The Albion Morris

Albion Morris was founded in 1972 when a group of exceptional young dancers and musicians left Chingford Morris to further the evolution of the Morris dance through the fusion of this ancient rite with modern electric music (following an approach from Ashley Hutchings during the formation of the Albion Country Band).

This was the era of electric folk rock and the magnificent playing of the Anglo-Concertina by John Watcham, the fiddling of Ian Cutler and the perfect execution of the dance by Albion Morris ensured that Morris became an integral part of concerts performed by the Albion Country Band, Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span.

The club played at major English and continental folk festivals, and toured Belgium annually where they have a special affiliation with the Dranouter Festival. There were performances at public, promotional and private events, folk clubs, TV, fetes and pub tours, open air concerts and even Knebworth! Today the club is less active but continues to perform at major events (such as Show of Hands Royal Albert Hall concert in 2001, and Phil Pickett's early music events on London's South Bank).

'There's something faintly absurd about the Saturday night bill of a major folk festival being topped by a Morris team but then Albion Morris are the prodigal sons of the Morris Ring. They mock the deadly seriousness that surrounds the traditional dancing, parody themselves and are completely irreverent. They are also very funny.'
MELODY MAKER of the Sidmouth Festival 1974

This album contains 22 tunes performed by some of the finest musicians to have accompanied Albion Morris over the last 30 years. They are fortunately for us 'Still Dancing After All These Years'

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