This trio of guitarists from Austria, Kazakhstan and America made their first appearance on disc on From a Dream (2009) on Muthspiel's self produced Material label. They have been touring together since 2005 and it was Towner, a long established ECM artist, who brought the group to the attention of his label, and Travel Guide represents both Muthspiel's and Grigoryan's debut on ECM. Featuring five titles by Towner and five titles by Muthspiel, this is an album that respects light and shade, lyrical exchanges and well crafted melody. What is perhaps missing after several careful auditions is a variation in tonal colour since the ear begins to yearn for some form of contrast over time. That is not to detract from the deft musicianship of those concerned, only to observe that even the finest chef serving the finest dish can invoke similar feelings over time.