The Company She Keeps

Alison Brown

The Company You Keep (Compass Records, 2009)

Alison Brown is a remarkable artist. She is a gifted musician and also a visionary entrepreneur, who co-founded Compass Records, an independent label that has become one of the leading American roots music labels, releasing [wiki:bluegrass], Celtic, world and folk music recordings. Her latest solo effort is The Company You Keep. Alison Brown’s instrument is the banjo and even though bluegrass plays an important role in her music, Brown is also inspired by jazz improvisation and American contemporary instrumental music.

The Company You Keep features a series of instrumental melodic pieces and jazzy jams with Brown on banjo, John Burr on piano, Joe Craven on mandolin, fiddle and percussion, and her husband Garry West on bass. Additional guests contributes their talent on drums, guitar, fiddle, percussion and drums. The title of The Company You Keep was originally inspired by the words of Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes (the author of Don Quixote): "Tell me the company you keep and I’ll tell you what you are."

With The Company You Keep, Brown has created a mix of insistent Americana virtuosity and joyful cinematic music.

Alison Brown recordings available:

• In North America: The Company You Keep, Stolen Moments, Alison Brown Quartet – Live at Blair with Joe Craven, Quartet, Best Of The Vanguard Years, Fair Weather, Evergreen, Replay, Look Left, Twilight Motel, Out of the Blue
• In Europe: Company You Keep, Stolen Moments, Fair Weather, Replay, Out of the Blue, Evergreen, Look Left, The Alison Brown Quartet, Twilight Motel