Traffic : Psychedelic, Progressive, Soulful, Folksy Jazz-Rock

I agree. I love Traffic. I would even put them in my top five to ten greatest (rock) bands of all time. A lot of people won't understand, but for those in the know who really know music, this is some of the most progressive, sophisticated, tasty, and timeless rock and roll ever created.

Dave Mason's Alone Together is one of the desert island disks for me.

Low Spark and Alone Together are two albums I’ve never gotten tired of. Ok, let’s add Barleycorn.

Thanks for doing this video - Traffic / Winwood are seriously underrated, particularly the 1970s output. Greatest Hits Live from 2017 is a terrific Winwood retrospective.

I adore all of Traffic's works. Low Spark is the highlight of Winwood's work. John Barleycorn is another. Haunting and beautiful jazz rock folk that puts you in a state of musical euphoria. Can't believe you still have mint copies of the original albums and copies of old reviews. Your are a master collector. I am on my 3rd and 4th copies of their LP's as most were lost, trashed or left with former girlfriends. At age 68 I still enjoy all of their albums, and the solo efforts. Its great to hear another enthusiast's praise their work. Thank you. Craig from Benicia

Have to say Shoot Out At the Fantasy Factory is my favorite but you can't go wrong with any of them.

I love Traffic!

I remember buying the first Traffic album when it came out. I was doing my regular trek thru the Moorestown Mall stores with record departments, entering thru the Woolworth's record section, going thru the racks before heading down to Gimbels to check out their record racks. Then head back to an indie record shop, We Three Records. Before doing Sears & Wanamakers record departments, I stopped in the Singer Sewing Center which had a record section among the sewing machines. There on the bottom slot I saw Traffic's Heaven Is In Your Mind, not knowing anything about it. Turned it over and saw Steve Winwood's name. Knowing he was from the Spencer Davis Group I bought the album unheard, took it over to a friend's house because his father had a great stereo, and put it on. We were blown away by how great, and different the album was. It remains in my current rotation over 50 years later!

Traffic liked to have musical conversations. Stevie always like to jam it out. A lot of bands from that era did. I have always loved that.

Two overlooked songs from Low Spark are Hidden Treasure and Many a Mile to Freedom still play in my head while I'm working

Low Spark, such a great title track.

I grew up with this music. Traffic records were always great uplifting and mellowing music when the hard rock and psychedelic sounds had saturated the ears of my roommates and I. They're definitely in the top tier of all those classic rock bands. 1965-75 is an incomparable decade for music. I've kept all my Traffic records which I was buying when they were issued, even when I had to get their CDs.

I 100% agree that the 2nd album, the eponymous Traffic is their best. It has that perfect fusion of what each of the four members brings to the band. Don't be Sad; gorgeous! That opening Fender Stratocaster riff is so soulful and beautifully sung by Mason. Like you said, Perfect Record.

Great show of one of the greatest Rock Bands in the history of Rock .☮️

Great overview of the Traffic albums, such a great band. I wanted to point out a solo album by Winwood called, About Time from 2002. I think you will really enjoy this album, it’s a three piece band and it’s a very groove driven record. I think it’s only on cd format.

I got into Traffic in the fall of 2002 after buying the CD of Last Exit for $7 during The Wiz's liquidation sales en route to the chain going under. I wound up making a few trips to Tower Records in Manhattan to buy the rest of Traffic's catalog as well as the first few Rhino CD remasters of the Chicago catalog. Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory is my favorite Traffic album. I think it's just about perfect. The hard rock of the title cut, the more jazz like dream that is Roll Right Stones, the acoustic perfection of Evening Blue, another jazz workout with Tragic Magic and then the closer Sometimes I Feel So Uninspired, which starts out down but then builds up into this inspirational anthem about overcoming what''s bringing you down, which I could relate to in 2002. And Winwood's guitar in that final track was just great. It would be a desert island disc for me.

" Walk in the Wind" wonderfull!! I love this track! My regrets.

I always thought that Steve Winwood's first (self-titled) studio album released in 1977 was seriously underrated. It's pretty funky and features Jim Capaldi and Rebop Kwaku Baah.

In my top 5 bands all time . My favs are traffic 2 John barley corn , low spark

I'm sure I won't be the only viewer to ask about the reunion album "Far From Home" Capaldi/Winwood did in the '90's, which got excluded here. Certainly NOT displacing "John Barleycorn" to my ears, BUT a worthy comeback, and I'm grateful they chose to put it out especially since Jim Capaldi died not long after this came out. (I know they DID tour, but concerts are beyond my tolerance now).