Released: 1995
Tracks: Train to Lamy Suite (Parts 1 – 3); Punta Patri; Toccata and Fugue in D Minor; Fratres; Train to Lamy Part 4; Apache; Train to Lamy Part 5; Above the Clouds; Prelude Circulation; The Good the Bad and the Ugly; Train to Lamy Part 3 (reprise)
Best track: very hard…either Punta Patri or Above the Clouds
Tracks to skip: Lamy Part 4 and Part 3 Reprise are pretty useless, but they don’t take up too much room
I’m not sure if I like this one better than Yamanashi or not. I like the original CGT songs on YB better, but the overall production and atmosphere is better on Invitation. However, like I said above, both Punta Patri and Above the Clouds are absolutely incredible pieces. Punta is probably one of the saddest pieces of music I’ve ever heard and Trey Gunn sits in for Clouds and he just owns it. His playing is nothing short of gorgeous on this. These days it’s pretty rare for Gunn to take a solo, but it’s always an Experience whenever he does.
As usual with the CGT, there are a mix of covers and originals. For covers this time they still insist on playing some Bach (both Toccata & Prelude Circulation), but both are pretty good. Toccata does go on for a bit, but that’s the way Bach wrote it. Prelude is so quiet, and pretty short, that I barely noticed it. Fratres is a very cool piece by Part that also has more excellent stuff from Trey Gunn. Then we have the ‘fun’ pieces that the CGT like to throw in for every album, Apache and Good-Bad-Ugly. Both are excellent.
Train to Lamy is a perfect way to open up the album, but I think the piece (and album) is weakened a bit by not having the whole thing together. The Lamy Suite is excellent though. Hmm, maybe the originals on this do hold up to those on Yamanashi. I still haven’t made my decision yet, but it really doesn’t matter. This is another wonderful CD by a trio of 3 exceptionally creative guitarists. This is harder to find in stores, so it’d be best to either order it from the band or Discipline.
Rating: 93
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