ROBERT FRIPP & THEO TRAVIS - BETWEEN THE SILENCE

Although it wasn't released until 2018, this excellent value 3 CD box set was recorded at 3 Travis and Fripp concerts in 2009 and 2010, between their first and second albums. Their musical dialogue began when Travis asked Fripp to add some of his trademark Frippertronics to his album Double Talk; their first album as a duo was then recorded in a single day. As well as his jazz and prog excursions, Theo Travis uses a loop and delay set up, Ambitronics, for solo performances, which makes him a fitting musical sparring partner for Robert Fripp.

What you get is almost three hours of, on the surface, pastoral sounding washes of flute and soprano sax floating over the almost orchestral sound of Robert Fripp's multi layered guitar. The softer texture of the wind and reed instruments smooths the rougher edges of the guitarist's soundscapes, although harsher, more dissonant sounds occasionally rise to the surface. Some musical themes recur across the three discs, but the two musicians use them as a springboard for improvisation so the repetition isn't particularly obvious or grating. In addition to their own repertoire, King Crimson's Moonchild and Fripp's At The End of Time crop up a couple of times each, along with a brief snatch of The Power To Believe. The overall mood is calm and meditative, but this music repays repeated and careful listening.

These three concerts were followed by a short European tour in 2011, and subsequent Travis and Fripp albums were assembled from that. How badly you need this album depends on how much you like Frippertronics; three stars seems like an appropriate rating, but add another star if you're a Fripp aficionado.

(If you're impressed by Theo Travis's Ambitronics, his albums with John Foxx are also well worth investigating.)