The ROBERT FRIPP STRING QUINTET

The Bridge Between

(1994)

1. Kan-Non Power 4'01
(Hideyo Ìoriyo)
GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL, San Francisco 22/V/93
2. Yamanashi Blues 2'41
(Bert Lams)
The CATALYST, Santa Cruz 23/V/93
3. Hope 5'33
(A. Dehonestis / P. Sinks)
OPIUM ARTS Ltd., arr. Trey Gunn
NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE, Nottingham 20/VI/93
4. Chromatic Fantasy 1'37
(J.S. Bach (BWV 903), arr. Trey Gunn)
NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE, Nottingham 20/VI/93
5. Contrapunctus 2'19
(J.S. Bach, arr. Bert Lams)
DISCIPLINE GLOBAL DOMINATION STUDIOS, UK
6. Bicycling To Afghanistan 3'22
(Curt Golden)
GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL, San Francisco 22/V/93
7. Blue 5'36
(Robert Fripp / Trey Gunn)
Guitar Solo: AUDITORIO FUNDACION, Rosario 10/V/93
Soundscape: GUNN STUDIOS, NY
8. Blockhead 3'19
(Paul Richards)
GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL, San Francisco 22/V/93
9. Passacaglia 5'59
(J.S. Bach (BWV 582), arr. Bert Lams)
NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE, Nottingham 20/VI/93
10. Threnody For Souls In Torment 12'55
(Robert Fripp / Trey Gunn)
NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE, Nottingham 20/VI/93

Total Time: 48:22

  • Robert Fripp - Guitar, Frippertronics
  • Trey Gunn - Grand Stick
    CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO:
  • Bert Lams - Acoustic Guitar
  • Paul Richards - Acoustic Guitar, Fuzz E-bow Guitar
  • Hideyo Moriya - Acoustic Guitar

    Produced by David Singleton and The RFSQ for DISCIPLINE RECORDS
    David Singleton - Sound Engineer, Concert & Recording
    John Sinks - Stage Manager, Assistant Recording Engineer, Strategic Liaison

    A NOTE FROM THE CO-PRODUCER

    The ROBERT FRIPP STRING QUINTET occupy a somewhat precarious position. Squeezed in between the more glamorous projects of Robert Fripp and Trey Gunn and the mainstream work of The CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO it has often seemed that no-one, the artists themselves included, is prepared to give the string quintet the attention it deserves. In a recent interview I heard Robert Fripp refer to his album with David Sylvian as a "major piece of work". I realised at the time that my job was to persuade him that this album too could be a major piece of work, even if the budget might seem quite minor in comparison! I don't know if I succeeded or not, but the fact that this album exists at all represents some sort of a triumph.
    It has been compiled, with the exception of "Contrapunctus", from live recordings of The QUINTET made during their recent tours of Italy, Argentina and the USA together with a performance at the NOTTINGHAM GUITAR FESTIVAL. Some of the tracks have been overdubbed to give a thicker texture than was possible live, but hopefully they still retain much of the excitement (along with the rattles and occasional inaccuracies!).
    The STRING QUINTET have been a challenging group to work with. If they at times may have seemed to be lacking in musical integrity, they are certainly nothing if not eclectic. Where else would you be asked to record rock tracks without drums, Bach pieces with distorted guitar or stick, and have mood changes as extreme as that between the beauty of "Hope" and the terrifying despair of "Threnody For Souls In Torment"? All that without the usual dose of surf music and Sonny Rollins tunes that they throw in live for good measure!
    The material presents an exciting challenge to the musicians themselves, as well as to the record producer. It undoubtedly presents an equal challenge to the listener.

    David Singleton, Wiltshire, UK
    August 10th, 1993.

    NOTE FROM THE GUITARIST

    The QUINTET slipped into existence as a response to an invitation from Anita Contini of Olympia & York for me to perform in The ATRIUM of The WORLD FINANCIAL CENTRE in New York. I invited Trey Gunn to join me for one performance and The CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO for another. These two performances took place on May 19th, and 20th. 1992. Around these shows we added several other dates for which we gratefully acknowledge the support of John Paige, Harold Oliver, WMUH at MUHLENBERG COLLEGE, and Michael Tedesco, amongst others.
    In November 1992, now The RFSQ, we visited Japan for television, club and concert performances, and in May 1993 Argentina and California. The following month we played in England, by mistake, at ZEFFERELLI's, AMBLESIDE, and the NOTTINGHAM GUITAR FESTIVAL. For help in our continuing live work we are indebted to Claudio De Rocca in Italy, Bill Forth and Mark Perry in California, Masa Matsuzaki in Japan and Richard Chadwick in the UK.

    Merchandising and Enquiries:

    Possible Productions (United States)
    c/o Mark Perry, 351, Magnolia Avenue,
    LONG BEACH, California 90802;
    310-491 1945: fax.

    Possible Productions (South America)
    c/o Hernan Nunez, Avenue Santa Fe 3044 - I,
    1425 Capital Federal, BUENOS AIRES,
    Argentina;
    010-54-1 -837872: fax.

    Discipline Records (UK)
    c/o Richard Chadwick,
    Opium Arts Ltd., 17, Gosfield Street,
    LONDON, WIP7HE;
    071-631 5221: tel.
    071-255 1559: fax.

    A PERSONAL NOTE FROM ROBERT

    The act of music remains for me an act through which the inexpressible benevolence of the creative impulse may enter our lives, and direct and shape them in a way and manner so radical and overwhelming that one single note might change our world. And if our world, then the world of all of us. This is always a possibility, despite the limitations and restrictions placed upon the event. No professional musician can fail to be unaware of the cynicism, greed and violation upon which the music industry has been based in (at least) recent years. Our own cynicism, in response, is too high a price to pay. Despite all attempts to constrain the power of music, the act of music is always remarkable.
    Perhaps those who believe a musician should play and then be silent, and I have sympathy with that sentiment, may forgive me for taking this opportunity to address matters of my continuing concern.
    We have perhaps noticed that the world with which we are familiar is collapsing. The abrogation of responsibility, by those in positions of power towards those who are dependent upon them, would seem to be a leitmotif in our recent history: political, personal, professional and moral violation is endemic in contemporary culture. The new world is struggling to be born while carrying passive repercussions of the past and facing active opposition from the old. The future is in place, and waiting, but we have yet to discover it. Our present position is the bridge between.This position is hazardous because we are building the bridge while crossing it.
    A reasonable person would despair, but hope is unreasonable and redemption an actual event. Artists, musicians and poets deal in the unreasonable on a daily basis. This is the living breath of our work and the invisible glue which holds together performers, audience and our song.
    Redemption and repair, for those committed to serving the creative impulse, is an aspect of applied art and utterly practical. Grace - readily available, simply experienced, beyond understanding - requires no reason to enter our lives but does need a vehicle.

    Wiltshire, UK August 10th, 1993