Road to Saint Ives is a solo album

Solo album

A solo album, in popular music, is an album headlined by a current or former member of a band. A solo album may feature simply one person performing all instruments, but typically features the work of other collaborators; rather, it may be made with different collaborators than the artist is...

 by English saxophonist John Surman

John Surman

John Douglas Surman is an English jazz saxophone, bass clarinet and synthesizer player, and composer of free jazz and modal jazz, often using themes from folk music as a basis...

 recorded in 1990 and released on the ECM label.

Reception

The Allmusic review by Stacia Proefrock awarded the album 4 stars stating "a gentle, introspective, yet adventurous solo work. The entire album is a one-man effort, from the composition to all of the instrumentation, with Surman building strata of sound over keyboard and percussion structures using bass clarinet and the soprano and bass saxophones he is known for. The resulting work communicates a unique vision and mood, unsullied by the conflicting interpretations of other performers".

Track listing

All compositions by John Surman

1. "Polperro" - 2:06
2. "Tintagel" - 12:10
3. "Tethevy Quoit" - 0:53
4. "Rame Head" - 4:39
5. "Mevagissey" - 6:50
6. "Lostwithiel" - 1:25
7. "Perranporth" - 1:58
8. "Bodmin Moor" - 6:40
9. "Kelly Bray" - 1:22
10. "Piperspool" - 5:08
11. "Marazion" - 2:35
12. "Bedruthan Steps" - 7:28
    • Recorded at Rainbow Studio in Oslo, Norway in April 1990

Personnel

• John Surman
  John Surman
  John Douglas Surman is an English jazz saxophone, bass clarinet and synthesizer player, and composer of free jazz and modal jazz, often using themes from folk music as a basis...
  
   — soprano saxophone
  Soprano saxophone
  The soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
  
  , baritone saxophone
  Baritone saxophone
  The baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
  
  , bass clarinet
  Bass clarinet
  The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
  
  , keyboards, percussion