Flower and Cotter Bring the Magic

There is something pure and special about a musical duet. There is the opportunity for conversation, for an intimate exchange. There is room for improvisation and variation at the same time that the two musicians explore the given structure.

Mary Flower is a brilliant fingerpicking guitarist in the roots blues/ragtime/early jazz tradition. She is a prodigious talent whose seasoned skills earned her the Far West Folk Alliance "Best of the West" award in 2025. She is a long-time teacher who recently celebrated twelve years of "Blues in the Gorge," her own guitar intensive. She's made thirteen recordings that document her profound command and love for blues guitar. It's entirely appropriate that Jorma Kaukonen called her "a national treasure in your own backyard. "

A few years back she was on an airplane returning from tour, and a young reedman named Leon Cotter recognized her. They ended up chatting about music -what else? - and connected. Later they were both featured at the Montavilla Jazz Festival in Portland in 2025 and then met again at a backyard fundraiser, and Leon suggested playing together. "Before I knew it, Mary had something booked at a little local venue. " Playing together formed an instant and magical bond, and their first show was just three months later.

Leon is the younger partner, but in fact he's already a veteran international touring reed (saxophone and clarinet) player with the much-loved California Honeydrops. When he's not on the road, Leon maintains a strong presence in the Portland music scene, regularly as a bandleader and as a sideman with a variety of jazz and jazz adjacent groups. Over the years, he's shared the stage with luminaries like Bonnie Raitt, Del McCoury, Charlie Hunter and played everywhere from Australia's Byron Bay Bluesfest to Red Rocks to New Orleans' Tipitina's. .

"Chants of Rain" is their first CD, from Little Village Music, a nonprofit record company devoted to bringing diverse music to the public in pursuit of a more harmonious world. You will hear their extraordinary musical bond from the first note. Blues, jazz, old-time New Orleans music; it has all of that and more - there's a pinch of elegant magic, too.

-Dennis McNally, author and 20 year publicist for the Grateful Dead