Travel Guide

Last updated
Travel Guide
Towner Muthspiel Grigoryan Travel Guide.jpg
Studio album by
Ralph Towner, Wolfgang Muthspiel, and Slava Grigoryan
ReleasedSeptember 20, 2013 (2013-09-20)
RecordedAugust 2012
StudioAuditorio Stelio Molo RSI
Lugano, Switzerland
Genre Jazz
Length50:30
Label ECM 2310
Producer Manfred Eicher
Ralph Towner chronology
Chiaroscuro
(2009)		Travel Guide
(2013)		 My Foolish Heart
(2017)

Travel Guide is an album by guitarists Ralph Towner, Wolfgang Muthspiel, and Slava Grigoryan recorded in Switzerland in August 2012 and released on ECM September the following year. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

The trio first performed as a group in 2005, and previously appeared together on the album From a Dream. [3]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
All About Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [4]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]

In a review for AllMusic, Thom Jurek wrote: "These compositions weren't written for these players to showcase their solo chops, but rather as songs with limited but impeccable improvisation... Travel Guide is an understated, uncluttered gem of virtuosity and composition. The unselfish sense of deference between these players reveals not only their comfort with one another, but the collective confidence of a uniquely voiced, developing group." [1]

John Kelman of All About Jazz stated: "as genre lines continue to blur and, in some cases, dissolve entirely, recordings like the rigorous yet open-minded Travel Guide demonstrate there are plenty of meeting points for those unconstrained by false definitions of style or approach." [4]

The Guardian's John Fordham called the album "a guitar fan's delight, but also a warmly inviting collection of song-shaped pieces," and commented: "The sonics of all-guitar bands can turn to a blur, but these three phrase in their own ways... though the songs are mostly patiently thoughtful, their differences emerge the deeper in you get." [5]

Writing for Jazz Times , Thomas Conrad remarked: "The classical mindset is apparent in the formality, orderliness and technical sophistication of this music. But the elegant structural frameworks support individual and collective improvisation... The diversity of alluring sonorities is extraordinary. It is hard to think of a recent jazz recording prettier than Travel Guide." [6]

In an article for Something Else!, S. Victor Aaron wrote: "Mellow is what you get from an ECM disc involving Ralph Towner, and Travel Guide is no exception. You get the fine craftsmanship, pristine production and a solid batch of songs, too. Thus, this is how mellow with a trio of guitarists is done right." [7]

George W. Harris of Jazz Weekly stated: "What brings it all together is a tremendous amount of lyricism, sensitive listening, inherent melody and kindred souls to create one of the most sublime sessions in recent memory... Delicate without being fragile, this is music for a lifetime of listening pleasures." [8]

Track listing

  1. "The Henrysons" (Wolfgang Muthspiel) – 7:04
  2. "Father Time" (Ralph Towner) – 4:37
  3. "Windsong" (Wolfgang Muthspiel) – 6:43
  4. "Duende" (Ralph Towner) – 4:29
  5. "Amarone Trio" (Wolfgang Muthspiel) – 5:42
  6. "Travel Guide" (Ralph Towner) – 6:34
  7. "Die Blaue Stunde" (Wolfgang Muthspiel) – 5:19
  8. "Nico Und Mithra" (Wolfgang Muthspiel) – 3:44
  9. "Tarry" (Ralph Towner) – 1:03
  10. "Museum of Light" (Ralph Towner) – 5:17

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Blade</span> American jazz drummer

Brian Blade is an American jazz drummer, composer, and session musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Towner</span> American musician

Ralph Towner is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and bandleader. He plays the twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano, synthesizer, percussion, trumpet and French horn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolfgang Muthspiel</span> Austrian jazz guitarist

Wolfgang Muthspiel is an Austrian jazz guitarist and record label owner. He is the brother of musician Christian Muthspiel.

<i>Yesterdays</i> (Keith Jarrett album) 2009 live album by Keith Jarrett

Yesterdays is a live jazz album by Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette recorded in concert on April 30, 2001 at the Metropolitan Festival Hall in Tokyo and also at the sound-check recording of April 24, 2001 at the Orchard Hall in Tokyo that would give way to Always Let Me Go. It was released by ECM Records in 2009.

<i>The Out-of-Towners</i> (album) 2004 live album by Keith Jarrett / Gary Peacock / Jack DeJohnette

The Out-of-Towners is a live album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich on July 28, 2001 and released by ECM on August 30, 2004. Jarrett's trio—the Standards trio—features rhythm section Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette.

<i>The Jewel in the Lotus</i> (album) 1974 studio album by Bennie Maupin

The Jewel in the Lotus is the debut album by jazz woodwind player Bennie Maupin, recorded in March 1974 and released on ECM later that year. The sextet's rhythm section consists of pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Buster Williams and percussionists Billy Hart, Freddie Waits and Bill Summers, with guest appearances from trumpeter Charles Sullivan. The title is a translation of the Buddhist mantra Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ.

<i>I Have the Room Above Her</i> 2005 studio album by Paul Motian

I Have the Room Above Her is an album by American jazz drummer Paul Motian recorded for ECM in April 2004 released on January 24, 2005. The trio features guitarist Bill Frisell and tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, their first release since At the Village Vanguard in 1995.

<i>Trios / Solos</i> 1973 studio album by Ralph Towner

Trios / Solos is an album by American jazz guitarist Ralph Towner with Glen Moore recorded over two days in November 1972 and released on ECM June the following year. The session features guest appearances from tabla player Colin Walcott and oboist Paul McCandless.

<i>Ecotopia</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Oregon

Ecotopia is an album by jazz fusion band Oregon recorded in March 1987 and released on ECM later that year. The quartet consists reed player Paul McCandless, guitarist Ralph Towner, bassist Glen Moore, and percussionist Trilok Gurtu—replacing Collin Walcott following his accidental death.

<i>Class Trip</i> (album) 2004 studio album by John Abercrombie

Class Trip is an album by American jazz guitarist John Abercrombie recorded in February 2003 and released by ECM on April 26th, 2004. The quartet features violinist Mark Feldman and rhythm section Marc Johnson and Joey Baron.

<i>Time Line</i> (Ralph Towner album) 2006 studio album by Ralph Towner

Time Line is a solo album by American guitarist Ralph Towner recorded at the Propstei Sankt Gerold in September 2005 and released on ECM the following year.

<i>Vignettes</i> (Marilyn Crispell album) 2007 studio album by Marilyn Crispell

Vignettes is a solo album by American jazz pianist Marilyn Crispell recorded in April 2007 and released on ECM later that same year.

<i>Trios</i> (Carla Bley album) 2013 studio album by Carla Bley / Andy Sheppard / Steve Swallow

Trios is an album by American composer and pianist Carla Bley with saxophonist Andy Sheppard and bass guitarist Steve Swallow, recorded in April 2013 and released on ECM later that year. This was the first occasion on which these longtime collaborators had worked as a trio since 1994's Songs with Legs.

<i>Mágico: Carta de Amor</i> 2012 live album by Jan Garbarek, Egberto Gismonti & Charlie Haden

Mágico: Carta de Amor is a live album by saxophonist Jan Garbarek, guitarist Egberto Gismonti and bassist Charlie Haden recorded in 1981 and released on ECM three decades later in 2012. The album follows the trio's first two recordings Magico (1979) and Folk Songs (1981).

<i>Rava on the Dance Floor</i> 2012 live album by Enrico Rava and Parco della Musica Jazz Lab

Rava on the Dance Floor is a live album by Italian jazz trumpeter and composer Enrico Rava with Parco della Musica Jazz Lab, performing songs by Michael Jackson recorded in Italy in 2011 and released on the ECM label.

<i>Damaged in Transit</i> 2003 live album by Steve Swallow, Chis Potter and Adam Nussbaum

Damaged in Transit is a live album by bassist Steve Swallow recorded on tour in France in December 2001 and released on the Xtra Watt label in 2003.

<i>Rising Grace</i> 2016 studio album by Wolfgang Muthspiel

Rising Grace is a studio album by guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel, recorded in January 2016 and released by ECM in October that year. His quintet contained trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Brian Blade.

<i>Small Town</i> (album) 2017 live album by Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan

Small Town is a live album by Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan recorded at the Village Vanguard in March 2016 and released on ECM May the following year—Frisell's first album as leader for the label since 1987's Lookout for Hope. More music from the same recording session was released in 2019 as the follow-up album, Epistrophy.

<i>Trio Libero</i> 2012 studio album by Andy Sheppard

Trio Libero is an album by British saxophonist and composer Andy Sheppard recorded in Switzerland in July 2011 and released on ECM in January the following year.

<i>Where the River Goes</i> 2018 studio album by Wolfgang Muthspiel

Where the River Goes is an album by guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel. It was recorded in 2018 and released by ECM Records later that year.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jurek, Thom. "Ralph Towner / Wolfgang Muthspiel / Slava Grigoryan: Travel Guide". AllMusic. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Ralph Towner - Travel Guide". Jazz Music Archives. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Travel Guide". ECM Records. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Kelman, John (October 15, 2013). "Ralph Towner / Wolfgang Muthspiel / Slava Grigoryan: Travel Guide". All About Jazz. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Fordham, John (January 9, 2014). "Ralph Towner/Wolfgang Muthspiel/ Slava Grigoryan: Travel Guide – review". The Guardian. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  6. ↑ Conrad, Thomas (August 9, 2014). "Ralph Towner/Wolfgang Muthspiel/Slava Grigoryan: Travel Guide". Jazz Times. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  7. ↑ Aaron, S. Victor (October 8, 2013). "Ralph Towner, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Slava Grigoryan – Travel Guide (2013)". Something Else!. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  8. ↑ Harris, George W. (November 25, 2013). "Ralph Towner/Wolfgang Muthspiel/Slava Grigoryan: Travel Guide". Jazz Weekly. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.