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Norman Blake had barely begun his solo career in 1977 when he recorded Blackberry Blossom. This album finds Blake's artistry already fully developed, with the material divided between traditional songs and instrumentals. All nine cuts feature Blake's nifty guitar and mandolin work, with occasional back up from Nancy Blake on cello. The album gets started with a Tin Pan Alley tune, "Are You from Dixie?," an upbeat song that plays off the motif of the lonely Southerner away from his homeland and longing for a friendly face. On the oddly titled "The Rights of Man Hornpipe" Blake is backed by Nancy Blake on cello, creating something akin to flatpicking Baroque. When the cello is combined with the fiddle on "D Medley," the sound comes much closer to a medium-paced Appalachian jig. The original "Lonesome Jenny" fits comfortably with the album's traditional material, drawing a portrait of the empty life of a woman who has been left a widow. This seven-minute portrait is filled with fascinating chord changes and tender lyrics. All of the songs on Blackberry Blossom are delivered in Blake's straightforward manner, both down-to-earth and emotive. It is perhaps easy to take an artist as uncomplicated as Blake for granted: he never seems to be going out of his way to impress the listener with fancy guitar licks or vocal hysterics. Instead, he imbeds himself in tradition, offering honest interpretations and fresh originals that are respectful of their roots. In this way, his true artistry grows each time the listener hears Blackberry Blossom.&mdash;Ronnie D. Lankford

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