Simon James (musician)
Encyclopedia
Simon James is an English
acoustic guitarist and an original member of Acoustic Alchemy
. After leaving the band, he later went on to form Kymaera, a Latin-style contemporary jazz band.
, North Yorkshire
Leeds College of Music studying flute
and guitar
(Gordon Crosskey), and Trinity College of Music, London, where he studied guitar and composition with Hector Quine and David Newbold
respectively. After obtaining his LTCL he joined the teaching staff at Trinity in 1977 and became guitar tutor at the Purcell School of Music in 1984. In 1981 he attended the first Master Class in Flamenco
to be given by Paco Peña in Cordoba, and this traditional art from Spain
became a very strong influence in his music clearly present in the early Alchemy recordings.
and with Maria Ewing
and has performed on live broadcasts for radio and television.
In 1984–1985 James and Webb began a collaboration with the actress Sylvia Syms
on a series of shows combining poetry and music ("The Female Principle", "If This Be Love", "Mothers And Daughters", "Love Lust And We All Make Mistakes"). This involved both writing and
arranging music for the shows as well as appearing in them.
In 1987 James formed his own publishing company, Designer Music Ltd., to develop the compositional side of his work. Commissions have included a fifteen part history of bullfighting
released in Spain by Planeta/Agostini in Autumn 1994, a thirteen part series on Serial Killers produced by Mainline Television in Autumn 1996 for SKY TV, and a series of commissioned arrangements which led to the creation of the band Kymaera in 1998.
Kymaera had two albums released in Spring 1998, the first album 'Rio Moods' (MCI) was a tribute to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim
but also contained original tracks, the second on the Prestige Jazz label consisted entirely of the music of George Michael
, both albums were produced and arranged by him in collaboration with his present musical partner guitarist Shane Hill
. Kymaera made its debut at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club on the 21st June 1998 and successfully launched both albums before going on to make a third album 'Careless Whispers' (MCI) released in September 1998.
The next Kymaera album ‘Into The Rainbow’ was a tribute to his former partner Webb who had died in February 1998 and which featured Ewing and Greg Carmichael
from the present Acoustic Alchemy. ‘Into The Rainbow’ was released in June 2001 and launched at Ronnie Scotts with Ewing, with whom he and Hill toured the UK that same year. In July and August 2001 Kymaera made an album for Union Square entitled ‘California Dreamin’ which was released the following year.
In Summer 2004 Kymaera recorded another album for Union Square some tracks of which were released in Spring 2006 on ‘Smooth Jazz’ including two with vocals from guest singer Lynieve Austin - Streetlife and Rainy Night In Georgia. The original ‘Into The Rainbow’ has now been combined with unreleased tracks for Union Square, was re-mastered, and released in January 2007 by Sheridan Square Records in the USA.
James specialises in a fusion of Spanish classical and flamenco for solo guitar which is both unique and yet firmly centred in those traditional values, this led to the creation of the band Almaraya in 2006; based around the rhythm section of Kymaera and with the addition of Lynieve Austin on vocals the band launched the Croydon Jazz Festival in April of that year.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
acoustic guitarist and an original member of Acoustic Alchemy
Acoustic Alchemy
Acoustic Alchemy is an English contemporary instrumental and smooth jazz band formed in England in the early 1980s , originally fronted by acoustic guitarists Nick Webb and Simon James...
. After leaving the band, he later went on to form Kymaera, a Latin-style contemporary jazz band.
Early years and education
Born in York, England, James was educated at Ampleforth CollegeAmpleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
Leeds College of Music studying flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(Gordon Crosskey), and Trinity College of Music, London, where he studied guitar and composition with Hector Quine and David Newbold
David Newbold
David Newbold is a comic book inker. Newbold's first work was in 2004, where he inked an issue of Marvel Comics's series Marvel Age Fantastic Four....
respectively. After obtaining his LTCL he joined the teaching staff at Trinity in 1977 and became guitar tutor at the Purcell School of Music in 1984. In 1981 he attended the first Master Class in Flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
to be given by Paco Peña in Cordoba, and this traditional art from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
became a very strong influence in his music clearly present in the early Alchemy recordings.
Career
In 1979 James became a founding member of the band Acoustic Alchemy, leaving the band to pursue other interests in 1985. He has toured solo, with Acoustic Alchemy , with Nick WebbNick Webb (musician)
Nicholas "Nick" Webb was an English acoustic guitarist, composer, and co-founder of contemporary jazz group Acoustic Alchemy...
and with Maria Ewing
Maria Ewing
Maria Louise Ewing is an American opera singer who has sung both soprano and mezzo soprano roles. She is noted as much for her acting as her singing.-Life and career:...
and has performed on live broadcasts for radio and television.
In 1984–1985 James and Webb began a collaboration with the actress Sylvia Syms
Sylvia Syms
Sylvia M. L. Syms OBE is a British actress. She is probably best known for her roles in the films Woman in a Dressing Gown , Ice-Cold in Alex , No Trees in the Street , Victim and The Tamarind Seed...
on a series of shows combining poetry and music ("The Female Principle", "If This Be Love", "Mothers And Daughters", "Love Lust And We All Make Mistakes"). This involved both writing and
arranging music for the shows as well as appearing in them.
In 1987 James formed his own publishing company, Designer Music Ltd., to develop the compositional side of his work. Commissions have included a fifteen part history of bullfighting
Bullfighting
Bullfighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and some Latin American countries , in which one or more bulls are baited in a bullring for sport and entertainment...
released in Spain by Planeta/Agostini in Autumn 1994, a thirteen part series on Serial Killers produced by Mainline Television in Autumn 1996 for SKY TV, and a series of commissioned arrangements which led to the creation of the band Kymaera in 1998.
Kymaera had two albums released in Spring 1998, the first album 'Rio Moods' (MCI) was a tribute to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
but also contained original tracks, the second on the Prestige Jazz label consisted entirely of the music of George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
, both albums were produced and arranged by him in collaboration with his present musical partner guitarist Shane Hill
Shane Hill
Shane Robin Hill is an Australian politician. He has represented the electorate of Geraldton in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from the 2001 election for the Australian Labor Party until losing the seat in the 2008 election.Hill defeated the sitting Liberal member, Bob Bloffwitch, in...
. Kymaera made its debut at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club on the 21st June 1998 and successfully launched both albums before going on to make a third album 'Careless Whispers' (MCI) released in September 1998.
The next Kymaera album ‘Into The Rainbow’ was a tribute to his former partner Webb who had died in February 1998 and which featured Ewing and Greg Carmichael
Greg Carmichael
Greg Carmichael , is a long standing member of contemporary jazz group Acoustic Alchemy. His primary instrument is the nylon string acoustic guitar....
from the present Acoustic Alchemy. ‘Into The Rainbow’ was released in June 2001 and launched at Ronnie Scotts with Ewing, with whom he and Hill toured the UK that same year. In July and August 2001 Kymaera made an album for Union Square entitled ‘California Dreamin’ which was released the following year.
In Summer 2004 Kymaera recorded another album for Union Square some tracks of which were released in Spring 2006 on ‘Smooth Jazz’ including two with vocals from guest singer Lynieve Austin - Streetlife and Rainy Night In Georgia. The original ‘Into The Rainbow’ has now been combined with unreleased tracks for Union Square, was re-mastered, and released in January 2007 by Sheridan Square Records in the USA.
James specialises in a fusion of Spanish classical and flamenco for solo guitar which is both unique and yet firmly centred in those traditional values, this led to the creation of the band Almaraya in 2006; based around the rhythm section of Kymaera and with the addition of Lynieve Austin on vocals the band launched the Croydon Jazz Festival in April of that year.
External links
- Designer Music website
- [ All Music profile]