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 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 contribute 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
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.