Harper Simon is on tour in Britain, promoting his self-titled debut album of elegant America folk, country and chamber pop songs.

Released in April, it was recorded in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles with famed producer Bob Johnston, an all-star group of veteran first-call Nashville session players, contemporary young singer-songwriter and musician friends, and, yes, even Harper’s father, one Paul Simon. Charles Hutchinson catches up with his progress in London.

How have the British responded to you so far, Harper?

“It’s been great for me, and that means a lot to me as I used to live there – from 2001 to 2005 in London – so I was always thinking as I was making this record how it would be received there, and what it would be like to return there.

“It’s been thrilling to get the positive reaction to the record, and it’s been lovely to be here in the summer, playing festivals and catching up with friends in England, where the summer is pretty much unbeatable.”

Will you play a solo acoustic set in Pocklington this weekend, or will you be performing as Harper Simon & Friends with The Cardinals’ Jon Graboff and the Chapin Sisters folk trio?

“I’ll play solo. I don’t know if it suits it better to do that; I often play with a band and I’ll be coming back to England in the fall and bringing my band, but it’s just too expensive to do that for the festivals.

“So if I can play a few solo shows, make a little money…and then blow it on the band! But at the same time I love playing solo; you can be free in lots of musical ways: you’re free to improvise within your own songs; you can play with the tempo, your phrasing; and change your set list.

“It’s a whole different skill set…it’s a lot easier to carry a half-hour set but for an hour’s set, to keep people’s attention with one voice and a guitar, you’d better hope they’re really interested in your lyrics and your playing!”

Did you start out playing acoustic guitar?

“No, I started in thrash, punky bands when I was young in East Village and didn’t do this acoustic solo playing until recently.

“I didn’t have the confidence, but I’ve done a lot of work on my voice and knowing how to perform, have stage presence and talk between songs. I had to go up a few notches before I didn’t feel embarrassed to be on stage…though I don’t know if I’ve reached that point! You just get better the more you do it.”

Was it a deliberate decision to spread your album-recording sessions between three cornerstones of the American music industry, Nashville, Los Angeles and New York?

“Well, it was deliberate in the sense that I went to work in Nashville first with Bob Johnston and ‘the A Team’ of session players [Charlie McCoy, Lloyd Green and Hargus “Pig” Robbins]. It was a great honour and a privilege because I’d been listening to a lot of those players for the whole of my life on records by Elvis, Bob Dylan and The Byrds. I learned a lot.

“Then in Los Angeles and finally New York I worked with people I knew, more contemporary people [Petra Haden, Inara George, Eleni Mandell, Sean Lennon and Adam Green]. It was a production concept – blending the great session players from the Sixties with my friends and contemporaries – that I thought was fresh and an interesting experiment.

“I think it’s the first time that someone has done that, but I made many mistakes and I don’t know if I made the great record I aspired to, but I definitely learned a whole lot, so that when I make the second record I’ll know the things that worked and the things to avoid.”

How have you handled the inevitable comparisons with your very famous musician father?

“People will always make comparisons; that’s inescapable and so you just have to do what you do. I think the only way to do it is to carry on doing it, so people talk about it less and less.

“And when I do my next record, I won’t talk about and probably I won’t have to. I’ve been relatively obliging…so far.”

Pocklington Arts Centre 10th Anniversary Music Festival on Sunday features Edwina Hayes, 1pm; David Ford, 1.35pm; Her Name Is Calla, 2.20pm; Ellen & The Escapades, 3.35pm; interval; Sandi Thom, 5.25pm; Harper Simon, 6.30pm; Seth Lakeman, 7.50pm; and The Blockheads, 9.20pm.

The main stage will be complemented by an acoustic stage for local and regional performers, along with craft stalls. Food and drink will be served throughout the day.

Tickets are still available at £38 on 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk