In Good Company
In Good Companyis a charming collection of flute and  fiddle duets featuring Kevin Crawford, the flautist withLunasaandMoving Cloud,  playing with some of Ireland's finest fiddlers. Crawford teams up with  famous names like Frankie Gavin, Tommy Peoples, and Martin Hayes, who  plays viola on the set of reels "The Bag of Spuds/Matt Peoples," as  well as lesser-known but still excellent musicians like Tony Linnane,  Conor Tully, and James Cullinan, who is also one of Ireland's finest  chefs. Most of the selections feature sparse but effective  accompaniment by guitarist Arty McGlynn, pianist Carl Hession, and  bodhran player Jim Higgins. Crawford also plays with a small chamber  orchestra on three tracks, including a lovely version of the Scottish  air "Coilsfield House." As good as the duets are, and they are all  excellent, these folk-classical arrangements offer Crawford an  opportunity to explore a richer sonic territory, which he does without  sacrificing the spontaneity of his playing. OnIn Good Company,  Crawford shows he is comfortable in just about any musical setting,  from the fiddles and guitars of a lively kitchen session to the violins  and cellos of a formal concert hall.--Michael Simmons