Chris-D/G Hohner Erica, Beltuna Sara & Castagnari Lilly Melodeon's, Simon-Resonator Mandolin, Gary-18" Side Drum, Simon K-G/C, D/G Anglo Concertina's AC Norman and Marcus, Megan-D/G Weltmiester & Castagnari Lilly Melodeon's, Streb Midi Melodeon, Christine-Serenillini D/G & Castagnari Lilly Melodeon's, Pete & Tim-Fiddle, Roy-Premier Bass Drum, Paul- 6 String Echo Guitar, Sue-Assorted Recorders, Lynda-Shakey Things, Pip-Spoons tuned d/g using a tuning fork, Various people-Percussion.
Dancers..
Christine, Pip, Laurence, Anne, Dave, Ray, Paul , Huw, Julie, Jen, Sue, Kay, Caitlin, Heather, Becky,
Web Mistress
The all seeing Michele
TO BOOK US FOR YOUR EVENT, PLEASE GO TO OUR CONTACTS PAGE ON OUR MAIN WEB SITE.
Influences
Harvey's of Lewes (Sussex's best Beer), Traditional English Music. We have not gone out to copy any particular dance style but have taken those bit's we like and used them to create our own version of dances and tunes.
If you can't get to see us in the flesh, then why not check out our web site for details of the DVD Rising To Dance, produced by Newland Media www.morrisdancevideos.internet-today.co.uk who have also put together a series on the Morris Dancers of England.
Hunters Moon Morris were formed in 2001 as an alternative to Eastbourne's other Morris sides. We perform Morris Dances based on the old traditional and new dances of the Welsh Border Morris style. Our music is traditional in the main but we do blend some new tunes into the old tunes if the dance requires it. The musicians have a varied background in music, some have played in rock and cover bands, orchestra, duo's and english ceilidh bands.
We appear at Folk Festivals across the south of england such as Rochester Sweeps, Hastings Jack in The Green, Chippenham, Wimborne, Crawley and Tenterden. We are also the host Morris side for Eastbournes Lammas Festival and have danced at Witchfest England 2007. The side can also be found at beer festivals, pagan conventions, along the prom in Eastbourne, handfastings and anywhere you want us, as long as we have an audience!!
We have built up a varied repertoir of dances and a reputation as a well practiced, exciting mixed border morris side who can 'PUT ON A SHOW'. This comes from the desire by everyone in the side to be ambassadors of our english culture and heritage by, upholding the main principles of the Morris Federation to promote 'Good Morris'.
The sample recordings here are raw music!!! taken via a Sony MD recorder using Stealth Hawk Diablo stereo mic and pre amp in a school hall with no acoustic damping!! However, we have had so many requests for CD's that in March 2008 we will be going into the studio to record our first album. Watch out for details.
Big thanks must go to the Mediaeval Baebes for permission to use 'Averil' from the album Untrentide for the dance we call Shropshire Morris. Check them out on myspace or their web site, also to Bellowhead for the use of a track from 'Burlesque'.
Thanks to all those dancers and musicians who have gone before and those that still influence us today.
For further information on Hunters Moon Morris please follow the link to our web site.
The origin of the 'Border' style 'tatter' costumes and the blacked-upfaces of the dancers is obscure. Attempts have been made to explain the traditional black faces by equating Morris with 'Moorish' (African) dances from the middle ages, but current thinking holds that it was more likely to have been a form of disguise, as the activities of morris dancers and mummers were generally frowned upon by the rural clergy and squirearchy, especially as the dancers would dance for money which they would more than likely use to pay for beer!!
Border Morris was largely ignored by Edwardian folk-dance collectors who considerd it a less highly developed form of dancing than its better known cousin, the 'Cotswold' morris, but the style has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years as modern audiences tend to enjoy the raucous exuberance and wild appearance of the dancers.
Performances include old favourites plus new dances written by members of the side.
You'll hear and see the names of dances such as:
Hunters Moon
Much Wenlock
Old Tyler
September 4th
Cuckoo's Nest
Not Not for Joe
Furze Field Common
Three Jolly Black Sheepskins
John Barleycorn
Much Wenlock
Dancing Oolert
White Ladies Aston
Brimfield
Jinxed
and the beautiful - Gypsy Lad - plus many more.
It's a place for bands to explain how they book shows. Comes along with news on web technologies, recording gizmos as well as music industry trends and anecdotes.
Yes Happy Solstice. Jerry and I are playing The Star Inn Eastbourne tomorrow (Sunday 21st) 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Come along and support us and have a beer with yer old friend...
