Double Bill: Simon Mayor/Hilary James & Moonrakers

Four-piece Celtic band featuring harp, cello, stringed instruments, whistles, female/male vocals. Traditional and contemporary songs and tunes. With five commercial albums under their belt. Moonrakers specialise in songs and tunes from the English, Irish and Scottish tradition as well as their own compositions. Described as “startlingly talented” (Oxford Times) and now with five albums of "exquisite music "(BBC) and "truly wonderful" (Wycombe Festival) performances, they present an informal evening of musical excellence and humour.

Simon Mayor is one of the worlds leading mandolin virtuosos and composers for the instrument as well as a fine guitarist, fiddle player and wit. Hilary James elegant singing is regarded as one of the purest singing voices to be found on the English musical stage. Quintessentially English, they easily cross the great musical divides from British ballads to blues and Berlioz. They have that rare ability that allows them to perform a truly diverse array of music with respect and affection held together by humorous introductions. Their repertoire encompasses folk, traditional, Celtic, swing, blues and classical music richly illustrated by a diverse range of instruments from mandolin, guitar, banjos, ukuleles, double bass and Hilary’s famous giant mandobass - the latter generates a lot of interest at performances. They slide easily from a beautifully evocative Irish ballads into a mandolin and guitar version of Handels Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and finish with everyone singing one of their own notoriously comic songs (reminiscent of Hillaire Belloch and Flanders and Swan).