Theo Travis - Heart of the Sun

'Heart Of The Sun' is the first studio recording by British saxophonist/flautist/composer Theo Travis since his critically acclaimed 1996 release, 'Secret Island'. It features his regular working band plus various international guests including Denmark's legendary trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg who is known for his landmark recordings with Miles Davis ('Aura'), Dexter Gordon (the 'Round Midnight' film), George Russell, Bill Evans, Jan Garbarek and Terje Rypdal. Other guests include guitarist Daevid Allen (Travis has been a member of Allen's band Gong since 1999) and top German rhythm section Stefan weeke (bass) and Bjorn Lucker (drums).

The album includes seven Travis originals with strong melodies, varied compositional colours and imaginative arrangements. It moves from ambient ballads to progressive bluesy tracks and from freewheeling hard swinging tracks to evocative soundscapes. There is also an imaginative and atmospheric version of the classic Here's That Rainy Day. Influences are as diverse as McCoy Tyner, The Beatles, Stan Getz, Gil Evans and Brian Eno on what has already been hailed as Theo's finest album to date.

Theo Travis: tenor & soprano saxophone
Palle Mikkelborg: trumpet
Daevid Allen: Glissando guitar
Andy Hamill: double bass
David Gordon: piano, Hammond C3 organ
Marc Parnell, Bjorn Lucker drums
Stefan Weeke: double bass
Mark Wood: guitar
Stewart Curtis: clarinets