Dave Mason's Traffic Jam

Traffic keyboardist Steve Winwood reportedly once complained that guitarist Dave Mason thought of the group as his backing band and would bring the guys finished songs and then expect them to play them exactly as they were written. Now, Mason has his chance to take ownership of the classic rock band’s music. For his current tour, which launched last year, he’s playing material from the first two Traffic albums. The band initially came together in 1966. At the time, Mason and Jim Capaldi had bands. They met and befriended Winwood and would play up in Birmingham occasionally. That’s where the Spencer Davis Group was from and that’s where they got to meet Steve [Winwood] and [woodwinds player] Chris Wood, In two short years, the band delivered a slew of hits, including songs such as “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” “Paper Sun” and “Hole in My Shoe,” the latter of which was penned by Mason. Mason also wrote “Feelin’ Alright,” a tune that Joe Cocker would turn into a huge hit. He would leave Traffic in 1968 to pursue a solo career. A close friend of Jimi Hendrix, he has continually found work as a session man, even as the rock world has gone through huge changes over the years. (Niesel)