Travis & Fripp

Travis & Fripp has proved to be one of the most enduring of Robert Fripp’s many duo projects – all the more remarkable really, given that both musicians are consistently involved in other projects; for Fripp, a renewed King Crimson has been a primary musical enterprise since 2014, while Theo Travis has, in recent years recorded and toured with David Sylvian, Steven Wilson, continues as a member of Soft Machine, runs his own band Double Talk & still somehow, finds time for an ongoing commitment to teaching a next generation of musicians.

Travis & Fripp - Discretion (2012) {B&W Society of Sound 50 Official Digital Download}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44kHz - Official Digital Download (bowers-wilkins.com) -> 281 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 112 Mb | Artwork (pdf+jpg) | 5% repair rar
© 2012 Travis & Fripp / Bowers & Wilkins / UMG
Soundscapes / Rock / Avant-Garde / Experimental / Ambient / Art Rock

‘Discretion’ is the brand new album by pioneering guitar legend Robert Fripp and flautist/saxophonist Theo Travis made available for Bowers & Wilkins Society of Sound in stunning 24 bit high quality digital format. The music follows on from the duo’s previous album releases and combines almost telepathic interplay with a deep understanding of musical texture and space, the building of long slow melodies, and the creation of slowly shifting harmonic soundscapes.

Travis & Fripp - All Saints Church, Broad Chalke, United Kingdom - May 21, 2009 (2009) {DGM Official Digital Download}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44kHz - Official Digital Download (dgmlive.com) -> 245 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 124 Mb | Artwork (pdf+jpg) | 5% repair rar
© 2009 Travis & Fripp / Discipline Global Mobile / King Crimson / DGMlive.com
Soundscapes / Rock / Avant-Garde / Experimental / Ambient / Art Rock

Following on from the previous evening’s performance at Wimborne Minster, Travis & Fripp decamp to Broad Chalke. Around 50 or so people gratefully exchanged the sweltering heat outdoors for All Saints’ cool stone walls and lofty wooden rafters. Working in a productive mixture of agreed areas (such as a key or a “feel”) and complete improvisation, the performance is a delicately tightrope walk between two worlds. Perhaps due to differences of venues, times and the occasion (this was ostensibly a fund-raiser for the local school), the music seemed lighter in tone compared to the more sombre mood struck the previous evening.

Travis & Fripp - St. Michael & All Saints Church, Bishop's Cleeve, UK - May 22, 2009 (2009) {DGM Official Digital Download}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44kHz - Official Digital Download (dgmlive.com) -> 226 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 126 Mb | Artwork (pdf+jpg) | 5% repair rar
© 2009 Travis & Fripp / Discipline Global Mobile / King Crimson / DGMlive.com
Soundscapes / Rock / Avant-Garde / Experimental / Ambient / Art Rock

Although the titles to several of the tracks may be the same as those at Broad Chalke, the performance in front of a large audience has a much grander and at times, darker feel, to the previous evening. The difference can be heard almost immediately in the opening track. Whereas, The Apparent Chaos of Stone was a more languorous affair at Broad Chalke, here at Bishop’s Cleeve, Fripp begins to throw some startling curve-balls of pensive guitar after only a few minutes. Given the slow silky tones that makes up much of the opening piece it can be easy to miss some of the detailed interplay that occurs between the two players.

Theo Travis is London based jazz, progressive and ambient saxophonist, flautist, composer, improviser and producer who has worked with Robert Fripp, David Sylvian, Gong, Bill Nelson, Harold Budd, John Foxx, The Tangent, Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree.
Featuring Theo's current band of Mike Outram (guitar), Pete Whittaker (hammond organ) and Nic France (drums) the album is a mix of jazz, prog, rock, ambient and blues. Considered by some as Theo's finest solo album, it highlights Theo's superb tenor sax and flute playing and some of his finsest compositions. Pieces also include a version of Robert Wyatt's 'Maryan', and Theo's own take on his co-written piece 'A Place in the Queue' from the album by the Tangent of the same name…

Theo Travis' Double Talk - Transgression (2015) {Esoteric Recordings EANTCD 1052}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 330 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 130 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 2015 Esoteric Recordings | EANTCD 1052
Jazz / Post Bop / Experimental / Fusion / Saxophone

The chiming notes of a very Mahavishnu Orchestra sounding guitar open the tension-rich "Fire Mountain" hotly pursued by Theo Travis' intense tenor sax soloing and coruscating axe work from Mike Outram. A change of pace is heard in the title track, beginning slowly but gradually building-up in pace and volume, Outram's fuzzy guitar twinned with Travis' sax comprise the melodic driving force, all underpinned by organ from Pete Whittaker and crackling drums from seasoned percussionist Nic France. The pressure continues to build courtesy of a keen ensemble riff reaching a climax until it dies back into the opening reflective sax-led balledic theme.

Starting in 1994, Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson began solo recordings described as "experiments in texture," resulting in his work under the name Bass Communion.
After starting with the barely there snippet "Shopping," consisting of vinyl crackle and near-inaudible soft tones, the first Bass Communion album gets down to business with Theo Travis' guest sax work on "Drugged," number one of two songs by that name on the release. The album's other temporary visitor is Robert Fripp, sampled and otherwise distorted and looped by Steven Wilson for the other "Drugged" - otherwise, it's Wilson all the way, creating his own version of ambient music…