Traffic - The Low Spark Sessions Olympic Studios 1971 (Bootleg)

Size: 163 MB
Bitrate: 320
mp3
Found in DC++ World
No Artwork
Excellent SoundQuality

This is billed as outtakes from the Low Spark studio sessions, though it seems to have other stuff as well. The sound quality is excellent except for the alternate mix “Rock & Roll Stew” extended version which is curiously distorted. Twelve tracks pretty much suitable for diehard fans only.

I can still remember the first time I heard The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. I was in high school, and it must have been my senior year because I had just smoked a bowl in the basement. When I came upstairs and went to my room, my buzz was just starting to kick in, and I flipped on the radio. That song was playing, and that hypnotic, steady bass line dragged my ass right down to the floor. I sat there like Buddha - cross legged, eyes closed, and letting every beautiful note wash over and through me. I've been a Traffic fan since. I still don't know what the song is about, but here's a boatload of theories to start with.

While Traffic was a band with a distinguished career and many great albums, Low Spark just seems to stand out. The entire thing is great from start to finish, and most of it was available to FM listeners of the day. I remember at least four of the LP's six songs getting regular play - a ratio even today's most popular releases do not enjoy anymore. It was the band's most successful album in the U.S. Not bad for a band everyone had given up for dead many years before.

I was fortunate to see the core of Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi (and I'm not sure who else, certainly not Chris Wood, who was long dead, or Dave Mason, who was in Fleetwood Mac that year) reunite as Traffic in 1994, when they toured as the opener for the Grateful Dead. While I frequently blew off the opening acts in favor of the parking lot scene, I made sure I was in to see Traffic both nights. I'm glad I did - both sets were fantastic (despite the poor live performances I've heard on some older boots) , and as of Capaldi's passing will never happen again.  Unfortunately this was post Brent GD, therefore no big Dear Mr. Fantasy jam, which sounds just awesome in my imagination.

Aside from Winwood (guitar, keys, vocals), Capaldi (percussion, vocals) and Wood (sax, flute) the band also consisted at this point of Rick Grech (bass, violin), Reebop Kwaku Baah (percussion) and Jim Gordon (drums) who is the unfortunate lunatic I referred to in yesterday's final clue. 

The music I'm sharing today comes from the Low Spark sessions at the Olympic Studios in London in 1971. I'm sure there is plenty more - this is just one disc and doesn't cover all the songs on the album. It does, however, include three "unknown jams" and demos for a couple Capaldi tunes that Traffic never did (he may have done them solo, I don't know.) 

While I wish I could post a nifty version of Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, I can't. The version here has some different percussion, and the sax solo doesn't sound exactly the same, but the piano solo does, as do the vocals. Overall, it's not that different from what we know. I can share a completely different arrangement of the album's single, though. Rock & Roll Stew has long been one of my favorite Traffic tunes, and this alternate arrangement is cool as hell. It's a little simpler and less layered than the release, and feels a little more like a straightforward rock song.

The next is one of the unknown jams, all of which are cool. This is the third and longest, and it features the Muscle Shoals Horns. It's called Unknown Jam #3 w/Muscle Shoals Horns. I swear, I have no idea where they come up with these titles. What do you think of it?

At the last minute, I've decided to include a third cut, simply because it it so unlike anything Traffic ever actually did. In fact, it sounds more like something Arlo Guthrie would do. It one of the Capaldi demos, and is a solo acoustic, very folksy sounding tune. It's called Easter Weekend demo #2. According to Google, this bootleg is the only way to hear this song, because no Capaldi albums came up in the search. Oh well. I do have to say that I enjoy the novelty of an acoustic guitar demo from a drummer! [Source: http://underthebridge.blogdrive.com/archive/233.html]

This is Traffic during 'The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys' recording sessions, at Olympic Studios, London, developed across various dates in 1971.

After the break-up of Blind Faith in 1969, Steve Winwood began working on a solo recording, bringing in Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi to contribute, and the project eventually turned into a new Traffic album, John Barleycorn Must Die, their most successful album yet. Traffic went on to expand its lineup late in 1970, adding Ric Grech on bass. The group further expanded in 1971 with drummer Jim Gordon of Derek and the Dominos and percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah. The live album Welcome to the Canteen was released in September and marked the band's break with United Artists Records. It did not bear the "Traffic" name on the cover, and instead was credited to the band's individual members including Dave Mason, who returned for his third and final spell with the band. The album ended with a version of The Spencer Davis Group song "Gimme Some Loving", which became a minor hit.

Following the departure of Dave Mason, Traffic released The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (1971), which was a Top 10 American album but did not chart in the UK; the LP is also notable for its striking die-cut cover. It sold over half a million copies in 1972 when it received a gold disc, and was awarded a R.I.A.A. platinum disc in March 1976 for over a million total sales. Once again, however, personnel problems wracked the band as Grech and Gordon left the band in December 1971, and the month after, Winwood's struggles with peritonitis brought Traffic to a standstill. Jim Capaldi used this hiatus to record a solo album, Oh How We Danced, which would prove to be the beginning of a long and successful solo career. The album included a surplus recording from The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys, "Open Your Heart", and the new tracks featured drummer Roger Hawkins and bassist David Hood, from the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio house band. Capaldi soon brought them on board to replace Grech and Gordon.[Source: http://www.beehivecandy.com/2011/09/traffic-low-spark-of-high-heeled.html]

Traffic 
The Low Spark of High Heeled Sessions
Olympic Studios, London, UK 
1971

Stevie Winwood - keyboard, guitar, vocals 
Dave Mason - guitar 
Jim Capaldi - vocals 
Chris Wood - sax; 
Rick Grech - bass 
Jim Gordon - drums 
Reebop Kwaku Baah - percussion 

01. The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys - alternate take, February 9, 1971
02. Rock And Roll Stew - alternate take, May 19, 1971
03. Rainmaker - alternate take, May 19, 1971
04. Rock And Roll Stew - alternate mix, August 25, 1971
05. Light Up Or Leave Me Alone - alternate mix, August 25, 1971
06. Traffic Jam #1 - take 2
07. Traffic Jam #2 - with Muscle Shoals Horns
08. Traffic Jam #3 - with Muscle Shoals Horns
09. It's So Hard - Jim Capaldi & Jim Gordon demo #1
10. It's So Hard - Jim Capaldi & Jim Gordon demo #2
11. Easter Weekend - Jim Capaldi demo #1 
12. Easter Weekend - Jim Capaldi demo #2

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Traffic - BBC In Concert 1970-04-30 (Bootleg)

Size: 138 MB
Bitrate: 320
mp3
Found in OuterSpace
No Artwork

Following three astonishingly original album releases in the late 1960s, the original four members of Traffic went their separate ways, a mere two years after they began. Traffic's farewell album, Last Exit, which contained the underground hit, "Medicated Goo," would be released in 1969, but by then Steve Winwood was already off to form Blind Faith with ex-Cream guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker. Although this collaboration bore musical fruit, Clapton's lack of commitment frustrated Winwood and Blind Faith would call it quits after only one album and tour. At the dawn of the 1970s, Winwood found himself without a band. Still overflowing with creativity, he began work on his first solo album, with the intention of calling it Mad Shadows. Winwood's musical vision included elements of American R&B, jazz and psychedelic rock but retained a distinctive British flavor. With an undeniable reverence for Ray Charles and a voice just as compelling, he continued blending the same diverse elements that made his songwriting in Traffic so compelling. As the studio sessions progressed, Winwood enlisted his Traffic cohorts, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood, whose contributions resulted in an album destined to become Traffic's most cohesive and focused artistic statement. Released in July of 1970, the John Barleycorn Must Die album would undeniably prove what tremendous composers Winwood and Capaldi had become and was the first Traffic album to attain gold status and would eventually be celebrated as one of the greatest rock albums of all time.

Poster 1970

In April of 1970, prior to the release of the John Barleycorn album, Winwood, Capaldi, and Wood unveiled much of this new material before an intimate live audience at the Paris Theater in London. Hosted by legendary DJ, John Peel, who had long championed the group, this now historic performance was captured for the BBC Radio One "In Concert" series. Showcasing much of the new material, as well as a few choice songs from the second and third Traffic LPs, this recording captures the formidable power and instrumental dexterity of the trio lineup of Traffic. Always respected as a keyboard player and vocalist, this show also illuminates what a talented guitar player Winwood had become. Just as impressive is Chris Wood, who changes instruments on nearly every song, performing on piano, organ, sax, flute, and percussion. It is more often than not Chris Wood's multi-instrumentalist contributions that add dimension, diversity and flavor to Winwood and Capaldi's most brilliant compositions.

The performance kicks off with a nod to the past, with "Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring," a classic song from the group's second self-titled album. A writing collaboration between Winwood, Capaldi, and Wood, this serves as the perfect introduction for this trio lineup, featuring Winwood on organ and vocals, Capaldi on drums and Wood handling everything else, including electric piano, sax, and percussion. Often Traffic's set opener during this era, this song serves as the perfect warm-up exercise, allowing the group to flex their improvisational muscles before tackling more adventurous material. Following an introduction by John Peel, they continue with similar instrumentation on the first of the new tracks to be performed, "Every Mother's Son." This majestic atmospheric gem would be destined to close the John Barleycorn album and features sensational instrumental contributions from all three musicians and one of Winwood's most impassioned vocals.

Poster 1971

The third song of the set, "No Time To Live," aired only during the initial live broadcast, is unfortunately not included. It is speculated that the BBC's recording equipment malfunctioned during this song as it was not included on subsequent transmissions of this performance and appears to only exist from inferior airchecks of the initial broadcast. However, the "Medicated Goo" that follows is terrific, featuring Winwood and Capaldi sharing vocal duties, Winwood now switching to electric guitar and Wood playing the bass part on electronically processed tenor sax. Here the song is more immediate and stripped down compared to its studio counterpart, but it is just as tight and all the more enjoyable for it. 

The most intimate moment of the entire set follows with the unveiling of the haunting title track from the forthcoming album, John Barleycorn. With Winwood on acoustic guitar and Capaldi and Wood adding sparse percussion in the form of tambourine and triangle, their interpretation of this traditional English folk ballad is performed with quiet, exquisite perfection.

Before they unveil additional new material, they again return to the second Traffic album with a performance of "Pearly Queen." Here Winwood gets to flex his guitar chops, while Wood takes over on organ (and bass using the organ's foot pedals) and Capaldi returns to his drum kit. This is another remarkable performance that is a dynamic testament to the magical chemistry between these three musicians. John Peel says it best during his post song commentary, where he astutely mentions, "If you are a guitarist and you think you got to go on playing those same old blues riffs at ear-shattering volume, in order to make it, you don't - and that's proof of it."

The remainder of the set is devoted entirely to new material, beginning with the infectious "Empty Pages," played close to the album version, but with a raw live intensity. Chris Wood remains on organ for this number with Winwood switching to electric piano. They again take the opportunity to stretch out a bit, with Winwood and Wood applying their formidable improvisational skills to this bouncy number. With just two keyboards and drums, this features unquestionably odd instrumentation for a rock band, but they deliver an engaging performance that never lacks for instrumentation.

The most breathtaking moments are saved for last, with the public unveiling of the Ray Charles influenced "Glad," paired up with the jazz-rock composition "Freedom Rider." The fact that these now classic compositions were being heard together for the first time is justification for celebration and the performances are truly outstanding. The piano dominated "Glad" is now widely considered to be Winwood's instrumental masterpiece and this early performance of it features Winwood, Capaldi, and Wood trading licks like musicians possessed. Both "Glad" and "Freedom Rider" find the band jamming at an extraordinary level, exploring exciting possibilities within the arrangements. 

Much like the John Barleycorn album itself, these performances remain highly compelling nearly four decades later. These three musicians have never sounded more cohesive or inspired as they do right here, cementing the fact that this recording is one of the most outstanding Traffic sets ever captured on tape.

Traffic
April 30, 1970
London, England
Paris Theatre
BBC In Concert

01.Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring
02.Every Mothers Son
03.No Time To Live
04.Medicated Goo
05.John Barleycorn
06.Pearly Queen
07.Stranger To Himself
08.Empty Pages
09.Glad
10 - Freedom Rider

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