Back by popular demand positive comments from Dave and Will and the fact that with Scott gone we forget to do the Jukebox last night, the juke joint returns.
Today’s featured artist is (early) Steve Winwood. Perhaps the most soulful of the blue-eyed souled crowd. Here’s his Wiki. He was a child prodigy–on multiple instruments. When famous US R&B artists like the legendary Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf toured England they played with local musicians (talk about sustainability!!) and Winwood (in his early teens!!!) was playing with these fathers of the blues. At 15 (yes 15) he joined The Spencer Davis Group, the first of a number of musicians musicians bands he was to join/front (a band that other musicians listen to): later with a short-lived supergroup with Clapton called Blind Faith and from there to the justly praised Traffic.
In his prodigy-ness, his ability to master multiple instruments and tonally amazing voice, the only contemporary artist I can think of who reminds me of Winwood is Prince.
I have only chosen clips from The Spencer Davis Group years (it was a hard call whether to bring in some Traffic or not, given they are one of my all-time favorite bands). The Spencer Davis Group was very influential to later acts like The Allman Brothers, The Blues Brothers, Joe Cocker, Chicago amongst many others, all of whom covered Spencer Davis tunes.
The first two clips I’ve picked here are from a concert the group did in ’67 when Winwood by now was the ripe old age of 19. The last is from ’66.
The first one shows up his blues singing chops and bad ass guitar stylings:
The second a rendition of the great Ray Charles’ Georgia on my Mind was so good that Clapton famously said the first time he heard it he thought he was just listening to Ray himself. Here also check out the unreal organ playing–the instrument probably for which Winwood is best known (but again he was so amazing at so many). When he played with people like Clapton and Hendrix he played the Hammond organ as he was a true master of this instrument as you will see. Did I mention he was 19 when he did this?
We’ve seen Winwood do blues, Soul-R&B, and now show of his frontman rock skills with Keep on Running one of the great rock-blues songs of all time.
As good as his stuff with Spencer Davis group was, I think his best work was on that Blind Faith record. There’s a melodic richness to that stuff (sea of joy, por exemplo) that’s absent on his blues records. Lyrics are better too. Such a shame they only produced that one album…Report
Steve who?
How about early Dylan, Highway 61 Dylan (Abe said where do you want this killin’ done, God said out on…), Jesus Dylan, ect
And then there’s http://www.intellecutalconserative.com/article4072.html
John Prine (…and Jesus don’t like killin’ no mater what the reason’s for..)
oops, sorry! and finally, the R&B and Doo-Wop that sustained life for so many years.Report
Try:
http://www.intellectualconservative.com/article4072.html
I hope?Report
HC,
Blind Faith was amazing. It was too bad they only had the one album. Clapton was too busy falling in love with his best friend (George Harrison’s) wife, followed Bonnie and Delaney, tried to get himself into The Band, and then quickly formed Derek & The Dominoes with an otherwise (then) little known guy playing guitar named Duane Allman. They only had one album too. Unbelievable to think about how much talent there was then.
Winwood said later of Traffic that there final album, John Barleycorn Must Die (talk about haunting lyricism) was what he had always intended for the group.
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this is my favorite from that album:
Every Mother’s SonReport
“Winwood said later of Traffic that there [sic] final album, John Barleycorn Must Die (talk about haunting lyricism) was what he had always intended for the group.”
Chris, I’m a huge fan of rock and roll, rock, whatever you want to call it. I still buy a lot of the current bands, and have more reference books than any sane person needs. But I love the stuff and always will. So…
“John Barleycorn Must Die,” 1970, was not the last album by Traffic. “Welcome to the Canteen” followed in 1971. “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” was also released in 1971. “Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory” in 1973. “When the Eagle Flies” in 1974. Winwood appears on all of these albums. I’ll leave it there not wishing to go to far into the woods on this.
I will not dispute what you write about Winwood seeing “Barleycorn” as the high point of the band. It is so fucking good and Winwood may have expressed the feelings you state. I just don’t know.
Today I think I would rank “Mr. Fantasy,” 1967, as my number one, followed by “Barleycorn.” The others, in my opinion, fall way short of those two but “Boys” and “Shoot Out” are fine records.
Just needed to clear this up, as I said LOVE the stuff.
Best song ever written about rock and roll – “Rock and Roll” by Lou Reed. Part of the lyric, “Despite all the amputations she could dance to the rock n’ roll station, and it was ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.” Give it a listen, let me know what you think.Report
Bob,
Thanks for the fact check. I thought Barleycorn was the last album the original four-some did before breaking up but apparently Mason wasn’t on that record.
And I know the Lou Reed song of which you speak. Guy’s a genius, what can you say?Report
“Guy’s a genius, what can you say?”
Well I can only say, guy’s a genius.
Last bit of trivia on Traffic. As best I know Mason played on only one album, the eponymous “Traffic.” the second album. Mason is given writing credit on two songs on “Mr. Fantasy,” “Hole In My Shoe” and “House for Everyone.” Traffic began as a trio, Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and the late Chris Wood.
There have been numerous reissues and compilations on which Mason appears but of the original albums Mason plays on only one, to the best of my knowledge.
And way off topic, I really liked your “Notre Bama” post.Report