Mandolin Concerto, which he is scheduled to play with the BBC Concert Orchestra this autumn.

It's a long, long time since I last gushed like a fangirl, but Mayor's Carolan album has me quite rapt. Strongly recommended.

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: gillymor
Date: 17 Aug 23 - 12:44 PM

A great player, I've been enjoying his recent "Carolan" album. He's come up with some really interesting arrangements of those old tunes. Heckuva
guitarist and fiddler, as well.

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Aug 23 - 03:59 PM

He came to Welcombe village hall (20 minutes from us), must have been nearly 30 years ago, with his equally talented partner Hilary James. Utter class.

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: Anne Lister
Date: 18 Aug 23 - 06:24 PM

He's also a very nice chap.

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 19 Aug 23 - 01:37 AM

Hilary James and Simon Mayor have other talents too!

We have been grateful for their Musical Mystery Tour records, which have made many long drives with the children much more enjoyable.

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: GUEST,sortaottery
Date: 19 Aug 23 - 06:15 AM

Thanks for the rec! Always interested to hear more about folk or folk-adjacent mandolin players. Enjoying his recording of the Buttermere Waltz.

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Aug 23 - 12:30 PM

That was a nice trip through YouTube world, and this video from this year offers an introduction by the man himself.

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: gillymor
Date: 19 Aug 23 - 02:07 PM

sortaottery, you might also be interested in the recordings of Butch Baldasarri and David Surette. A couple of fine mandolinists and multi-instrumentalists of the of the folk variety who, sadly, have passed on.

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Aug 23 - 02:57 PM

On Thursday (17 August), Simon and Hilary played a house concert on a farm in Thorndale, a village just east of London, Ontario. They did the same repertoire as at Goderich, but the intimate, un-amplified setting of a large family room crowded with neighbours and friends made for a completely different and quite magical experience.

As Anne Lister pointed out above, Simon is, indeed, a very nice chap as well as a musician of world-class calibre. Hilary, too. And they're both effortlessly witty.

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: Tony Rees
Date: 19 Aug 23 - 02:59 PM

Here's a photo that I took including "young Simon" (at R - actually he and I are the same age, then and now!!) 43 years ago - playing guitar in this instance. Possibly this makes me "famous by association" (but probably not!)

Spredthick at Towersey Festival, 1980

- Tony

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 19 Aug 23 - 04:56 PM

Didn’t realise you were younger than me Tony!

I can possibly take the story back even further. A friend of mine claims to have been at university with him where he studied Russian. She claims that his musical career started when he went on a field trip and came back with a balalaika. How true this is is difficult to prove.

Subject: RE: Simon Mayor, English mandolin genius
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 21 Aug 23 - 12:31 PM

I wrote to Simon years ago ( 30+) suggesting that he make a group recording of "In a Persian Market". I can't remember if he replied...or ever took up my suggestion. Anyway, it would have been a show stopper.