Alan Morley: Recent Episodes
Alan Morley
Multi instrumentalist / vocalist / composer. Folkie and Rock 'n' Roller....Still a big fan of early Steeleye and Fairport but also Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull - which goes some way to explaining my twist on most of the stuff I record..
After a 5 year break, I have returned to my folk music roots and re-launched a website. FOLKRSIE FolkRise covers, Folk Clubs | Folk Music Artists | Morris Sides | Folk Shows
https:// folkrise.co.uk
Another example of me 'twisting' traditional tunes. In addition I have strayed from the accepted key of "D" and my version here is in "G". The Folk Police will be after me again ;)
I wrote the tune to celebrate the magnificent replica of Captain Cook's ship the Endeavour. She was about to leave Whitby to sail back to Australia where she had been constructed.
Great tune written by Frédéric Paris, in French it's called "Le Canal En Octobre". It's normally played at its original tempo which is a schottische, I always thought it would be nice to take it slower....
A great song I found back in 1988 when me and the wife ran Ilkeston Folk Club at The Poplar Inn - now demolished.
I first heard Paul and Barry Dransfield sing this and I always wanted to try it. Hope you like it
I will eventually settle on a style but the journey will be a long one. In the meantime, I'll continue to experiment with songs, tunes sound textures and have some fun on the way.
This is a traditional Irish tune which is played at loads of sessions but not like this :) This could be why I struggle in trad Irish sessions.....
Expect the unexpected...
I have never played much harmonica on tracks although I started playing one in around 1958...Hohner Chromonica. Here's my version of the Bluegrass tune - Red Haired Boy.
Played on the wonderful Hohner CX12 chromatic in the key of G
Messing around with a Vox Tonelab ST and my Strat one day I stumbles across this 'whirly' sound and just had to try and find somethintg that I could use it on.
I first heard 'The Bold Poachers' on a Steeleye Span LP years ago and it stuck in my head. I started to think how to get the feel of some guys sneaking through a forest on a murky night trying to avoid the gamekeepers.
As usualy nothing turnes out as I expected at the start of a recording, I record on the fly and don't plan anything and see what develops. I don't read music so it's the only way I can work.
Anyway - thanks for listening and I hope you'll come back for a few listens.
Alan x
FOLK POLICE ALERT: Traditional folk song with my usual sort of twist.
I have alsways loved the song since I first heard Steeleye Span performing it on an early album. I realise that it's a serious subject but I sort of heard it being done in a 'different' way. I don't think I'll be doing it this way in any folk clubs in the near future... Oh well...
Two Border Morris tunes - played with a difference. Both have been melodeon.net 'Tune Of The Month'
I try to play these tune in music sessions at this slowed down pace but everyone joins in at Morris Speed ( faster )
It seems like this track is my 'biggest hit' on Soundcloud - which is nice.
I'd love to get a band together to play this sort of stuff at Folk Festivals and have local border sides on stage with us... One day in my dreams...
Thanks for listening...
Alan x
Three Around Three is a Traditional English Country Dance - the tune is 'The Pleasures of The Town'
This is me stepping back into a local barn dance band Tight Squeeze, which I was part of in the 1980's.