Theo Travis - Secret Island '1996

Tracks list

Tracklist

01. Lulworth Night
02. The Crow Road
03. After the Storm
04. Waterlily Boogie
05. Details
06. Out of Sight, Out of Mind
07. Three People
08. Full Moon Rising
09. Nostalgia in Times Square

This is the third CD the British saxophonist has recorded for the 33Jazz label
and an exciting one it is. Theo Travis second album, View From the Edge, was
voted Best British Jazz CD of 1994 by the Jazz on CD readers/critics poll.
Travis musical interests are in no way limited to jazz. Since May 1999 he has
been part of the group Gong, whose music has been described as
cosmic-psychedelic-jazz-improvised-progressive rock-space metal, etc. The
psychedelic influence is apparent on Crow Road, with Travis soprano attempting
to excise or feed the demons those 1960s-culture drugs begot. This cut
notwithstanding, Secret Island offers over 60 minutes of music of varying moods
by Travis and his able band members, augmented from time to time with invited
guests. Out of Sight, Out of Mind has a calypso beat laid down by Gary Hammonds
congas and Marc Parnells drums. The opener Lulworth Night is a heady and quite
pretty musical dissertation by Travis and pianist David Gordon. The only song on
the play list Travis didnt write, Charles Mingus Nostalgia in Times Square, is
done as sophisticated swing featuring some excellent work by Gordon in McCoy
Tyner mode. On this cut (one of the albums highlight tracks), Travis tenor
assumes a light, delicate sound as Gary Hammond again adds a subtle calypso beat
on congas. Waterlily Boogie belies its title, which hints at a bouncy syncopated
tempo yet the track turns out to be melancholy, a mood Rob Stathams bowed bass
helps to create. While Stathams contribution is notable, the tune is built
around a very thoughtful tête-à-tête between Travis tenor and Gordons
piano, revealing that their long association has led to an intuitive sense where
each fully understands the others improvisional intent. Details builds on
Gordons measured opening chords which act as a segue to Travis thoughtful sax,
as the bass plucks along at a much faster pace underneath in contrast. The sax
player does some very ruminative noodling on this track, surrounded by chilling
chords extracted from John Etheridges guitar. The liner notes include an
exhortation that this CD sounds even better loud. Very bad advice. The melodic
and harmonic subtleties are lost when the volume is turned up. Travis must have
been wearing his Gong hat when he suggested this. Recommended.

Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Theo Travis
Guitar - John Etheridge
Bass – Rob Statham
Drums – Marc Parnell
Percussion – Gary Hammond
Piano – David Gordon

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