And Laurie Lewis
Reviewed by Brenda Hough
Song List: You Are My Flower, Baby That Would Sure Go Good, Rooster Crow, My Last Go-Round, Old Friend, Mama Cry, The Lonely One, Ain’t Nobody Got the Blues Like Me, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, The Pika Song, O the Wind and the Rain, Troubled Times, This Is Our Home.
Laurie Lewis has been at the forefront of Bay Area bluegrass since the 1980s and she has been part of the landmark bands the Good Ol’ Persons, Phantoms of the Opry and her own bands Grant Street and the Right Hands. Her powerful vocals and original songs have earned many awards and her participation in music camps and workshops have allowed her to share her musical skills to many musicians.
This collection of thirteen songs includes six written by Laurie, some traditional songs, and songs that highlight the skills of her collaborators on this project. Laurie has also included a very detailed booklet with the album that contains song lyrics, her connection to the song and the duet singers, as well as information about the instruments used on the recording. Having just one or two singers and two instruments focuses the sound and message of each song. Laurie’s own production studio and recording techniques have an “up close and personal” intimacy that makes the songs fill the space. Each fiddle stroke and guitar run stand out and add to the overall song.
Kathy Kallick and Laurie sing “Old Friend” with affection and grace, and Barbara Higbie’s piano flows gently with Laurie’s rendition of Dick Oxtot’s bluesy “AIn’t Got the Blues Like Me.” Mike Marshall’s guitar and Laurie’s fiddle join on the traditional murder ballad “O The Wind and Rain.” Todd Phillips plays a jazzy bass accompaniment to Laurie’s “Baby That Would Sure Go Good” while Craig Smith’s banjo adds a old time flavor to Laurie’s “Rooster Crow.” Long time partner Tom Rozum joins Laurie on a Monroe Brothers version of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” Nina Gerber’s electric guitar playing adds a flavor all its own to “This Is Our Home” and to the epic Rosalie Sorrels song, “My Last Go-Round.”
Laurie has been involved with many music camps, and among the rising stars in acoustic music are Molly Tuttle and Tatiana Hargreaves. Molly’s stellar vocal style and guitar playing are featured on the Carter Family’s “You Are My Flower” and Emily Mann’s melancholy “The Lonely One.” Tatiana’s fiddle playing adds another voice to Laurie’s banjo in “Mama Cry” and “The Pika Song.” This is a landmark collection for Laurie with collaboration, cohesiveness, and contemplation joined in an amazing package.