Concertina player Simon and guitarist Ian first met in 1988 in the inaugural BBC Radio 2 Young Tradition Award. Neither of them won it (Lynn Tocker did) but Simon returned in 1989 to take the prize. As part of the win they both ended up at Sidmouth Folk Festival and this is where they put their first set of reels together. Soon after this they made their first LP HOOTZ! On Black Crow Records in 1990.
After the release they performed at many folk clubs and festivals around the UK. In 1991 the performed on The Shetland Sessions tv programme that was broadcast on BBC 1 and around the world. Their 2 tv sets – Itchy Fingers and The Scones of Bochty were much aclcaimed and influenced many musicians.
Both musicians also continued to perform with other musicians. Ian has played with Karen Tweed, Swap, 2 Duos Quartet, Kate Rusby and many many more. Simon moved more into folk jazz fusion and formed the Simon Thoumire Three, Keep it Up and a duo with David Milligan. Both have played extensively all round the world and recorded many CDs.
They ceased performing in 1996 and reformed for the 30th Anniversary of Shetland Folk Festival to much acclaim. Sue Wilson wrote in the Scotsman newspaper that
“The brilliantly puckish pairing of concertina player Simon Thoumire and guitarist Ian Carr rendered even tunes as classic as The Mason’s Apron and Calliope House magically afresh, teeming with joyous virtuosity.”
This reception encouraged Simon and Ian to record ad new album in January 2013. It’s called He Thinks He’s Invisible and features all new material and arrangements. Read more about it here. Thanks to Creative Scotland for their support in recording the CD.
Here’s a video we made in January 2011
Watch more of our videos here http://www.youtube.com/user/simonthoumire1/videos
To read more about Ian check out http://www.iancarrguitar.com/
News for Simon Thoumire and Ian Carr
New-old #makegoodart!
Getting together with guitarist Ian Carr is always a thrill! He has an amazing practice ethic and whenever we are together we learn new material and try new ideas. This piece is a bit of both. It features some of my old makegoodart from Easter time and some new ideas that we’ve had including our […]
I’m in Kaustinen, Finland!
Not just me but Ian Carr as well. What a great festival full of brilliant music from from locals to professionals. Loads of fantastic dancing as well! Home tomorrow.
Easter Day #makegoodart
We had a lovely time over the Easter period. I went to see a fantastic gig by Heidi Talbot, John McCusker and Ian Carr in Milngavie Folk Club and then afterwards Ian returned home with me to spend Easter with my family. We did lots of playing including this #makegoodart piece. The piece maps out our day […]
He Thinks He’s Invisible – Simon Thoumire and Ian Carr (2014)
When Ian and I got the email from Davie Henderson in 2009 to see if we would be willing to perform at the 30th Shetland Folk Festival in May 2010 it sounded like a blast! It would be the first time we would have played together in 15 years and it would be fun to […]
Recording is fun?
I’m a fan of making records. I’m not a fan though of hanging around studios! I do like them as spaces but I don’t really find them ‘creative’ spaces. I like to go into a studio prepared, well rehearsed having had most of the ideas/arrangements beforehand! I love the process of rehearsing though. I love […]
