Simon Mayor Quintet – Mandolinquents (Acoustics Records).
This is the original line-up of the band that now call themselves The Mandolinquents and this is a re-release of their debut album from 1997. The album shows the prodigious talents that The Mandolinquents have and what they have built on over the last 10 years or so. I cannot fault the playing on Dvorak’s Slavonic Dance No 8; they are maestros of their instruments. Tchaikovsky’s Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy loses a bit of its impact perhaps but the dexterity on Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is amazing. It is worth noting that some of the band were wondering what to wear when performing the former – look out for concerts in your area! Plum Blossoms In The Snow is a traditional tune given the Mandolinquents treatment and more than meets the mark with Mayor on mandolin and Gerald Garcia on classical guitar. Mayor and friends play all kinds of music and Beat Out That Rhythm On A Drum from Carmen Jones is a venture into opera. Hilary James’ voice is not all that exceptional on this but we should not be too surprised as we are not talking about an operatic performance. However, the music is as infectious as the original. Down By The Sally Gardens is a traditional Irish folk tune. Played on guitar and mandola, it also has good harmony and the melody suits James’ voice far better. The addition of Chris Leslie on violin lends an air of authenticity.
Amongst this selection of classical and traditional tunes it is heartening to hear an original and Boston Ballyhoo is that original. Although short, it does allow Mayor, Richard Collins and Hilary James to display the full range of their talents. They jazz up the Irving Berlin oldie, Cheek To Cheek, although it does come out a bit Home Counties. There are flurries and runs aplenty on Russian Rag – good fun. It’s back to the classical mode for Ravel’s peaceful Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte. This, I feel, is a wrong choice as it doesn’t really transfer over to mandolin very well. They raid the Irving Berlin archives again for The Piccolino. The playing is still superb but I don’t really know what to make of this – I’m confused! The traditional American folk song He’s Gone Away resumes normal transmission and Apanhei Te is a tune played at breakneck speed. Written by Ernesto Nazareth, the King of Choro, which is a Brazilian street music, the speed is produced by the Cavaquinho, a type of small guitar that is designed to play at a rate of knots. This allows it to be transferred to mandolins very easily. They close with A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square, a well known song that Simon Mayor plays solo on the mandola and treats it in a sympathetic manner.
http://www.acousticsrecords.co.uk/
David Blue.
This is the original line-up of the band that now call themselves The Mandolinquents and this is a re-release of their debut album from 1997. The album shows the prodigious talents that The Mandolinquents have and what they have built on over the last 10 years or so. I cannot fault the playing on Dvorak’s Slavonic Dance No 8; they are maestros of their instruments. Tchaikovsky’s Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy loses a bit of its impact perhaps but the dexterity on Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is amazing. It is worth noting that some of the band were wondering what to wear when performing the former – look out for concerts in your area! Plum Blossoms In The Snow is a traditional tune given the Mandolinquents treatment and more than meets the mark with Mayor on mandolin and Gerald Garcia on classical guitar. Mayor and friends play all kinds of music and Beat Out That Rhythm On A Drum from Carmen Jones is a venture into opera. Hilary James’ voice is not all that exceptional on this but we should not be too surprised as we are not talking about an operatic performance. However, the music is as infectious as the original. Down By The Sally Gardens is a traditional Irish folk tune. Played on guitar and mandola, it also has good harmony and the melody suits James’ voice far better. The addition of Chris Leslie on violin lends an air of authenticity.
Amongst this selection of classical and traditional tunes it is heartening to hear an original and Boston Ballyhoo is that original. Although short, it does allow Mayor, Richard Collins and Hilary James to display the full range of their talents. They jazz up the Irving Berlin oldie, Cheek To Cheek, although it does come out a bit Home Counties. There are flurries and runs aplenty on Russian Rag – good fun. It’s back to the classical mode for Ravel’s peaceful Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte. This, I feel, is a wrong choice as it doesn’t really transfer over to mandolin very well. They raid the Irving Berlin archives again for The Piccolino. The playing is still superb but I don’t really know what to make of this – I’m confused! The traditional American folk song He’s Gone Away resumes normal transmission and Apanhei Te is a tune played at breakneck speed. Written by Ernesto Nazareth, the King of Choro, which is a Brazilian street music, the speed is produced by the Cavaquinho, a type of small guitar that is designed to play at a rate of knots. This allows it to be transferred to mandolins very easily. They close with A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square, a well known song that Simon Mayor plays solo on the mandola and treats it in a sympathetic manner.
http://www.acousticsrecords.co.uk/
David Blue.
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