12/1/2005

Norman Darwen

American Mary Flower made quite an impact on the UK blues scene with her debut tour here last year. She is a fine Piedmont blues stylist and also plays some excellent lap-slide guitar, in addition to being a fair singer. For this set she went down to the Big Easy in May this year, and left a week later with this very attractive, immaculately played and beautifully produced blues 'n' roots set, drawing on traditional blues and rags, plus some originals. Numerous N'Awlins musicians sat in: pianists Henry Butler and adopted Orleanian Jon Cleary, famed clarinettist Dr.Michael White, sousaphonist Kirk Joseph and 'Washboard Chaz' Leary among the names I recognised (plus guitarist Woody Mann on one cut). If those names interest you, the CD is well worth checking out.