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. As lines are smoothly looped and manipulated, there’s nevertheless some real skirmishing taking place. The three ascending notes that Fripp fires off at around the 6.41 mark are immediately seized upon by Travis, who offers a descending counterpart, demonstrating the extent of each other’s listening.
On The Offering, the soprano sax pushes harder against the soundscapes creating a useful tension and contrast within the music as a whole. The Blue Calm area of playing may be shorter than the previous evening but it’s also more focused and intense.
Route 42 has pastoral moments which sound as though they could be out-takes John Cameron’s haunting score for the film, Kes, and there’s a contrasting highlight right at the end of the piece when silence comes to call. Both audience and musicians are held spellbound in a strangely exhilarating, and oddly precious moment.
- Robert Fripp - Guitar
- Theo Travis - Saxophone, Flute