Jimmy Gaudreau

Mandolinist Jimmy Gaudreau cut his bluegrass teeth in a number of seminal progressive bands in the late '60s and '70s before working with Chesapeake and Robin and Linda Williams. In Good Company, then, isn't a new album, but a collection of material recorded with various bands and players between 1989 and 2005. The instrumentals and songs range quite a bit stylistically, from mellow folk to fairly traditional bluegrass to something one might call progressive acoustic. There's a really nice take on the Beatles' "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" with guitarist-mandolinist Emory Lester, banjoist Scott Walker, and Gaudreau and Mary Paula Wilson handling the fine harmony. There's a solid, live take on "Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone" from 1992 with Tony Rice singing lead, and a country-tinged "Are You Wasting My Time?" with Eric Brace on vocals and Mike Auldridge's pedal steel work. Other highlights include a live, spunky take on Arthur Smith's "Crazy Blues" with some hot picking by guitarist Jack Lawrence, an upbeat take on "Follow the Leader," and another Rice vocal on "Another Lonesome Morning" from 1992. In Good Company is filled with good acoustic music, and promises something for bluegrass fans of almost any stripe. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide