Anyone out there play for any morris sides ? If so, what do you play, what is the name of your team and where are ou based ?

I play saxophone for The Rose and Castle Morris based at Stoke Bruerne (it's slap bang on the Grand Union canal) in Northamptonshire. We're a North West clog side - men only dancers, men or women in the band.

Ooooh, I grew up in a village about 4 miles away from Stoke Bruerne and saw the Morris Dancers there many times Don't think I've ever seen a sax in a Morris Band before though! How did you get to play such an "untraditional" instrument for them?

I agree,it's certainly not what you'd normally expect - usually fiddle, melodeon, concertinas, etc. For North Wesr clog dances however, a bass brass instrument was often played in the past so I suppose the sax replaces that part as we have loads of fiddles, squeeze boxes, drum and two whistles in the band for the dancers. It gives it another layer that we didn't have before. When we had the team in Rugby, there were only a few of us in it so the most we had playing would be three, and often it was dancing to solo sax which was very different ! Purists ( and there are a few in the folky world who find it hard to move with the times) can find it 'a bit odd' and 15 years ago I never saw anyone else play sax for dancing. Not so now ! We were down at the Rochester Sweeps festival last year where there were 80 teams out and there were loads of sax players . It was great ! Even a baritone was out - that must be hard work lugging that around.

Hey there! I play the pipe & tabor and am trying to join my local morris side. Do you know where I can get a costume from though? I havn't been able to find any supplier yet, and my fabric skills are nowhere near good enough to get my own.

Matt

Hi I play for Nyfte+The Blakeney Reds

http://www.nyfte.org.uk/
http://www.freewebs.com/blakeneyred/frames.htm

T o BassMadMatt - good for you - I can guarantee you'll have a great time as part of the team. What kit does your intended team wear - I might be able to help you out or put you in touch with someone who could make what you need. Which side is it by the way ?

I've never played for a morris side, but my husband used to dance for "Devils Dyke", based around Cambridge/ Newmarket area. The side is named after a local landmark that stretches from Reach to Stechworth. It goes right past the July Course in Newmarket.