Treetop Flyers swoop in to Fairport's Cropredy Convention

For a man who has played some of the hippest venues on the planet, from Glastonbury to California, Reid Morrison is uncharacteristically excited about his band’s next UK date — a corner of a field in north Oxfordshire.

“It’s Cropredy!” says the mellow frontman of soulful country-rockers Treetop Flyers. “I love that festival. I’ve been there three years in a row and have always wanted to play there, so I’m really excited.”

For a man so laid-back he is practically horizontal, his enthusiasm for this annual gathering, organised by folk-rockers Fairport Convention, speaks volumes.

Since the 1970s, this intimate gathering of music-lovers has mushroomed into a 20,000-strong festival celebrating everything from prog-rock to soul — and, of course, folk. With their addictive blend of blues- rock, country and soul, Treetop Flyers fit in perfectly. And Reid knows it.

“It all came about, because we met someone in a pub,” he laughs. “Then, before we knew it, we received an invitation from Fairport themselves.

“It’s a great festival, and this year it will have been going for 35 years, so as soon as we were asked we said yes!”

While newcomers to the bill at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention, to give the festival its formal title, Reid and bandmates Tomer Danan, Sam Beer, Laurie Sherman and Aaron Griffiths are no strangers to Oxford-shire music-lovers. The band, and Reid and Aaron’s previous group Morrison Steam Fair, have repeatedly graced stages at Truck and Wilderness, the O2 Academy, and the Zodiac before it.

Then there have been the international tours, taking them across Europe and America, where they recorded debut album The Mountain Moves; and the sets at Glastonbury (the first time being personally selected by farmer and festival founder Michael Eavis after winning the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition), twin appearances at the South by South West Festival in Texas, and a support slot for Bob Dylan at the Hop Farm in Kent.

Top flight: Reid Morrison

Much has changed for Londoner Reid since his early days busking in Cowley Road. As we talk, he is busy preparing for a tour of Germany, from which he will return to our shores the day before Cropredy. “It’s going to be a rush,” he grins.

“Being in a band is something I’d always wanted to do, but I never thought I’d get these opportunities.

“You’ve got to be humble, not take things for granted, though. Being in a band is tough. You lose a lot of things, but if you’re good enough you’ll get chances. Look at us! We’ve toured the world and met some great people.

“There is still work to do but we enjoy it — which is the main thing. If it makes other people happy too and makes their lives better, it’s great - and humbling.”

The band are midway through recording a new album, which sees them expand their sound to incorporate more jazz and soul influences.

“We are still described as a West Coast ’70s-style Americana band, and, to a degree, I get with that,” he says. “But we are experimenting with guitar sounds and more psychedelic breaks. It’s a mix of soul, rock & roll and country-rock. In fact anything with a groove. It all goes into that cauldron of sound — and I’ll often have a freak-out and go off on one.

“We started recording in April and go back into the studio in a couple of months, then hopefully release the album next year. As a band, we are dedicated to it.”

While Reid and Aaron have been friends for years and played together in the aforementioned Morrison Steam Fair, the famously profane flame-haired bass botherer only joined the band recently, replacing previous incumbent Matthew Starritt.

Reid admits he had missed Aaron’s Cockney tones, cheeky chappy persona, and irreverent outbursts — as well as his virtuoso basswork. “It’s cool to be playing with him again,” he says. “Like the band, he is laid-back, passionate and outspoken. If you have a go at us, we’ll have a go back! But I feel privileged to be in a situation where I meet such great people and see such amazing places.

“I am travelling with my best mates and getting up to mischief. But that’s what a band should be — a band of brothers.”

And while the band have a busy week — starting today in Bochum before moving on to Dortmund, Munster, Berlin and Dresden — Cropredy remains the big one.

“It’s one of the best festivals,” says Reid. “It has one stage, so you get a great audience, and an interesting bill with new and old bands.

“I love the vibe and we’ll be on stage for an hour and 20 minutes — a long set. It’s going to be a good one.

“You’ve got to know the clientele and prepare a set just for them, but also do what you do.

“There’ll be a mix of songs from the album and a few new ones we are testing out.

“We like to take people on a journey. People miss that in music now, but with a long set you can bring it down and build it back up.

“You’ve got to step out the box and not care about what anyone thinks — and hopefully people will dig it.”

Treetop Flyers @ Fairport’s Cropredy Convention
Saturday, August 9
Sold out
Visit fairportconvention.com