GLAD: The Music (and Spirit) of Traffic

Rich Pagano

Traffic, the band originally formed in 1967 by Steve Winwood, Dave Mason, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood, created some of the most memorable and diverse-sounding music of the classic rock era. On Friday, February 9 at The Fairfield Theatre Company’s Stage One, a group of outstanding musicians known as GLAD gathered to pay tribute to the band. GLAD: The Music of Traffic features Mark Rivera (who’s played with Billy Joel and Ringo Starr), Rich Pagano and Jeff Kazee (of Early Elton and many other groups), as well as the talented Marc Ribler and Kevin Bents. These incomparable musicians blew the roof off the place in the process of blowing our minds and enriching our souls with an unforgettable night of incredible music.

Things kicked off with a tasty trio of tunes from Traffic’s 1970 album John Barleycorn Must Die: “Glad,” “Freedom Rider” and “Empty Pages.” The band performed these songs with true passion and power. That was the hallmark of the entire evening: the group’s palpable love for this music could be felt in every note. Pagano’s incredible lead vocals and impressive drumming on “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” and “Every Mother’s Son,” Kazee’s excellent keyboards and vocals on tunes like “Light Up Or Leave Me Alone” and Rivera’s sax, flute, cowbell (!) and fantastic lead on “Shanghai Noodle Factory." Guitarist Marc Ribler and Bassist Kevin Bents also got in on the fun, providing terrific vocals and switching instruments with ease, for classic numbers like “Stranger To Himself,” “Paper Sun” and “Medicated Goo.” Everyone played and sang masterfully; these are musicians at the top of their craft. This band truly provides not just a show, but a night full of wonderful memories. For GLAD, it's all about the music, the feeling and the experience.

Mark Rivera and Jeff Kazee

Every song was a highlight: from the iconic “Dear Mr. Fantasy” to the folk-laden “John Barleycorn Must Die” (about which Kazee quipped “This is the closest we’ll ever get to a renaissance fair") and “Pearly Queen.” The band’s love and respect for this music (and each other) shone through in the electricity of their performances. Their unabashed joy at playing together was truly infectious, and enriched the intensity of the show. By the time the band got to the encore, which featured a pair of tunes from Winwood’s supergroup Blind Faith (“Can’t Find My Way Home” and “Presence of The Lord”) and the show closer, The Spencer Davis Group’s “I’m A Man” we had been rocked, rolled, transported and uplifted. GLAD: The Music of Traffic not only pays tribute to the music and truly evokes the spirit of Traffic, they elevate our love and appreciation of the music to a whole new level. Do not miss this incredible band if you get the chance to see them. The words "must see" and "utterly fantastic" do not do them justice. Here's a link to a promo video featuring some highlights of the band's live shows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfttx2EJeoE.