Following on from brilliant gigs by The John Wright band and Andy Irvine, Phipps Hall, Beauly welcomes Theo Travis and his band on Tuesday 6 June 2006.

They are touring to promote their latest CD Earth to Ether, which features his regular band of top London musicians and various guests. Although he has always featured flute, Earth to Ether is the first of Travis' albums to bring the instrument to the fore in a group context. The concert will also include tracks from Theo’s Passion Dance - Live at Ronnies, Secret Island and other CDs and some jazz classics and imaginative covers.

Theo Travis is a writer of real melodies rather than nondescript originals and fronts an exciting and wonderfully integrated group featuring the exhilarating drumming of Marc Parnell. The line-up includes pianist Simon Colam, one of the new young lions on the London scene and Alex Keen, one of the top acoustic and electric bass players in London, who has toured extensively with Rob Hall including two tours of the Scottish Highlands.

Theo lists his major early influences as Coltrane and Charlie Parker, and the Tubby Hayes album ‘Mexican Green’. He has worked with John Etheridge (Soft Machine), Bill Bruford (Yes/ King Crimson), and Dick Heckstall -Smith (Colosseum), while he has also filled in for Didier Malherbe in psychedelic prankster band Gong. “His floating soundscapes, rhythmic cadences and blistering workouts of today seem like a natural extension of his interest in prog-rock - albeit looser, less drilled and genuinely exploratory.” Metro Newspaper. With the sad passing of Elton Dean in February this year, Theo has been asked to replace him in the Soft Machine Legacy.

The Scottish tour takes them to Edinburgh, Grassmarket (1 June), Achmore Hall, Lochalsh (2 June), Lochinver Village Hall (5 June), Beauly (6 June), Ullapool (7 June), Aberdeen - Blue Lamp (8 June) and Tolbooth, Stirling (10 June).

The Beauly concert, which begins at 8pm, will be held in the upstairs ceilidh room. Tickets may be bought on-line at www.thebooth.co.uk  or 01463 724261. The concert is part of the Arts programme of Education, Culture & Sport and is supported by the Scottish Arts Council National Lottery.