FAR FROM HOME

After Traffic split in 1974, Winwood and Capaldi recorded solo albums, sometimes inviting each other to their solo albums which also included some songs written by them together. Chris Wood died in July 1983 due to liver problems. It seems (see Jim Capaldi`s official website, in the "Friends of Traffic" biographies section, www.jimcapaldi.com) that Wood recorded in the early 80s some demos for a solo album which he never formally recorded. But Capaldi and Winwood occasionaly carried on collaborating together for some of their solo albums. In 1990, they composed a song together for Winwood`s "Refuges of the Heart" album. I read one interview done with them by the British VOX magazine in 1994, at the time that this "Far From Home" album was released. They said that the song that they wrote together for Winwood `s 1990 solo album was so good that it really convinced them to try again to record together as Traffic. So, before that, they had to do several things. Winwood was signed to Virgin Records as a solo artist, so they wanted to record this new Traffic album for that label. Winwood also had to buy from Island Records the rights of the Traffic`s logo-symbol (originally designed by Wood) which appears in all the covers of the Traffic`s albums.They recorded this album as a duet in almost all the songs, using in the studio modern technology as computers and sequencers.But I consider this album as a very good album, maybe more influenced by Winwood`s sound as soloist. This album still has the old Traffic sound, but "modernized" a bit."Riding High" is one of the songs which has more influence from Winwood`s soloist style. "Here Comes a Man" is more related to the old Traffic style. It also had a video which I saw on TV channels in my country.The song "Far from Home" has some sequencers and good percussion by Capaldi. "Nowhere is their Freedom" is a "modern" song. "Holy Ground" is one of my favourites, with spiritual lyrics, and the Uilleann Pipes played by Davy Spillane (who also has a songwriting credit with Winwood and Capaldi in this song; the only song which Winwood and Capaldi composed with another musician). "Some Kind of Woman" is another Pop Rock song. "Every Night Every Day" and "This Train Won`t Stop" are other songs with a lot of influence from Winwood`s solo albums."State of Grace" is another of my favourite songs, maybe the best from this album. The album`s last song is an instrumental piece called "Mozambique", with Capaldi`s drums and percussion and some good organ and guitar solos by Winwood. The art direction of the cover design was by Jim Capaldi. The album was dedicated to Chris Wood, and a drawing of a flute player also appears in the cover which also includes the Traffic`s logo- symbol. They toured for this album in 1994, with bassist Rosko Gee (he also appeared as member of Traffic in the "When the Eagle Flies" album) and other musicians.After that tour, Capaldi and Winwood returned to their solo albums. In 1998, Capaldi toured with Dave Mason and they recorded a live album with old Traffic songs. Winwood appeared as guest at the end of one of this Capaldi-Mason`s shows (not included in their live album). In 2004, Traffic was included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After that, Capaldi and Winwood planned again to record a new Traffic album and also to tour. But in late 2004 Capaldi was diagnosed with cancer in the stomach, so the plans for a new Traffic album were postponed, and finally canceled with Capaldi`s death in January 2005.