may l ì 2000 • J mat M rt 23
She's got her mojo going
#
Continued from Page 21
“They go crazy when Mary plays the har
pant in the annual California retreat put on by
monica,” she waffles, then excuses herself to
writer and spiritual teacher Lynn Andrews.
use the powder room.
Anderson plays music at the event during med
Last January, Anderson played the St.
itations and served as the event coordinator for
John’s Pub in North Portland, and the place
several years. At one of Andrews’ retreats, she
sold out. It was standing room only, and even
met nationally recognized violinist Scarlet
the McMenamins booking agent was a little
Rivera.
surprised.
Rivera has toured with Bob Dylan, Tracy
She also packed the Hollywood Theatre last Chapman and the Indigo Girls, and she came
year for a multiact benefit concert she arranged
to Portland to record on several of Morning’s
to raise money for a friend who was fighting
tracks. Anderson became very emotional
breast cancer. Anderson closed that show in a
watching Rivera.
duet with Myrtle Brown of the Blues Masters,
“When she played it was breathtaking.
bringing the crowd to their feet.
There’s something about her spirit that she’s
Since Anderson has made herself unavail able to emanate in her playing. To see her in
able, I start in on
there, and she’s play
Becky Bilyeu, the Anderson’s first CD was cathartic
ing my music”—
owner of Touchstone
Anderson gets misty
and an old college
even in the retelling.
friend of Anderson’s.
“I must be pre
Bilyeu is more than
menstrual,” she
happy to confirm the
claims, wiping her
rumors: “It’s totally
eyes. “Anybody can
true. She’s really sexual
play chords or notes,
onstage. It’s a very sen
but to be able to actu
sual energy; people are
ally make a connec
really drawn to that.”
tion with it and draw
Ha! Soon Ander
out what it was meant
son emerges from the
to be...you can’t ask
bathroom and con
someone to do that,
cedes that she might be
and you can’t teach
a little sexy onstage.
someone to do that.”
“1 can’t help it! I get
Rivera, who will
my mojo going, and
come back to town
then I can’t stop it.
for the release con
Things start happening to my body," she purrs in cert, experienced similar feelings working with
her deliciously throaty voice.
Anderson’s music.
“The songs really took on a true, deep life,”
It’s gonna be a new day, new day, new day,
Rivera told me over the phone from her home
my world has changed,
in Encino, Calif. “Some were
my world has changed
very touching songs, so I just
wanted to really deepen that....
Consider some of the song
I don’t know what happened, but
titles on My Famous Friend:
it happened.... This seems to he
“Assault Me, Again!” “Nobody’s
one of the best [albums] that I’ve
Friend,” “Fight!” Consider the
done.”
titles on Beautiful Morning: “New
Rivera also emphasizes
Day,” “Be Who You Are,” “Nice
Anderson’s growth on this
Night.”
recording compared to her first:
“She made a big leap,” the vio
“It’s a new life,” Anderson
linist notes.
enthuses. “With the first CD, it
was a fight to hold onto love, it
I agree. Listening to the CDs
was a fight to hold onto relation
back-to-hack, I hear the differ
ships...and I made it through it,
ence. Morning is sharper, more
solid,
better-written. Anderson
and I met the love of my life. At
hangs onto the distinctive deep
some point in between, the shift
and soulful voice displayed on
occurred for me.”
her first CD, hut even that talent
Anderson fell in love three
has
matured.
years ago with Linda Williams, whom she met
Anderson launches into the story of how
while performing. She describes the relation
she
found and recruited her sophomore
ship as “a dream come true.” Williams has pro
release’s impressive ensemble cast: Mannen-
vided much inspiration, Anderson says, “both
bach is featured on both CDs, and Anderson
in regard to my writing and the business....
refers to him as her “rock.” He’s helped arrange
She’s the driving force behind my work.”
all
the songs she’s written in the past five years,
Anderson has drawn inspiration for Morning
and she can’t imagine working without him.
from a variety of sources. Mixed in with the
Playing second guitar to Mannenbach is Mary
many “mushy love songs,” there’s also a lot of
Curtis, who a! provides that show-stopping
pride. “Be Who You Are” is about a friend of
blues harmonica.
Anderson’s—a gay man in denial and strug
Anderson was fortunate enough to procure
gling with coming out. “What She Needs” was
the
services of drummer Carlton Jackson for
written at the request of a fan who, in her early
both albums and her live performances. Jack-
30s, had fallen in love with her best friend.
son
is a much sought-after favorite in the jazz,
Both the women were married.
big band and blues communities. Also included
"They met each other, became friends, fell
in the band are Portland-area heavy hitters
in love, and both of them came out,” Ander
Holly Leer on backup vocals, cello and flute;
son explains. “What influences me more than
Clark
Salisbury on electric guitar;
anything is people and their stories. That’s
what all the songs are about.”
Continued on Page 2 5
Anderson is a highly enthusiastic partici
5 0 3 .2 9 6 .3 8 7 5
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"I can't help it!
I get my mojo
going, and then
I can't stop it.
Things start
happening
to my body."
—Lynn Frances
Anderson
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