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Dave Mason is Alive!
which hit number two in the UK. Mason was a major force in Traffic’s debut album Mr. Fantasy, It isn’t often that a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but as it was being released in late 1967 plays Asheville, and even less so when it’s someone of the stature he abruptly left the of Dave Mason, a genuine member of what might be dubbed band. Britain’s Rock Royalty. He recorded a solo single, “Little by JaMEs CassaRa Woman,” in early In a career that has now spanned six 1968, and then redecades, Mason has been associated with, and joined Traffic. His an integral part of music that is historically cessful Deep Feeling. Looking ambivalence towards significant and has withstood the test of time. to earn a few extra dollars he the band, and the A child prodigy, Mason’s journey has been as took a job as road manager Catch Dave Mason live at the Orange success it was experistoried and unconventional as his music. for the Spencer Davis Group. Peel on November 8. encing, was summed Mason was born May 10, 1944, in That group, fronted by 15 up in his song “Feelin’ Alright?” Released as Worcester, England and began his professionyear old singer/keyboardist/phenomena Steve the first single off the self titled second album, al career, as part of the instrumental group Winwood, was headed towards greatness. the single did not chart, yet would go on to The Jaguars, by his mid teens. The group Mason would occasionally join them become Mason’s signature number, particureleased a locally distributed single, “Opus to onstage and in the studio, playing guitar and larly after it was covered by Joe Cocker in Spring,” in 1963, and it was then that Mason adding backup vocals. When Winwood, whose 1969. Mason left Traffic again, and it broke up met drummer Jim Capaldi. Capaldi invited popularity had come to far outshone that of the shortly afterward in the fall of 1968, as WinMason to join his band, The Hellions, and band, left Spencer Davis to form the psychewood joined Blind Faith. Meanwhile Mason, the group set about touring the U.K. and delic pop group Traffic he invited Mason to Capaldi, and Wood teamed with Mick Weaver Germany while cutting a few obscure and join him. Drummer Capaldi came along, as did in the short-lived Wooden Frog. highly collectible singles. flautist Chris Wood, giving the band a sound Dissatisfied with the British cultural In the spring of 1965 Mason quit The unique even for that highly experimental era. scene as well as its onerous taxation rates, MaHellions to enroll in art school but kept in The group’s first single was the Winwood/ son moved to Los Angeles and joined Delaney touch with Capaldi, occasionally playing gigs Capaldi composition “Paper Sun,” followed in & Bonnie & Friends, whom he had met during with Capaldi’s other band, the modestly sucAugust 1967 by Mason’s “Hole in My Shoe,”
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‘CDs’ cont’d from pg. 12
…And Star Power is an oddity of the first degree, an album that exposes the greatest strengths and glaring limitations of the band. At 80 plus minutes there is a lot here to love — “You and I” and “Flowers” rank among their strongest tunes yet-but in between such highlights, are long passages of ambient dross, sound collages that aspire to the experimental era solo Todd Rundgren and Utopia but lack the sheer exuberance or grand scheme of either. “How Can You Really” comes closest but while A Wizard, a True Star which this album clearly imitates in both title and swaywas beautifully hinged together by a series of tightly woven narratives and aural delights, … And Star Power is unglued by seemingly unrelated passages of noise. It’s easy to give Foxygen points for trying, but as a listening experience, their third album feels listless and out of focus. What could have been homage, instead come across as a pale imitator. **1/2
Sallie Ford Slap Back
Vanguard Music
Sallie Ford is blessed with a powerful, triumphant voice, as well as a seemingly fearless desire to put it front and center where it belongs. There are precious few singers whose voice has quite the bite and impact as hers.
While Ford’s first two releases were solid and at times audacious, their adherence to retro mannerisms made them sound oddly restrained. With Slap Back she’s finally made an album worthy of her tremendous vocal talents. It’s her first without her previous band and as bold a statement as we might have hoped for. Her new backing trio — Cristina Cano on keyboards, Anita Lee Elliot on bass, and Amanda Spring on drums — punches with more force than The Sound Outside ever could while the songs are more spontaneous and ragged, giving Slap Back the sound of an enormously talented and seductively raw garage band. And while her voice is indeed a tremendous gift, it’s nice to hear Ford let the songs dictate their own directions; she sings between the rhythmic lines rather than over them, allowing the material to breath and the band to explore varying directions. The end result is an album that sounds fresh, bouncy, and snappy as heck. ****
Devon Allman Ragged & Dirty Ruff Records
While Derek Trucks is the Allman Brothers offspring who deservedly gets the most attention Devon Allman, son of Gregg, is a force in his own right. He’s released albums with the blues rock super group Royal Southern Brotherhood, his own jam band Honeytribe, and a trio of very solid solo records. For a guy who’s stayed pretty much in
his old man’s massive shadow, Devon has assembled quite the resume. While 2013’s Turquoise showcased his skills as a songwriter and guitarist–both of which are considerable–Ragged & Dirty takes a cue from his dad’s latest solo effort and heads north, straight to Chicago. It’s electric blues — none of that unplugged stuff thank you very much — throughout. Paired with producer/drummer/songwriter Tom Hambridge, this is no mere excursion into boogie land but rather a distinct exploration of the intersection where blues and rock and roll first collided. Much like his father, Devon is a brilliant but deliberate songwriter, often relying on others to provide material sympathetic to his style. Hambridge contributed four outstanding tunes herein, Allman wrote five, and there is a trio of smartly chosen covers, including the title track (originally a 1972 hit by Luther Allison) and a stunning remake of Otis Taylor’s “Ten Million Slaves.” Hambridge’s “Can’t Lose ‘Em All” sounds like vintage Allman Brothers while Devon’s own “Traveling” provides him with the opportunity to let loose on the Wah Wah peddle. And as one might expect there’s enough instrumental extrapolation to satisfy even the most hardcore blues fan. Some might argue that Devon Allman might be better off stepping entirely away from his roots, and the sound made famous by Gregg and his band mates, but I say thee nay. This is the music that is in his DNA and as long as he can make albums as good as this — even if it does sound like an Allman Brothers side project — he should go for it. ****
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their acclaimed British tour. In 1970, he signed a solo contract with Blue Thumb Records and released his debut solo album Alone Together, which reached number 22 and went gold in the US, spawning the chart single “Only You Know and I Know.” Despite this success, he continued to work in group settings, serving temporarily as second guitarist in Derek and the Dominos; recording with both George Harrison and Jimi Hendrix; and forming a duo with singer Cass Elliot. He and Elliot recorded an album, Dave Mason & Cass Elliot, released in February 1971. The LP reached number 49, but they quickly went their separate ways. Mason rejoined a reunited Traffic for a few dates in the summer that resulted in the live album Welcome to the Canteen. He also stayed busy as a session player, adding his brilliant guitar work to albums by Graham Nash, Capaldi, and others. Meanwhile, Mason was preparing his follow-up to Alone Together, but a contractual disagreement with Blue Thumb led to the company’s assembling the half-studio, halflive Headkeeper, which was released over Mason’s objections. As the legal conflict continued into 1973, Blue Thumb released the tepid live LP Dave Mason Is Alive! also without the artist’s approval. The album, poorly packaged and horribly mixed, was met with lukewarm reviews. Mason found himself perilously close to becoming commercially unviable. After a settlement he signed to Columbia Records, which released It’s Like You Never Left in October of 1973; despite largely positive reviews it stalled at number 50 on the charts. Mason formed a new band and toured extensively, raising his profile enough that his self titled second Columbia LP reached number 25 and went gold. Split Coconut, released a year later, was another success, getting to number 27. Mason was soon headlining such major venues as New York’s Madison Square Garden and the Spectrum in Philadelphia. He released another live album-the comprehensive and expertly chosen Certified Live, and appeared to be reaching the commercial success his music deserved. However the worldwide success of Frampton Comes Alive, coupled with audience indifference to the ever growing number of live albums, sank that effort. Undeterred, Mason reached a new career plateau with his next studio album, Let It Flow, released in April 1977. It reached an early peak at number 37, but stayed in the charts 49 weeks and went platinum on the success of the single “We Just Disagree” (written by backup guitarist, Jim Krueger), which reached number 12. A pair of subsequent singles “So High [Rock Me Baby and Roll Me Away]” and “Let It Go, Let It Flow” also charted well. Mariposa de Oro, Mason’s next album, was released in June 1978, preceded by a cover of the King/Goffin classic “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” it reached number 41 and went gold. But Mason’s fortunes were to soon change. continued on page 36
Vol. 18, No. 3 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — November 2014 13