Dave Mason is heading up a Tallahassee Traffic Jam this leap year
“It’s all in the book.”
That is how storied British guitarist-singer-rock legend Dave Mason, 77, who will perform with his band on Leap Year night at The Moon in Tallahassee, answers most questions about his lengthy career in music.
Show of hands if most people knew Mason played acoustic guitar on Jimi Hendrix’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower.” He also sang backing vocals on Hendrix’s “Crosstown Traffic,” even though he says he “casually” knew the guitar wiz in London.
“It’s all in the book.”
Mason also appeared on George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” sessions, was taught how to flat-tune guitar strings by Stephen Stills, played on “Street Fighting Man” by The Rolling Stones, almost formed a trio with drummer Ginger Baker after Cream called it a day and added guitar parts on Paul McCartney’s hit “Listen to What the Man Said” while in New Orleans.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s all in the book, a memoir titled “Only You Know & I Know” which doesn’t come out until May.
In the meantime, Mason will play slightly reworked songs by his first famous band Traffic with his latest group during two sets of the Traffic Jam concert. Listen out for Traffic songs such as “Pearly Queen,” “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” “Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys,” “Empty Pages” and, of course, “Feelin’ Alright,” which Mason pretty much must perform if he wants to leave the venue alive.
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The Traffic years
“Feelin’ Alright,” written and sung by Mason early on, was recorded by Traffic in 1968 but became a massive hit the next year when gravel-voiced singer Joe Cocker nailed it.
“When I first heard it (the Cocker version), I said, ‘(Expletive), I should have done it like him’,” Mason said.
Cocker and Mason even performed “Feelin’ Alright” on stage together several times. Another time, comic actor John Belushi joined Mason to do “Feelin’ Alright” with the comedian’s spot-on Cocker imitation.
“Even Cocker thought Belushi’s impersonation of him was funny,” Mason said.
Mason’s relationship with Traffic in the ‘60s was come-and-go from the beginning. He added a pop sensibility to the first album, then left. Then he came back to dominate the second LP but departed again. Dropped in for a tour. Left again. Showed up on an odds-and-ends Traffic collection.
Stevie Winwood soon became the Traffic juggernaut and led the band. The short stint in Traffic landed Mason in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but Winwood has yet to invite Mason along on reunion tours.
Why?
“You will have to ask him (Winwood),” Mason said matter-of-factly and added that Winwood was “one talented songwriter.”
That’s apparent because Mason performs such Winwood-stamped Traffic tunes as “Low Spark” (co-written by Winwood and Jim Capaldi), “Empty Pages” (Winwood and Capaldi) and “Pearly Queen” (Winwood and Capaldi).
The solo years
Moving from England to the United States in 1971, Mason continued his Dewey Cox-like existence by being in the middle of music history. He slept on country-rock pioneer Gram Parson’s couch. Played guitar on “Military Madness” for pal Graham Nash’s first solo album. Jammed with Delaney & Bonnie, a group that opened for Blind Faith (don’t be surprised if Mason performs Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home,” also written by Winwood).
Mason became the original second guitarist for Derek and the Dominos before Duane Allman stepped in. He also recorded an overlooked album with singer Cass Elliot, from The Mamas and The Papas.
“She (Elliot) was like a present-day Sophie Tucker, if anybody is old enough to remember who Sophie Tucker was,” Mason said. “She had a very broad sense of humor like Tucker.”
For the record, Tucker was a risqué comedienne who liked to belt songs and be the life of the party in the early 20th century.
After a series of solo albums in the ‘70s, Mason struck gold in 1977 with the hit single “We Just Disagree.” Singer Billy Dean, who grew up in Quincy and lives in these parts, had a Top 10 country hit with “We Just Disagree” in 1993. Dylan has played the tune in concert. The song was written by Jim Kruger, who was guitarist in Mason’s back-up band for 17 years.
“It’s a great, timeless song,” Mason said. “Whether it’s a hit or not is irrelevant. It’s a really great song.”
Kruger, who died of pancreatic cancer in 1993, also wrote the song “Save Me,” which was included on Mason’s 1980 album “Old Crest on a New Wave.” Mason needed someone who could sing the high parts of “Save Me” and went down the hall of the studio to find, ready for it, Michael Jackson, not long before Mr. Thriller became a household name.
Jackson agreed to join Mason because “the last song he recorded with Diana Ross” was “Feelin’ Alright.” Call it a favor.
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Might be a surprise at the end
These days, Mason describes himself as AOT (“always on tour”) and a “working musician.” He says the live gigs are the way to make money in this era of stolen digital downloads, low pay from music streaming companies like Spotify and the anemic recording business.
“What record industry?” Mason said.
Despite the demise of the studio, Mason calls his road band “terrific.”
One of the standouts in the Traffic Jam lineup, Mason pointed out, is vocalist-keyboardist Mark Stein. He has worked with everyone from Alice Cooper to guitar player Tommy Bolin but is best known for being a founding member of the psychedelic band Vanilla Fudge. The Fudge hit No. 6 with its radical, slowed-down version of the Motown classic “You Keep Me Hanging On.”
“We have worked up a version of the Vanilla Fudge song that we do as an encore,” Mason said. “That’s if we are called back for an encore.”
Wonder if that will be in the book?
Mark Hinson is a former senior reporter at The Tallahassee Democrat. He can be reached at [email protected]
If you go
What: An Evening with Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29; doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Where: The Moon, 1105 E. Lafayette St.
Tickets: $40, $50, $60
Contact: moonevents.com or 850-878-6900
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Dave Mason is heading up a Traffic Jam concert in Tallahassee
