THE LAST GREAT TRAFFIC JAM

Who would've thought this very late performance would be the first out on DVD? This is a rockumentary around the last Traffic tour (we'd have to think that with both Capaldi and Chris Wood gone, there will be no more) and is quite a pleasant affair. With Winwood being doubled on guitars and organs at will, while hogging the piano from the young Mike McEvoy, the group is now a sextet that managed to kick quite a bit of younger band's butts in the second 94 Woodstock >> Traffic was the only major absent in the first edition, causing the group to not gain the incredible boost to all participants.

Starting with the early Pearly Queen and a dynamite finale, the band is out to set the rec ord straight with the Medicated Goo (never my fave track, though) and a great Santana- esque Mozambique (from the album being promoted), before nailing the first real stunner into your brains: the superb 40 000 Headmen. The following Glad is perfect but missing its twin Freedom Rider. More than once, though the tracks are cut before their end by life-on- the-road pictures and comments and by the ¾ of the DVD, one can think that the improv were obviously not that important to the producer. The third nail is the orgiastic Low Spark but unfortunately followed by the average Light Up (from the same album) where Capaldi shows his limits as a singer, but allowing the usual presentations and solos. Dear Mr Fantasy is a bit impaired by the Dead Jerry Garcia, still recovering from his health scare, and the still-awesome Barleycorn is a major highlight as the first encore, and the usual crowd-pleaser Gimme Some Lovin'.

With Jim Capaldi looking quite wretched from the road and obviously affected by the loss of Chris Wood (here more than aptly replaced by the young Randall Bramblett), we have a happy return of one of the essential golden era actor and Winwood's will to reform the group was clearly a nod at the group being the high point of his career. Not as essential as their Live At Santa Monica 72 film , but still excellent.

In the final credits of this DVD, I could see that this DVD was produced by Steve Winwood mainly to remember his friend and songwriting partner Jim Capaldi, who died in early 2005. There is a dedication to him from Winwood, and also a dedication which says that these concert performances were dedicated to the late musicians Jerry Garcia, Chris Wood and Reebop Kwaku Baah. Capaldi also dedicates their performance of "40000 Headmen" to Chris Wood. So, the reunion of Traffic in 1994 brought a lot of memories for many people, including Capaldi and Winwood themselves.

Why it took a lot of time (more than ten years!) to release this very good DVD? I don`t know if their 1994 Tour was very successful or not, but seeing the fans dancing and smiling made me think that Traffic`s reunion was a very good thing for many people. I don`t know why the band split after this tour. Maybe Capaldi and Winwood were not very happy touring, but their performances show them being very happy, smiling and enjoying playing together again. The other members of the band are very good musicians, but something is missing, obviously Chris Wood`s presence and playing on stage. But, the line-up is very good, particularly Cuban percussionist Walfredo Reyes Jr., who in my opinion, with Roscoe Gee too, is the musician whose playing`s style sounds better adapted to Traffic`s music. Sax & flute player Randall Bramblett is a very good and professional musician, and it is obvious that he knew that replacing Chris Wood wasn`t going to be an easy thing to do, so he plays in his own style without trying to copy Wood`s playing style. Mike McEvoy ( keyboards, guitars) also did a very good and professional job.

The video had my attention all the time while I was watching it. There are some funny commentaries done by the musicians in interviews which are included between the concert performances. This DVD also shows Jim Capaldi`s good humour, and maybe this made him to be a very good friend of George Harrison`s, who also was very known among friends and fans as a man with a very good humour. Recently, I also watched the "Concert for George" DVD, and Capaldi appears in that concert playing drums in one song and percussion in many songs. In this Traffic`s DVD, is good to see him playing drums in most songs (with the exception of "Low Spark..." and "Light Up...", on which he plays congas and other percussion instruments). He also sang lead vocals in his song "Light Up..." and, yes, I also think, like the previous reviewer did, that his voice wasn`t in a very good shape then. But it doesn`t matter very much, because he seems to be enjoying a lot singing and playing with Traffic again.

The stage lights and screen projections also had very good psychedelic designs which also added enjoyement to the music. Jerry Garcia`s appearance in "Dear Mr. Fantasy" shows him not being in very good shape (in fact he died in mid 1995), but maybe Winwood wanted to include his friend`s appearance in this DVD as a tribute to him. The final credits don`t mention where these concerts were recorded. It is clear to me that they were recorded during their U.S. 1994 tour, with some scenes filmed in Mudstock 1994...em, no, in Woodstock 1994, which in my opinion as a Festival wasn`t very representative of the sixties` music (it had many new bands and very few of the old artists from the sixties). Obviously Traffic wasn`t playing as a band in August 1969 when the original Woodstock Festival was done, because they split for the first time in early 1969. Maybe Blind Faith could have played in Woodstock in 1969. I don`t know why they didn`t play there.

In conclusion, this is a very good DVD which shows the band playing their old songs very well. The only thing that I don`t like very much was that they only included one song from their "Far From Home" allbum ("Mozambique"). I think that the inclusion of more songs from their 1994 album could have been very interesting to see on this DVD.

Jam of sorts.

I am relieved that this performance is very different to the album "Far From Home" both recorded in 1994. The latter being more of a Winwood solo effort where he was practically replicating Phil Collin's Pop-Disco diva approach.

Here, the band sounds more like Traffic, although with a bit of a twist. A staple diet of the usual tunes performed live is not surprising and rather typical of the band. It works quite well too, considering that there are only two founding members left.

Sadly, former sax player, Chris Wood is long gone and his exceptionally deep approach to his instruments - something that made the band really special - is sorely missed. Wood's replacement, Randall Bramblett does a credible job here without attempting to step into "Wood's place as a frontman.

Well, it's jamming, but of a different kind. In place of extended instrumental stretching out, it's more like a repetitive, rhythmic workout that goes on and on. Quite enjoyable, no doubt, but much closer to Santana-sty'e grooves than typical Traffic. To the point where one could be excused for mistaking it for a Santana band "filling time" approach. So, it's not really the form(less) jamming I'd prefer, but more of a loosely structured work with some solos thrown in. Still good.

The actual production as opposed to the music is disappointing, though. The nervous camera work that keeps jumping from one person to the other is absolutely annoying. Ditto for the interruptions between numbers that repeatedly interfere the flow of "traffic", but perhaps appropriate to the title "Traffic Jam"?

This is a performance I'd rather listen to than watch as it's presented on DVD. On any account, the 1972 "Santa Mobica" performance is more preferred.