Monday 6/21/21 12am ET: Feature LP: Steve Winwood – Revolutions (2010)

Revolutions – The Very Best of Steve Winwood is the sixth compilation album by Steve Winwood. The album includes music from Winwood’s solo career, as well as groups with which he has performed, including the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, and Blind Faith. The CD was released as a box set and a single disc. As of October 2014, the box set is out of print (but can be purchased digitally), while the single disc is still available. The songs “The Finer Things” and “Roll With It” are exclusive to the single disc version and cannot be found on the box set.

In addition the version of “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” on both versions of this compilation is a different mix where various solos not on the original album version are heard. There is no indication of this on the album, but like other songs on the compilation, it is clearly different.

The Spencer Davis Group – “Gimme Some Lovin” 2:57
The Spencer Davis Group – “I’m a Man” 2:57
Traffic – “40,000 Headmen” 3:16
Traffic – “No Face No Name, No Number” 3:32
Traffic – “Dear Mr. Fantasy” 5:37
Traffic – “The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys” [Edit] 11:31
Traffic – “Glad” 7:01
Blind Faith – “Can’t Find My Way Home” 3:17
Steve Winwood – “While You See a Chance” [Edit] 4:10
Steve Winwood – “Valerie” 4:07
Steve Winwood – “Spanish Dancer 2010” [Radio Edit] 3:30
Steve Winwood – “The Finer Things” [Edit] (Jennings, Winwood) 4:11
Steve Winwood – “Higher Love” 5:48
Steve Winwood – “Back in the High Life Again” 4:23
Steve Winwood – “Roll with It” [Edit] (Jennings, Winwood) 4:29
Steve Winwood – “Dirty City” (Featuring Eric Clapton) 4:03
Steve Winwood – “Don’t You Know What The Night Can Do?” [Edit] 4:29

Monday 5/17/21 1:15am ET: Feature LP: Traffic – The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (1971)

The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys is the fifth studio album by English rock band Traffic, released in November 1971. It was their first studio album to feature percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah, and the only studio appearance of drummer Jim Gordon and bassist Ric Grech. Grech had previously worked with Traffic singer/multi-instrumentalist Steve Winwood in the short-lived supergroup Blind Faith while Gordon had played with another former Blind Faith member, Eric Clapton, in the similarly short-lived Derek and the Dominos. Drums on the track ‘Rainmaker’ are played by Only Ones drummer Mike Kellie.

As with other Traffic albums, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys featured varied influences, including jazz, folk music and Classical. The name of the album’s title track was suggested by the actor Michael J. Pollard.

The album features the minor hit “Rock & Roll Stew” and the title track, which received heavy FM airplay. This is the only Traffic album to feature two lead vocals by Jim Capaldi (“Light Up or Leave Me Alone” and “Rock & Roll Stew”). His only other lead vocal on a Traffic album was “Dealer” from Mr. Fantasy (1967).

The LP’s front cover is notable for its top right and bottom left corners being clipped, giving the illusion of a three-dimensional cube. On original pressings of the UK and some European versions, the title of both the album and song are shown as ‘The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys’ (with a hyphen) on the record labels.

The album was certified gold less than a year after its release in the United States, and eventually certified platinum in 1996. It was remastered and reissued with one bonus track on March 19, 2002, included in this presenttion.

It was voted number 625 in Colin Larkin’s All Time Top 1000 Albums 3rd Edition (2000).

1. “Hidden Treasure” 4:11
2. “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” 11:41
3. “Rock & Roll Stew” 4:23
4. “Many a Mile to Freedom” 7:16
5. “Light Up or Leave Me Alone” 4:48
6. “Rainmaker” 7:52
7. “Rock & Roll Stew Parts 1 & 2” 6:07

Steve Winwood – lead vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6), guitar, piano, organ
Jim Capaldi – lead vocals (tracks 3, 5), percussion, backing vocals (track 6)
Chris Wood – saxophone, flute
Ric Grech – bass, violin
Jim Gordon – drums
Rebop Kwaku Baah – percussion
Mike Kellie – drums (track 6)

Saturday / Sunday 7pm ET: Great Soul Performances with Bobby Jay

When we get together this evening for “Great Soul Performances” we are going to pay tribute to the co-founder of Kool & the Gang, Ronald Bell who passed away on Wednesday September 9th. You’ll hear all the big hits by Jersey City, New Jersey’s own. We’ll also be playing songs by: The Manhattans, Dionne Warwick, the Coasters, the Sylvers, Aretha Franklin, David Ruffin, LaBelle, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, the Artistics, Big Joe Turner and more. It begins at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT and 4PM PT.

On “Great Soul Performances 2: The 80s” immediately following, you’ll hear: Donna Summer, Marvin Gaye, the Jacksons, Steve Winwood, the Blues Brothers, Teri DeSario & KC, the Dells, the Mary Jane Girls, the O’Jays, Rick James, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Whitney Houston and others. It starts at 9PM ET, 8PM CT, 7PM MT & 6PM PT. Encore time as usual, is tomorrow Sunday at 7PM eastern Time. Don’t forget to join me later this evening for our tribute to Ronald Bell and Kool & the Gang on “Great Soul Performances” and “Great Soul Performances 2: The 80s,” all for you on RadioMaxMusic.Com.

 

Saturday 7/11/2020 12am ET: Feature LP: Steve Winwood – Roll With It (1988)

Roll with It is the fifth solo studio album by English blue-eyed soul artist Steve Winwood, released on June 21, 1988. It topped the album charts in the United States, and has sold over three million copies. The title cut topped the pop and rock singles charts. The success led the subsequent songs to serve as singles, “Don’t You Know What the Night Can Do?” and “Holding On”. “Don’t You Know What the Night Can Do?” had been written by Winwood to be featured in an ad campaign for Michelob which began running on American television on the day of the Roll with It album’s US release. Two other tracks from Roll with It: “Hearts on Fire” and “Put on Your Dancing Shoes”, also achieved radio airplay.

“Roll with It” – 5:20
“Holding On” – 6:15
“The Morning Side” – 5:14
“Put on Your Dancing Shoes” – 5:11
“Don’t You Know What the Night Can Do?” – 6:54
“Hearts on Fire” – 5:15
“One More Morning” – 4:58
“Shining Song” – 5:28
“Roll With It” (Extended) – 9:41

Tuesday 2pm ET: Feature Artist – Steve Winwood

Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born May 12, 1948) is an English singer, songwriter and musician whose genres include progressive rock, blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, pop rock, and jazz. Though primarily a vocalist and keyboard player, Winwood also plays a wide variety of other instruments; on several of his solo albums he has played all instrumentation, including drums, mandolin, guitars, bass and saxophone.

Winwood was a key member of The Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith and Go. He also had a successful solo career with hits including “While You See a Chance”, “Valerie”, “Back in the High Life Again” and two US Billboard Hot 100 number ones, “Higher Love” and “Roll with It” charting 20 years after the start of his recording career. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic in 2004.

In 2005 Winwood was honored as a BMI Icon at the annual BMI London Awards for his “enduring influence on generations of music makers”. In 2008, Rolling Stone ranked Winwood No. 33 in its 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Winwood has won two Grammy Awards. He was nominated twice for a Brit Award for Best British Male Artist: 1988 and 1989. In 2011 he received the Ivor Novello Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for Outstanding Song Collection.

Between 1978 and 1986, Winwood was married to Nicole Weir (d. 2005), who had contributed background vocals to some of his early solo work. The two married at Cheltenham Register Office.

Winwood’s primary residence is a 300-year-old manor house in the Cotswolds, England, where he also has a recording studio. Winwood also has a home in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Eugenia Crafton, a native of Trenton, Tennessee whom he married in 1987. They have four children. Both were Patrons of the Cheltenham Festivals of music and literature between 2007 and 2015.

His daughter Lilly Winwood is a singer; she was featured with him performing a duet of his song “Higher Love” in a Hershey commercial. Lilly Winwood is the opening act and sings backup on multiple songs during Steve Winwood’s 2018 Greatest Hits Live tour.

Great Soul Performances with Bobby Jay 7pm ET #gsp @RadioMax

This evening on “Great Soul Performances” we salute “Blue Eyed Soul.” You’ll hear, among others: The Soul Survivors, Steve Winwood, Rare Earth, Eric Burdon, the Righteous Brothers, David Clayton-Thomas, the Box Tops, Boz Scaggs, the Rascals, Michael McDonald, Wild Cherry, Bobby Caldwell, Michael Bolton, Len Barry, Mitch Ryder and more. It begins at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT & 4PM PT with encore performances on Monday at 10PM and Wednesday at 12 noon both eastern times. If you haven’t already heard, we’ve just begun “Great Soul Performances the 80’s.” It’s on the 80’s music station which is heard in Great Britain as well as on RadioMaxMusic.com everywhere else. We’ll tell you more shortly. You’ll love it. See Ya Later ‘Gator.