Biography
Maurice started singing in church choirs when he was six. He started playing guitar to accompany his and other peoples singing when he was 12 “because it was a really good way to meet girls”. By the time he was 14, Maurice was playing regularly at folk clubs and by the time he was 17 he was playing in his first folk group “Halcyon Dais” with his brother Reuben (Piano and vocals), along with Pam Wilson (vocal and bass) and Cherry Pearson (vocals). The group was named after a ship, Halcyon Days, on which his father had sailed.
Over the next couple of years the group evolved and changed line up and eventually name to the slightly less naff “Crises” with Brian Littlefair on piano and David Bainbridge on another guitar.
By 1976, when Maurice was 21, Crises had had all the crises it could cope with and disbanded. Over the next four years Maurice played at folk clubs (and at sessions when he could) as a solo act and as one half of a duo with Michael Linden. His favourite and most memorable gig over this period was as support for Bert Jansch at the (sadly now demolished) Byker Apollo.
In 1980, Maurice commenced a musical partnership with Viv Bell that was to last for ten years. In the early days they played as a duo at a range of venues including folk clubs, working men’s clubs (between the bingo and the stripper), pubs and restaurants. While this diverse work, along with some guitar teaching that Maurice had started doing in 1981, “paid the bills” neither Viv nor Maurice were satisfied. Folk clubs, the gigs they enjoyed most, were on the decline, while the other less enjoyable work was unfulfilling to say the least. Viv’s song-writing skills were rapidly developing so Maurice went out and got a “day job” while Viv and he started to put together a rock band, which was briefly “White Wing” then “The Viv Bell Band” but became “7 to Midnight” in 1983. At last, a decent band name.
Between 1985 and 1990 the band produced 3 albums and gigged extensively in the North East.
Maurice left 7 to Midnight in 1990, having pursued some solo work since 1988.
Throughout the early 90's the solo work in pubs and folk clubs continued alongside work in a four piece band “Broken Drum” with Julie Ann Kay, Liz Law and Rob Burn (who had also played in 7to Midnight). Julie Ann and Liz went on to become half of the four piece “Lucky Bags”. Additionally he organised and ran a folk club for several years at the Cumberland Arms in Byker. Highlights from this period include hiring Kate Rusby and Kathryn Roberts to play at the folk club for £65 just as they were becoming very (and rightly) successful, and supporting Richard Thompson at the Riverside Club in Newcastle (the most frightening gig Maurice had or has ever played).
It was in this period (around 1996) that Maurice first met Gillian Tolfrey who nervously came in to the Cumberland Arms Wednesday night session and asked if she could join in. A few years later Maurice and Gillian started doing occasional gigs together, on one occasion famously playing to the bar staff in an empty pub in Hartlepool. “We got paid and had a fine time anyway”.
In 2000 Maurice resumed teaching guitar, primarily at the Folkworks Caedmon evening classes. “It was a real pleasure being a Folkworks tutor. It was really challenging and made me think about how I played, which vastly improved my technique. I also got to meet some fabulous people; students, fellow tutors and Folkworks staff. I’m grateful to Folkworks for giving me the opportunity to work with them.”.
In 2006 Maurice and Gillian recorded the album "Balanced Books". The first recording Maurice had done since the three independent 7 to Midnight releases. Among Maurice and Gillians various activities, (gigs festivals etc.) was the organisation of the first, very sucessfull Dulvert Folk Festival.
Spring 2008 saw the break up of Condie and Tolfrey, with Maurice continuing to perform and teach. Electronic lessons have been sent round the world. When the Sage Gateshead axed instrument classes in summer 2009, Maurice, with colleagues and friends from the old Caedmon programme at the Sage, set up Phoenix Folk, which continues to successfully carry the torch for folk music tuition in the North East of England. After 2 years Phoenix is still going strong and has not only run 6 terms of classes but also ran a successful weekend of classes in March 2011 (Mad March Hare) and a concert and 10 one day workshops at the first Sunderland Folk Festival in August 2011.
Click hear for the Phoenix Folk Website:
As well as jointly running and teaching with Phoenix Folk, in March 2011 Maurice joined The Angels of the North Ceilidh Band, which is tremendous fun and a great experience. (Available for weddings wakes, birthdays and any other cause for celebration you care to think of). Click hear for a link to the Angels of the North website:
Maurice is starting recording his new album, continues to teach at Phoenix Folk and is available for gigs and festivals, either as a solo performer or with Rachael Leisk, a very talented singer and co-director of Phoenix Folk.
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