LOS ANGELES -- The reissue series featuring Traffic, one of classic rock's most influential, adventurous, critically lauded and remarkable bands, continues with two albums that celebrated their 30th anniversaries last year, the live "Welcome To The Canteen" (Island/UME) and the studio "The Low Sparks Of High Heeled Boys" (Island/UME), both released March 19, 2002. Each has been digitally remastered from the original analog master tapes, and the latter includes a special bonus track.
It began under the radar, just a few rock-star friends looking for kicks.
They gathered to jam at Eric Clapton's house in Surrey on a February afternoon in 1969, and judging from tapes made shortly afterward, the union that came to be called Blind Faith was magic. Steve Winwood, stuck too long in Traffic, was there. So was Clapton and his longtime compatriot in the curdled power-trio Cream, drummer Ginger Baker. In a few weeks, bassist Rick Grech, of the hot UK act the Family, would be invited in.
Standing in a spectacular amphitheater, Steve Winwood awaits his cue while several background singers finish belting out some saucy two-part harmony. "Talk about great pipes!" says the 49-year-old rock singer, whose stage companions break occasionally to nibble on hay and cut grass. A chorus of moos and baas resonate in the vanishing winds; held motionless against the breeze, a flock of rooks call overhead. "When you live in such a spiritual place," says Winwood, "you can't help appreciating all the natural music in the air."