Jim Gaudet and The Railroad Boys

Well, yes, Jim Gaudet is a folksinger -- but without all that microscopic self-examination and tedious political correctness. Mostly, he's a storyteller -- and he does it extremely well. Whether singing about a baseball hero, a death row inmate, or a childhood love, Jim's straightforward approach is remarkably refreshing" Albany, New York's Jim Gaudet has paid his dues to both the stage and his age before meeting up with his muse. He sang his first original when he was thirty somethin' -- in a voice with the gentle authority of someone who'd lived a little life already, been a little up and a little down, who'd traveled as a musician, stayed home as a father, and grappled with the conflicting demands of both. Soon after, he compared his own metamorphosis to a frozen brook in one of his earliest tunes, "I'm Comin' Alive" -- "His words flow free and he begins to say/That I'm comin' alive/Spring is arriving/The mercury's climbing/My spirit is high." Gaudet's journey began as a flat picker, not a singer, playing mandolin and guitar for the Lost Country Rounders. The Rounders went their separate ways and he split the scene for awhile. But music's a dream that doesn't die easily, and Jim took the first nervous steps up to the open mic -- singing favorite tunes at well-known Upstate New York haunts like Saratoga Springs' Caffe Lena and Albany's Eight Step Coffeehouse. Within a few months he's replaced covers with his own stunning, confident originals (one of them, "The Basement on Willett Street", canonized the latter's open stage crew) and was well on his way to becoming a regional favorite. He then went on to headline sold-out shows of his own at clubs throughout New York State (like the PostCrypt in New York and the Zodiac in Syracuse) -- winning audiences with his witty, unassuming stage presence, deft fretting, and those special songs. Few mix candor and comedy as well as Gaudet: and his voice, like warm syrup on charcoal, carries the humanity and the humor with equal aplomb. In addition to his own gigs, he's shared the boards with Maura O'Connell (Page Hall), John Gorka (Eighth Step), Cheryl Wheeler (Empire Center), The Nylons (Berkshire Performing Arts Center), Richard Shindell, and the Chenille Sisters (Kirkland Arts Center) Jim released three independent cassettes before joining up with New York City singer/songwriter indie label 800-PRIME-CD. Metroland Magazine's Sarge Blotto described one of the cassettes, “In Real Life” as "Full of musical treasures . . . Jim Gaudet is a mature singer/songwriter ready to stand toe-to-toe with the best of the new folk crowd." The Austin Chronicle included it in their Top Ten for the year. The Albany Times Union included Jim in their "Class of the Year”… "Who have the best shot at putting our town on the national music map." Metroland's Diane Sirois called another cassette release “(Bootleg) Live”, "Funny and freewheeling . . . a perfect toe in the folk pool if you're not sure you can swim." His first CD, “It's A Colorful Life” 800-PRIME-CD, gathers new versions of many of the tunes of those earlier tapes. In July 1998, Jim released Give Up the Ghost, also on 800-PRIME-CD. Michael Eck, Host of Northeast Public Radio Performance Place WAMC 90.3 FM writes: Jim Gaudet is back, no doubt about it. Long a favorite on the Northeast folk scene, Jim has been, let's just say, missing in action for the past few years; tending to family duties and wondering whether or not he'd actually open his guitar case again. Well, he has, and with a vengeance. Jim is “Recalling It Quits,” which just happens to be the title of his brilliant new album, the first since 1999's critically-acclaimed “Give Up The Ghost.” Gaudet began his musical career as a traditionalist, strumming a six-string and chopping a mandolin on old-timey numbers with the not-quite-legendary Lost Country Rounders. Eventually, the Rounders folded and Jim dropped out of sight for awhile, perhaps establishing a pattern. He re-emerged in the late 80s as a classic singer/songwriter, establishing an immediate, fresh style marked by wry humor, deep insight and fascinating melodic turns. He penned contemporary classics like “We Talked About The Rain,” “The Boy Who Would Be King” and “In Real Life,” which appeared on a number of well-received albums, including “It's a Colorful Life” and “Give Up The Ghost” on the powerhouse NYC folk label, 800-Prime CD. Then, as he sometimes does, Jim disappeared. Now he has fused his twin pasts to forge a new sound. With the help of The Railroad Boys (bassist/vocalist, Bob Ristau and mandolinist/guitarist, Sten Isachsen), Gaudet is anchoring his deft wordplay and savvy songcraft in the classic roots music that so thrilled him as a young man. It's a unique, driving style, firmly-based in Americana; and Gaudet's own guitar work is now more fiery than ever, characterized by forceful, percussive rhythms that lack for easy comparison. “Recalling It Quits” (produced by fellow Albany songwriter Michael Eck) reflects Gaudet's ability to embrace folk, country, and bluegrass while retaining his own unmistakable identity. It's a sure sign that Gaudet is sticking around for the long haul this time around. Jim Gaudet has anchored his deft wordplay and savvy songcraft in the classic roots music that so thrilled him as a young man. It's a unique, driving style, firmly-based in Americana.