phil and friends

It happens to most pantheon-worthy sidemen eventually; there are no hard and fast rules for these things. But it's still a bit of a shocker that Lifeboat, out this month and one of the best albums of 2008, is Jimmy Herring's first proper solo effort. It's yet another side of a remarkably inventive guitarist shaped by his experiences in everything from Aquarium Rescue Unit and Jazz is Dead to Phil Lesh & Friends and Widespread Panic.