Travelling from France

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Another one in my series of band threads.
TRAVELLING is a French band with a sound that fits quite well with th Canterbury scene sound with great fuzzed organ and Yves Hasselmann voice which reminds a bit of Wyatt.

Here's their PA bio:

Two members of TRAVELLING had played previously in INTROVERSION, before joining forces in this trio that made one sole album released on the now legendary (and ultra collectible) Futura record label. One can easily detect the Canterbury influence of this KB-led trio reminding you of distant French cousins MOVING GELATINE PLATES, and some allusions to SOFT MACHINE, most notably to the singer's voice that will remind you of Robert Wyatt and his fuzzed-out Ratledge-like organs.

Keyboardist Yves Hasselman will later work with ANGE's Daniel Haas and other collaborations.

Here are reviews from Gnosis 2000 - http://gnosis2000.net/reviews/travellinginfo.htm

Sjef Oellers 
17-Jan-2001 
Voici La Nuit Tombee 

Travelling are a French band playing in the trio format (keyboards, bass, drums). Musically they have links to Soft Machine, Robert Wyatt and ELP. Keyboard player Yves Hasslemann has a fairly varied playing style, incorporating classical, blues and jazz elements. In contrast to Soft Machine's Mike Ratledge, Hasselmann plays piano more frequently, but occasionally fuzz organ can be heard as well. Nice album with some excellent piano and organ playing.

Tom Hayes 
19-Feb-2001 
Voici la Nuit Tombee 

In the mid- to late 60s, free jazz was a prominent feature in the Parisian nightclubs and overall had a strong foothold throughout France. On the vanguard for this movement of jazz was the Futura label. Today the label has attained a mythical stature; 1) because of the consistent high quality music the label produced and 2) the scarcity of the product. In the early 70s, the Futura label expanded its scope to include new and exciting experimental avant rock music which seemed to mesh well with the style of jazz the label portrayed. These albums were designated as the RED series and debuted, naturally enough, with a band called Red Noise. 
Perhaps the most accessible of these RED bands was Travelling, a keyboard-based trio that probably represented best what the label was about: Jazz, rock and an experimental inquisitiveness. Their sole album is a combination of the early Canterbury movement circa Soft Machine 2, the continental equivalent in Supersister, piano jazz and avant-garde classical/electronics. In fact, the 18-minute title track has all these elements which include Wyatt-esque vocals (however, here in French), fuzz bass, fuzz organ, piano jazz, complex meters and echoed early synthesizers/machines; a contrast in tight ensemble playing combined with loose free improvisation. The other five shorter tracks are really just the same though more contained within the environment of a small composition. The closer demonstrates a melancholic sadness not displayed elsewhere. 
Originals of any Futura album run into the small fortune area. Travelling is no exception and was a staple $600+ LP. Fortunately within the last year, Italian CD label Mellow Records released this so that everyone can hear this gem.

Here are the reviews from here in PA:

TRAVELLING — Voici La Nuit Tombée
Review by Sean Trane (Hugues Chantraine) 
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog-Folk Specialist 
 The last of the releases on the ultra-rare and now very collectible Futura Red label, this group’s sole album as leader’s Yves Hasselman dominating it from start to end. This does not mean that drummer Gremillot and bassist Goure are inexistent, far from it, as they support him quite aptly. Hasselman has a long history of recording with the greatest singers in La Chanson Française and is still active today.

Un-like most KB-lead trio, Travelling does not even attempt to sound or even make the slightest attempt at ELP, preferring a much more pleasant sound rather Canterbury- esque. In this regard, we might think of another trio with a three-letter name: Egg, but Travelling is more than that also, as they sing in French. But the use of a Fuzz- organ and the jazz-inflicted piano playing (sometimes resembling Keith Tippet’s style but much more melodic) cannot help but bring you to the verdict that this French music trio is definitely looking across La Manche (The Channel) at the first mid-size city in Kent. The first side of the vinyl is dominated by the sidelong title track and is a pure joy to hear with Hasselman’s voice somewhat not that far away from Wyatt and constant time-changes contrasting with the numerous switches from the Hammond to the piano. 

Flamenco, the first track on the second side is not Spanish-tinged but somehow is a brilliant Kent adaptation with a Wyatt-like scatting reminding you of Andalusia with Nelson not just stopping at Trafalgar. Passo with its ever-present piano and Soleil with its Fuzzed-out Hammond are textbook case ot how a KB trio can sound other than an Emerson-clone band, both superb. Tout Compte Fa it (all considered) is a reflective piece where Hasselman joins both the keyboards in solo. While Shema is a slight return to the title track with Haqsselman scatting again to our purest of delight.

While not essential to the average proghead, this might just indispensable to the Canterbury nuthead, so it plainly deserves its fourth star, but to other progheads they should regard it asa non-essential. 
Posted Friday, March 31, 2006, 05:32 EST | Permanent link

TRAVELLING — Voici La Nuit Tombée
Review by erik neuteboom (erik neuteboom) 
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Prog Expert 
 I am not really into Canterbury and jazzrock but while listening to this album I got more and more and impressed, especially the keyboardplay is amazing, he is a virtuosic who also plays with emotion! In the title track he manages to let his Hammond organ deliver all the excellent sounds that it hosts, this is at the level of Keith Emerson and also the jazzy piano play is great. The overdubs on piano and organ create a captivating sound, this is supported by a very dynamic rhythm-section. The other four songs (between 3 and 4 minutes) contain a bit melancholic French vocals and lots of interestin work on the piano and (fuzzed) organ. An overwhelming CD that should be checked out by the aficionados of this category!

www.progwalhalla.com

Posted Wednesday, May 17, 2006, 18:33 EST | Permanent link