Mormos - 2022 - Mormos Live at le Chat Ecarlate

(35:36; Windsailor Music)






















Even though I have only recently come across Mormos, there is no doubt in my mind that they should have been a huge band back in the day (I think they were active 1970-1973), and given they were signed with CBS with whom they released two albums and some singles I am not the only one. It was only fairly recently that some good quality live recordings surfaced, and this album was mastered and released in 2022 by Ernie Mansfield (flute, alto flute, harmonica, vocals, percussion). The band were originally formed by Jim Cuomo (soprano sax, clarinet, domra, vocals) and Annie the Hat (lead vocals) along with Ernie, Elliott Delman (guitar, vocals) and Sandy Spencer (vocals, cello) in Champaign, Illinois, before they all upped sticks to Paris where they stayed for the next few years playing a type of English folk/singer songwriter.

There is little in the way of audience noise or reaction, or interplay with the crowd, but there is no doubt that here is a band who are clearly in their element, with the lack of drummer allowing more space in their arrangements and they use the opportunity to improvise and extend, something which clearly shows the close rapport which only comes from countless hours playing together. Living and playing in foreign countries obviously meant they had a very strong relationship with each other, and this comes through in the closeness of the arrangements and vocal harmonies. With multi-instrumentalists in the band they were able to switch and change the approach, with everyone having the opportunity to take the lead melody at times. The music is complex threads, interweaving to create magical music which has more than stood the test of time. Yes, there is the feeling due to the recording that this is a dated live set, but it just adds to the overall ambience of what must have been a wonderful experience. With different singers able to take the lead or provide harmonies it just adds to the strength of the performance.

To hear both studio albums and this live set more than 50 years on from when they were originally recorded has been a privilege and delight which does make me wonder what would have happened to them if they got the breaks they so richly deserved. After Mormos, Cuomo stayed in France (and sometimes England) and played with a number of groups (sax/clarinet/keyboard) and had a solo album on CBS. Meanwhile, Annie, Elliott, and Ernie moved back to the US Midwest and joined the progressive/country-rock group SkyFarmer (1973-75). After that, Ernie moved to California and he had two solo albums on Catero Records as flautist playing new age jazz, and I will be writing about those soon as well.  

Mormos is a name all fans of progressive folk and early Seventies English-style folk rock would do very well to discover. All three albums have been remastered and are now available through Bandcamp. 

Kev Rowland, January 2026

Links:
https://www.mansfieldmusic.com/

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