Steve Winwood's Project

Traffic was a band that I listened to when I was younger. It was in my fathers collection and stood out like a sore thumb compared to his other records. The only problem he did not have the first two, he had John Barleycorn Must Die. That album is great, but less of the Psychedelia. That album included more progressive rock and folk roots then any of their albums. Traffic was great though their four piece band at the time sounded like there was at least six members.

In some way Traffic was my first favorite band behind King Crimson. I was 14 when I got into them and I did not seen any reason not to like them. I played John Barleycorn Must Die about million times. Each song had an epic feel to it. It was awesome. That all changed when I went over my trusty uncle to "borrow" his LP's. He had other Traffic albums I never heard. I wondered if they would be the same as the one I had. I was wrong, but good thing because I thought these were just as good if not better.



I looked at both the Traffic albums he had. These are songs I don't recall hearing on the radio. If I did the titles did not suggest that I heard them. I just remember watching a special on Steve Winwood suggesting that he was once the "white Ray Charles" and that voice was on the stamp of these albums. I brought them home with the excitement like all other music, but this time I was ready to hear something new and different that was going to be totally unexpected. I was so happy to put these on the turntable.

I did not know which to start with, so I went to the one called Mr. Fantasy. That one at least looked the least worn. I thought that my uncle did not like it. He told me later on that he was so blown away by that album that he kept that one in good shape and bought himself another copy.
I was amazed at how each song was filled with great musicianship. Dave Mason on Guitar and Bass, Steve Winwood on Organ, Harpsichord and Guitar, Jim Capaldi on Drums and finally Chris Wood on Flute and Saxophone. Each created colours that no band has ever done. It was quite amazing to hear all this go on and think four, sometimes three people created all this.

When I started listening to this I really fell in love with the song "Paper Sun." It was one of the singles off the album and each time I hear it now it brings back memories of not only my first exposure to Traffic, but the end of 1967. Other great psychedelic numbers like "Hole in My Shoe" and "Heaven is in Your Mind" talk about the sixties quite well. The album as a whole is amazing and when Island issued the album with mono and stereo mixes with bonus it was a sixties music lovers dream. There are different versions of the album out there, but not sure what to get?? Get this one and hear some true music from 1967 that has roots in America and England. Enjoy!