Simon Jeffes
Simon Harry Piers Jeffes (19 February 1949 – 11 December 1997) was an English classically trained guitarist, composer and arranger. He formed, and was the primary performer of, the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. He was the composer of the ballet Still Life at the Penguin Cafe, of the much-recorded piece Music for a Found Harmonium, and other music recorded by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
Also recorded as Simon Harry Piers Jeffes
Simon Jeffes
- Name
- Simon Jeffes
- Birth Name
- Simon Harry Piers Jeffes
- Born
- 19 February 1949
- Birthplace
- Crawley, Sussex, England
- Died
- 11 December 1997 (aged 48)
- Place of death
- Taunton, Somerset, England
- Occupation
- * Guitarist
- Known for
- Founder of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Simon Harry Piers Jeffes (19 February 1949 – 11 December 1997) was an English classically trained guitarist, composer and arranger. He formed, and was the primary performer of, the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. He was the composer of the ballet Still Life at the Penguin Cafe, of the much-recorded piece Music for a Found Harmonium, and other music recorded by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
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wikidata · Q7519063 · wikipedia · Simon Jeffes
In this article
Biography
Biography
He is also known for assisting Sex Pistols producer Bill Price with the string arrangement for the Sid Vicious version of "My Way" which reached #7 on the UK singles charts as part of The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle soundtrack. A recording of piano works by Jeffes, Piano Music, was released by Zopf Records in 1998.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Simon Jeffes • Birth Name — Simon Harry Piers Jeffes • Born — 19 February 1949 • Birthplace — Crawley, Sussex, England • Died — 11 December 1997 (aged 48) • Place of death — Taunton, Somerset, England • Occupation — * Guitarist • composer • arranger • Known for — Founder of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Life and death
Life and death
Jeffes was born at the Montalan Nursing Home, Crawley, Sussex, on 19 February 1949, the son of James Henry Elliston Jeffes, a research chemist, and his wife, Anne Hope Madeline Jeffes (née Clutterbuck). Jeffes is the father of Arthur Jeffes, who is continuing his father's musical work with Penguin Cafe. Jeffes died of an inoperable brain tumor on 11 December 1997 in Taunton, leading to the dissolution of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
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Crawley.
Birth place
Taunton.
Death place
Primary material
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reference work
- “Simon Jeffes”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q7519063: Simon Jeffes
General reference · Wikidata
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reference work
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General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 19 August 2026.
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