Traffic Corner - and a green light for About Time

[Guy Berger]

And one more question -- is Widespread Panic really influenced by Traffic? If so I may have to check them out.

Guy

[B. Clugston]

Up.

Not sure why, but I got a serious itch to listen to Traffic today and put Heaven Is in Your Mind (the US version of Dear Mr. Fantasy) on my ipod. DAMN, IT'S GOOD. Especially the title tune(s).

Like Bev, I don't completely understand the fascination with Dave Mason. He had a few good songs, but he wrote some really goofy stuff on the debut.

Are the Traffic albums post-Low Spark good? I really like 4 of the songs on that album, but two of them ("Rock and Roll Stew", "Light Up and Leave Me Alone") kinda suck.

Now I'm chilling out to John Barleycorn Must Die -- another great one. Not a bad song on it. Nobody ever seems to mention "Every Mother's Son" -- I love that tune.

Are live Traffic recordings from the site which must not be named worth checking out? I get the feeling that despite their jazzy dabblings they might have been boring live.

If you're joining this thread late, be sure to go back to page one for some truly classic posts from chewy chew chew.

Guy

I've always been a big fan of On The Road. There are a few dull bits, but overall a good one.

p.s. Classic chewy chew chew indeed.

[Guy Berger]

It's a shame that no jazz artists have covered "Glad" -- that's a great soul jazz tune, but lacking any major improvisation on the original version.

Guy

[Sundog]

As a young kid my Dad made reel to reel tape compilations of jazz and a few other miscellaneous things. One of those tapes was labeled "Traffic, Beatles, and Hendrix." I was familiar with the Beatles and Hendrix, but Traffic was a mystery to me. Of course, I wasn't suppose to touch any of his reel to reel tapes but curiosity got the better of me. I threaded up that "puppy" and was soon listening to John Barleycorn.... I was hooked from the first downbeat of "Glad" and have been listening to them ever since. One of the very first songs I ever learned on guitar was "Medicated Goo." Traffic is comfort music to me.

Agree regarding "Glad" as a great piece of soul jazz waiting to be rediscovered and covered. Always thought "Empty Pages" would make a great cover for a funky organ trio/soul jazz outfit. ahem!

[Hot Ptah]

I am apparently in the minority, but I liked Chris Woods' electric sax solo on the song "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys". When Traffic was good, it was great.

[Stefan Wood]

This recent compilation satisfies my Traffic fix:

[B. Clugston]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeBkoBvLe2s

You'll be Glad you saw this.

[jazzbo]

This recent compilation satisfies my Traffic fix:

Man, you're easily satisfied!

Me, I've had to have more than that.

[Guy Berger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeBkoBvLe2s

You'll be Glad you saw this.

Chris Wood was a TERRIBLE saxophonist.

Guy

[Guy Berger]

I dug out the Blind Faith album this weekend. I stopped it before the jam, but those first five songs are GREAT. It seems like Winwood couldn't do wrong in those days.

Guy