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5/1/2009
Fred Kraus
Mary Flower has a nice way of making the blues just sound so darn good. With her warm, husky contralto and keen ear for infectious melodies, Flower’s blues-based "Bridges" rolls out like a meandering river. The 14-track collection features pleasantly interwoven elements of folk, gospel, country, jazz and roots music. Much of her work on seems to "Bridges" seems to hearken back to a different, less complicated era. You’ll hear accordion, clarinet, string bass, washboard and, perhaps most distinctive, tuba. Flower writes or co-writes six songs here, including four instrumentals, where her prize-winning fingerstyle guitar and lap slide guitar work is featured. Along the way, Flower turns in fine renditions of Big Bill Broonzy’s wonderful "Big Bill Blues" and Hoagy Carmichael’s 1930 classic "Up A Lazy River" (with special guest Tim O’Brien shining on fiddle). Another standout, this from the 1920s, is Flower’s take on Bessie Smith’s "Backwater Blues." The piano work of Janie Scroggins and Mark Vehrencamp’s tuba also deserve mention. Flower has been writing and performing for more than 30 years, mostly in Colorado, though she recently relocated to Oregon. "Bridges" is her first CD in Portland. Her whimsical "Portland Town" would seem to indicate she likes her new digs just fine. Think an earthier, mellower Bonnie Raitt, and you’re on the right track. This diverse and reflective collection deserves a wide audience.