|
|
|
|
Morris On is back! |
||
Some tracks are still quite traditional in feel and others definitely have that English folk rock touch, all of which still have that rollicking morris rhythm. You sometime feel the urge to jump up and start jigging about the lounge room (get a life Kim....Bron) The CD kicks off with the trad tunes of "Blue Eyed Stranger" and "The Curly-Headed Plough Boy" but with the added lyrics of Ashley. Chris Leslie, of Fairport and active morris person, fiddles his tune "Le Halle Place" (named after the the oldest Adderbury house and home to amateur folk collector Janet Blunt). The tune was allegedly knocked up in minutes after the then Adderbury Squire, Tim Radford, wrote a dance on the spot and demanded a tune. It's now part of the men's repertoire. The Adderbury Morris Men, Stroud Morris and Outside Capering Crew all feature on the album, dancing live, complete with calls and with the studio musos overlaying the Morris On sound. Beautiful! It's a pity you won't hear it at street performance. Adderbury even turned up to the studio in full kit! Along with the trad songs and tunes such as "Shepherd's Hey" (with Simon Care on melodeon and the best version I've ever heard!)/Orange in Bloom/The Quaker", "Black Joke", "Gloucester Hornpipe" (with impeccable guitar picking from Phil Beer, of Show of Hands, and Jon Moore), "Sweet Jenny Jones", "Garland Gay", "Glorishears" (a very melodic version), "Saturday Night/Bobbing Joe/Beaux Badby" (a rollicking version) and "Little Johnny England", there are a quite a number of new tunes and songs in the old tradition. There's one that's a bit of a worry, but I'll let you work that one out. (although the sentiment is quite nice and it may grow on you...). Some of these newies are real corkers like Barry Goodman's tune - "Four Up", used for the Outside Capering Crew's stunning version of "Bacca Pipes". This tune seriously rocks! If you don't play the box this tune will make you want to rush out and learn how to. "Tom Long's Post" is another great tune. You can just imagine the Stroud Women dancing, with their high stepping, swishing hankies and knicker exposing skirts! The songs, such as "Mr Trill's Song", relate the sentiment of the older dancer reminiscing about the old days and how his son will carry on the tradition. Simon Nichol and Ric Sanders of Fairport make an appearance along with such notables as Dave Whetstone, Jim Walker, Ken Nichol, Outside Capering Crew musos Barry Goodman, Mark Rogers and Lawrence Wright, Stroud muso Sharon Kilyon, and Abberbury muso Stephen Wass. This CD is a must have for any morris dancers collection ...I reckon even some non morris type would like it! Grandson is released on Talking Elephant Records in the UK. And as the t-shirt says, "Personally, I blame Ashley Hutchings!" Kimbo Warning: Beware of the alarmingly scary shot of Phil Beer inside the booklet! Vincent Street Seven disparate musicians and entertainers defy the odds and perform exciting harmonious renditions of their forefather's songs and music. Their forefathers were the motive power of a large empire and this hereditary influence may explain the band's exuberant 'in your face' performances. Wheeze and Suck are as ethnic as John Bull, rarer than goals scored by the English soccer squad and more entertaining than a theatre full of Riverdancers. They are one of the most under appreciated bands on the Australian folk music scene. The recording studios have mixed the band to result in something that is not often heard in the live performances. Unfortunately this may become a benchmark that has to be lived up to in future. Vincent Street is a beautiful clean recording that allows each performer to be individually heard and appreciated, it enables the listener to hear the bands clever and harmonious arrangements. Numerous listeners have commented that they had (previous to hearing Vincent Street) failed to appreciate the subtlety and intricacy of the band's musicianship. Vincent Street consists of five traditional tunes, five traditional songs, two smashing new ballads in the folk idiom by the 'Pump', two new tunes by 'Wotan' and two by the 'Foreman'. The 'Undertaker's' arrangements of Cyril Tawney's "Sammy's Bar" & Sydney Carter's "Lord of the Dance" are also featured together with the band's tribute to Ska with the Guns Of Navarone. These are the songs and tunes that tell of the joys, trials, tribulations and taunts of the English working classes. The Vincent Street album almost has something for everyone, even the moronic will not be challenged by the words of Ladbroke Grove (the 'Pump' must be looking for a commercial hit!) Wheeze and Suck usually commence their performances with the ironic comment "For lovers of fine music - you're in the wrong place." Decide for yourself, I know that I will treasure and often play my copy of Vincent Street. Allegedly written by Speaking of Morris type albums... English Customs and
Traditions CD-SDL 425 (CD)/CSDL 425 (MC) 66 mins Helston Furry Dance & Hal-an-tow, Padstow Hobby Horse, Castleton Oak-Apple/Garland Day, Bampton Morris Dancing, Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, Wassailing, Antrobus Soul Cakers (mummers), John Barleycorn, Cherry Tree Carol, Lazarus and other ritual songs and carols, all captured on tape over many years by folklorist and collector Peter Kennedy. With full notes and texts on the meanings of these rites. Speaking of Morris type books... Kemp's jiggers get between the covers... This year's re-enactment of Will Kemp's jig from London to Norwich is now the subject of a book - written on the move. "Dr Uid" of Golden Star Morris has sent the Donkey a brief note: Julie alias the scribe who recorded the re-enactment of Kemp's jig this year (I only played the box and walked for the whole route) has indeed got the record published! It is an excellent read and funny to boot. It has not been amended by the publishers at all as it was done on the hoof into a Dictaphone and only tidied up for readability's sake. So it has the rhythm of the music and the dance woven into the text. It is also very cheap (there is no money in morris, is there?) at 5 Pounds post free (UK). Email Dr Uid or send your cheque payable to Julie McKenzie, to The Scribe Something from Lichfield The Morris Ring is proud to announce the publication of "THE WRAGGLE TAGGLE GYPSIES" - The story and notations of the Lichfield Dances, by Jack Brown. Jack Brown was there when the original manuscripts arrived and was given the job of working the dances out. This A5 Book contains 80 pages of history, instructions with diagrams for dancing the dances, 8 pictures, music notation of the tunes, and for the first time ever, copies of the manuscripts themselves. The book costs £5.00 plus £2.25 postage and packing. If you wish to order a
copy, send your payment to the Midlands and North Area Representative, David Thompson at If you require more details, contact him direct at Tel: 01332 770578, or E-mail at thompson_capers@tesco.net . In due course it will be available from Steve Adamson's Morris Ring shop [no P&P]. "Room, Room, Ladies
and Gentlemen: 120p, map, fully illustrated, 9 play texts and song. Two of England's foremost authorities on folk drama provide us with a discussion Published in association with The Folklore Society. £12.95 (plus £1.50 p&p. With all orders for this book, a companion volume, The English Mumming Play: an introductory bibliography, can be purchased at the cheaper price of £3.50.
|
|
Abuse the Editor
|
