20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Traffic

Performer: Traffic
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Traffic: Steve Winwood (vocals, guitar, piano, harpsichord, organ, bass); Dave Mason (guitar, sitar, tamboura, shakkai, Mellotron, harmonica, bass, background vocals); Chris Wood (flute, saxophone, organ, percussion, background vocals); Rick Grech (bass); Jim Capaldi (drums, tambourine, percussion, background vocals); Jim Gordon (drums); Reebop Kwaku Baah (percussion). Producers: Jimmy Miller, Steve Winwood, Chris Blackwell. Compilation producer: Bill Levenson. Recorded at Olympic, Morgan, Island Studios, London, England and The Record Plant, New York, New York between 1967 & 1971. Includes liner notes by Dave Thompson. This is part of Universal Records "20th Century Masters: The Millenium Collection" series. Personnel: Dave Mason (vocals, guitar, sitar, tamboura, harmonica, Mellotron, bass guitar); Steve Winwood (vocals, guitar, piano, harpsichord, organ, bass guitar, percussion); Chris Wood (vocals, flute, saxophone, organ, percussion); Jim Capaldi (vocals, drums, tambourine, percussion); Rick Grech (bass guitar); Jim Gordon (drums); Rebop Kwaku Baah (percussion). Liner Note Author: Dave Thompson . Recording information: Island Studios, London, England (04/1967-09/1971); Morgan Studios, London, England (04/1967-09/1971); Olympic Studios, London, England (04/1967-09/1971); Record Plant Studios, NY (04/1967-09/1971). Traffic's installment of 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection rounds up ten of the group's biggest songs, concentrating heavily on their first two albums, with the first seven coming from Mr. Fantasy or Traffic, which isn't entirely a bad thing, because that's when the band concentrated on individual jams more than long, extended jams. It's also when classics like "Paper Sun," "Dear Mr. Fantasy," "Feelin' Alright," "You Can All Join In," and "Pearly Queen" were recorded, and those are what propels this collection and makes it worthwhile as a sampler. The only tracks casual fans would wish are here are "Glad" (which really should be here) and "Freedom Rider," but if they want those that badly, they should spend the extra money and get the comprehensive 15-track collection Feelin' Alright: The Very Best of Traffic. Many may find they'd rather stick with this very fine mid-priced sampler. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Traffic appeared amidst the late-1960s psychedelic scene, and at its height the band was one of the most adventurous outfits around, although Traffic's unstable lineup made it an on-again, off-again affair by the '70s. Teenage wunderkind Stevie Winwood was the main man, but all the members made significant contributions. With a sound that combined influences from folk, rock, jazz, and soul, Traffic created something wonderfully of its time on classic albums such as THE LOW SPARK OF HIGH-HEELED BOYS.

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