Mazlyn Jones

Mazlyn Jones

Mazlyn Jones is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist whose work combines acoustic guitar, electric textures and the Indian santor. His music draws on folk, roots and progressive influences, and his performances also use visual elements to support the themes in his songs. He works without tapes or synthesizers.

Background and early life

Jones is born in the industrial Midlands and starts writing songs and poetry, and playing guitar, at an early age. After working part-time with animals in his youth, he moves to the Channel Islands in the 1970s to study and work with great apes for conservationist and writer Gerald Durrell. He later studies animal behaviour and concludes that conservation depends on changing attitudes. He then moves to the north coast of Cornwall, and much of his writing is shaped by the land, sea and skies of south-west Britain, where he lives.

Recordings and label

By the early 1980s, Jones has a young family, has spent time as a part-time lifeboat man, has released three albums, and has established Isle of Light, the independent label on which all of his later material is released. He has eight albums to his credit. His third album, Breaking Cover, begins a long-term collaboration with drummer Guy Evans, formerly of Van der Graaf Generator, after they meet in 1980.

Career and collaborations

By the mid-1980s, Jones develops his guitar style and songwriting further, leading to appearances as a special guest with a number of well-known bands on the UK and European rock circuit, including Barclay James Harvest. He plays clubs and festivals across the UK and Europe, and his audience grows both in his established folk-rooted following and among listeners in the dance and rave scene. He also has high-profile television collaborations with the BBC.