Hilary James and Simon Mayor - info req'd

Subject: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: GUEST,Arnie
Date: 06 Apr 03 - 06:18 AM

I was listening to a tape from the 80's the other day and came across a smashing version of Polly Vaughn sung and played by Hillary Jones and Simon Meyer.Her voice is great and his mandolin playing is fantastic. I'd like to get hold of some of their material but searching on the usual search engines produces no hits. Does anyone know if they produced any records/cd's and if these may still be available?? Any help much appreciated.

Arnie

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: Ed.
Date: 06 Apr 03 - 06:27 AM

Your lack of success with search engines was probably down to your spelling. I suspect that you mean Hilary James and Simon Mayor

Simon Mayor's Website should be a good starting point.

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: Ed.
Date: 06 Apr 03 - 06:38 AM

The track that you refer to, Polly Vaughan is available on Hilary James' first CD, Burning Sun. You can buy it here

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: Leadfingers
Date: 06 Apr 03 - 06:45 AM

Simon is in my not very humble opinion arguably the best mandolin player in the world - AND a thouroughly pleaant chap to boot. Check
out Slim Panatella and the Mellow Virginians,Spredthick,and the Mandolinquents

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: Mooh
Date: 06 Apr 03 - 08:07 AM

Any chance we can get the spelling corrected in the thread title? It would help anyone else trying to access information on the subject. Thanks!

I've been a Simon and Hilary fan from the first notes I heard them play. Simon is the only player who has truly knocked my socks off recently with his playing. Charming folks, not to mention brilliant musicians. Simon's got a funny stage patter which can be found on the live cd "Duos". I've been fortunate enough to hear them live on several occassions, and hobnob with them a bit. Simon's mandolin books are a terrific resource for teaching the instrument. There are several very good children's recordings as well.

They are a good example of how a duo works well if the arrangements are imaginative and the instrumentation varied. Hilary will play guitar, string bass, and sing, while Simon plays fiddle, guitar, mandolin(s) and sing.

I regret that I won't see them this year, I believe they're doing more UK shows this summer instead of touring elsewhere (though it wouldn't hurt to verify this from the website).

Check them out, you won't be disappointed.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: alanabit
Date: 06 Apr 03 - 03:24 PM

I'll second that. I haven't seen them since the early eighties when I was at college, but I used to see them often when I lived near Reading. Simon was always a good player and it is worth mentioning that his guitar playing is also a bit better than most of us are ever going to manage. There were people around at the time like Gerald Moore, Richard Cox-Smith, Bill Boazman, Ian A Anderson and Mike Cooper. In his own style Simon was the equal of any of them. Good bloke too.

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Apr 03 - 04:42 PM

Whoops - sorry about the spelling but I got it off an 80's Reading Radio tape (remember Some Folk with Mike Saunderson??) Anyway thanks for the links folks and I will definitely be buying a CD, or two,or....


Arnie

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: alanabit
Date: 06 Apr 03 - 04:55 PM

Mike used to work for Thames Valley Radio, I think. He ran the folk club at The Bull in Nettlebed in the seventies. I believe it has gone on to greater things since then. Did he have his own radio show? When I knew him he was more on the executive side.(Probably means he sold advertising).

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Apr 03 - 05:30 PM

alanabit - yep, Mike definitely had his own radio station on a Weds night in the mid/late 80's on Radio Reading - I have a few recordings from it - the record industry will no doubt like to know that I am always buying CD's having listened to the artists again on my 80's recordings! Still, back to my original thread, I've now found the LP with Polly Vaughn on it, it's called Craving the Dew. Strangely enough, the review calls her Hilary Jones, but I now know she is definitely Hilary James as I've just ordered her Burning Sun CD. Unfortunately Craving the Dew is only available on vinyl and my old record deck gave up years ago....

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: nickp
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 04:12 AM

From memory the Jones/James swap was due to Equity registration and there already being a 'match'.

I recall first seeing them as the major part of 'Spredthick' in the late 70s and Simon was a stunning mandolin player even then. Get to see them if you can.

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: fiddler
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 07:51 AM

You've all got it right - I shall send them this link - not wishing to boos ttheir egos too muc!

BTW Mike Sanderson Still runs Nettlebed folk Club which go - was it folk club of the year award this or last year!

A

Subject: RE: Hillary Jones & Simon Meyer - info req'd
From: alanabit
Date: 07 Apr 03 - 03:35 PM

Thanks for that information. I always thought it was Hilary Jones, but I had assumed that my memory was just suspect. Thanks for clearing that up Nickp. I first saw Spredthick at The Waterloo in Cholsey (The Downs and Outs Folk Club run by Tony Flood) in 1975. They had a good guitarist and I think an upright bass player - may have been Phil Fentiman - but I'm not sure. Good players even then.

Subject: RE: Hilary James and Simon Mayor - info req'd
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 02:43 PM

Well, after six years, I noticed the request and changed the name spelling on the thread title. I came across some wonderful recordings by Hilary James on her MySpace site (click). Her Website is http://folksong.co.uk/.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Hilary James and Simon Mayor - info req'd
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 04:41 AM

Of course Simon is a Yorkshireman tha knows.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Hilary James and Simon Mayor - info req'd
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 08:29 AM

But he has been doing Missionary work Darn Sarf for a LONG time !