In belatedly 1968, Traffic disbanded, guitarist Dave Mason having left the grouping for the 2nd fourth dimension prior to the completion of the Traffic album. In 1969, Steve Winwood joined the supergroup Blind Faith, spell drummer/lyricist Jim Capaldi too woodwinds thespian Chris Wood turned to session work. Wood too Winwood too joined Blind Faith's drummer Ginger Baker inwards his post-Blind Faith grouping Ginger Baker's Air Force for their initiatory of all album, Ginger Baker's Air Force (1970).
At the commence of 1970, afterward the demise of Blind Faith, the band having lasted barely half dozen months, Winwood returned to the studio ostensibly to brand his initiatory of all solo album, originally to live titled Mad Shadows. He recorded ii tracks alongside producer Guy Stevens, "Stranger to Himself" too "Every Mother's Son", but yearned for like-minded musicians to accompany. Inviting Wood too Capaldi to bring together him, Winwood's solo album became the reunion of Traffic, too a re-launch of the band's career. Mad Shadows would larn on to live the championship of Mott the Hoople's 2nd album, too produced yesteryear Guy Stevens.
As did almost of their albums, it featured influences from jazz too blues, but the version of the traditional English linguistic communication folk melody "John Barleycorn" too showed the musicians attention to the same strains of modern interpretations of traditional folk music every bit contemporary British bands Pentangle too Fairport Convention.
It was reissued for compact disc inwards the UK on 1 Nov 1999, alongside v bonus tracks, including 3 recorded inwards concert from the Fillmore East inwards New York City. In the US, the remastered reissue of 27 Feb 2001 included exclusively the ii studio bonus tracks.
Steve Winwood oversaw a deluxe edition version that was released on xv March 2011, featuring the original studio album, digitally remastered on disc one, plus a 2nd disc of bonus textile including to a greater extent than of the Fillmore East concert alongside alternate mixes too versions of album tracks.
At exclusively 22 years old, Steve Winwood sat downward inwards early on 1970 to fulfill a contractual commitment yesteryear making his initiatory of all solo album, on which he intended to play all the instruments himself. The tape got every bit far every bit 1 backing rails produced yesteryear Guy Stevens, "Stranger to Himself," before Winwood called his one-time partner from Traffic, Jim Capaldi, inwards to assist out. The ii completed a 2nd track, "Every Mother's Son," then, alongside Winwood too Island Records principal Chris Blackwell moving to the production chores, brought inwards a 3rd Traffic member, Chris Wood, to travel on the sessions. Thus, Traffic, dead too buried for to a greater extent than than a year, was reborn.
The band's novel approach was closer to what it perchance should accept been dorsum inwards 1967, basically a showcase for Winwood's vocalization too instrumental work, alongside Wood adding reed parts too Capaldi drumming too occasionally singing harmony vocals. If the original Traffic bowed to the perceived commercial necessity of crafting striking singles, the novel Traffic was to a greater extent than interested inwards stretching out. Heretofore, no studio recording had run longer than the five-and-a-half minutes of "Dear Mr. Fantasy," but 4 of the half dozen selections on John Barleycorn Must Die exceeded half dozen minutes. Winwood too fellowship used the fourth dimension to play extended instrumental variations on compelling folk- too jazz-derived riffs.
Five of the half dozen songs had lyrics, too their musical note of disaffection was typical of before Capaldi sentiments. But the vocal sections of the songs but served every bit excuses for Winwood to practise his expressive vocalization every bit punctuation to the extended instrumental sections. As such, John Barleycorn Must Die moved beyond the jamming that had characterized approximately of Traffic's 1968 travel to approach the emerging plain of jazz-rock. And that helped the band to accomplish its commercial potential; this became Traffic's initiatory of all golden album.
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Track listing:
1. Glad 6:32
2. Freedom Rider 6:20
3. Empty Pages 4:47
4. Stranger To Himself 4:02
5. John Barleycorn 6:20
6. Every Mother's Son 7:05
Personnel:
- Steve Winwood / Hammond organ, pianoforte & electrical pianoforte (3), acoustic (4,5) & electrical (4,6) guitars, bass (3), percussion, vocals (2-5,8), co-producer
- Chris Wood / acoustic & electrical saxophones, flute, wind, Hammond organ (3), percussion
- Jim Capaldi / drums, percussion, tambourine (5), vocals (4,5)
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