Kate MacLeod - The Flowers of Joy

“’The Flowers of Joy’ was copyrighted in 1971 and was included on Jean's highly lauded recording, None But One, released in 1977,” explains Kate MacLeod. MacLeod has released “The Flowers of Joy” as part of her The Jean Rtichie Experience project. “None But One was Jean’s take on how music was “going electric” at the time. Jean herself told me that it was a controversial project within her close friends and co-workers, but that the record label strongly encouraged her to follow the trend, hoping the step would lead to new attention and greater record sales. The result was a stunning recording that won the Critic’s Choice award by Rolling Stone Magazine. Among the many notable songs on the recording, “The Flowers of Joy” stands out for many reasons. It seems a calling for, and also a belief in, the end of loss and grief from war, and the hope of universal care for humankind. The lyrics are beautifully laid within a melody and structure that musically echoes the sentiments of the lyrics.

“The song moves back and forth, from a minor key to a major key, reflecting the juxtaposition between ‘flowers of sorrow’ and ‘flowers of joy.’ With the subject matter of this song being conceptual, I’ve produced it with an expansive sound, including layers of counterpoint vocals. The song is accompanied by instrumentalists Morgan Morrison on bouzouki, John Bryant on acoustic bass, and cellist Rachel Taylor who is a student at Peabody Institute. The harmony vocals were arranged by Meya Collings, a music student at Shepherdstown University. Working with Meya and Rachel on this project is a way of sharing Jean’s music with a new generation of people.” Stay tuned for more from this project, visit: www.katemacleod.com/jeanritchie