So far, 2010 has proven to be a good year for music. The Mayor is currently in Corvallis, Oregon, and last night I attended a music event at Troubadour Music Center in downtown. Three Pickin’ Chicks took the stage – Mary Flower, Cyd Smith and Jamie Stillway – three of the most amazing guitarists on the West Coast. The ladies play a mix of acoustic blues, jazz, and original material.
This was only the Three Pickin’ Chicks fourth show together. Each is an accomplished artists in her own right, but together I think they’ve undercovered a magical musical connection.
“Acoustic Guitar” wrote of Flower, “With her immaculate guitar playing and warm contralto, Mary Flower finds the sweet spot between modern and rootsy in 12 tunes bred of back porches, parlors, street corners, juke joints, and country churches…” Flower has roots in Denver, Colorado, where she spent thirty years raising a family and making music. She now lives in Portland, Oregon. Find out more at www.maryflower.com.
Cyd Smith (Cindy Smith) was a well-known musician during Corvallis, Oregon’s seventies folk music scene, where she played with Highwater String Band. She now lives in Southern Oregon, but continues to contribute to Oregon’s musical soul. Visit her at www.myspace.com/cydsmith.
Jamie Stillway’s classically influenced style literally moved me to tears. The Minnesota native lived in Denver where she worked a Swallow Hill before moving to Portland, Oregon. The young guitarist has been compared to Bill Frisell and Leo Kotke, but she has discovered her own Stillway style. Her Web site is www.jamiestillway.com.