Colchester Waits has involved a large number of persons over the last 600 years. Some of them - mentioned in Colchester Court Rolls - are listed below.
John Cole c. 1378,
John Colet c 1461,
John Hogg c 1558,
Ezechiell Youll c 1558,
Jeffrye Wood c 1558,
John Garland c 1558,
Peter Sprott c 1558,
Thomas Spratt c 1617,
In modern times the tradition has continued with numerous participants contributing to the Waits activities.
Current active members include:
Philip Manchester,
Paul Golding,
Trevor Deeprose,
Robert Brown.
Other occasional members include: David Shepherd (Blowzabella), Chrissy Truman, Chris Gutteridge, Lizzie Gutteridge.
Influences
The main influences on the Waits music are down to expediency - that is what can be played on the limited ancient instruments - usually in the streets. The high pitched reed (or Waits) pipe resembles a primitive oboe and is clearly related to similar reed pipes - mainly the shawm - from around the world.
Colchester Waits use a variety of instruments for street functions including the Pipe and Tabor, the bombarde (a Breton reed pipe), North African shawm and various percussive devices. The Waits Consort also uses stringed instruments including the violin, the bass viol and the hurdy gurdy.
More from: http://waits.org.uk/extant/index.htm
Sounds Like
Some say the Colchester Waits sound like a sack full of cats being swung in a hail storm. Ned Ward in the London Spy (c.1800) described the London Waits as 'a noise so dreadful and surprising that we thought the devil was riding on hunting through the City with a pack of deep mouthed hell hounds'. This is a pretty accurate description of Colchester Waits on a good night.
"The most ancient band in MySpace Music!! 631 and counting"
The original Colchester Waits date back to the 14th Century. Borough records from the 15th and 16th centuries also frequently mention Waits in Colchester. Most Waits groups were disbanded in the 1830s with the municipal reform acts.
The New Colchester Waytes were revived in 1973 to perform a musical entertainment called 'Witchfinder' about the career of Matthew Hopkins, the infamous Witchfinder General.
Since then the Colchester Waits have surfaced from time to time in various forms both as 'consort' group to play for public functions and as a 'marching' band accompanying the Colchester Town Watch.
Lizzie Gutteridge of Wylde's Noyse runs the Colchester Waits Shawm Band. More from the Shawm Band's site, HERE.
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this folk-carol on myspace... Poem 230 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (see my blog for details): CHRISTMAS SUNG SIMPLY
As gospellers have said, Beneath signalling skies, On land dusty to tread, A trough in a stable Was the strawy first-bed Of a divine baby - The forgiving Godhead.
A season for new hope - There then and here now; The yuletide of goodwill - There then and here now.
In respect of this chance, Beneath bright or dark skies, Faith's the star that we glance Attending Christ's churches And trying to enhance, With singing and ritual, Our God-loving stance.
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 2 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
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