Traffic
United Kingdom, 1967–1974
Steve Winwood and Dave Mason's band. Merged rock, jazz and folk into a mature progressive sound.
MusicRoots documents 4 artists who influenced Traffic and 0 artists Traffic influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced Traffic?
- Ray Charles — Ray Charles was Winwood's greatest musical hero — the press called him 'the white Ray Charles'.
- Miles Davis — By The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (1971) the band had moved onto the ground of Davis's electric groups — the title track works directly off Bitches Brew.
- Muddy Waters — Muddy Waters' blues tradition is the root from which Traffic's blues-rock grew.
- Stevie Wonder — Stevie Wonder's multi-instrumental approach and genre synthesis influenced Winwood's vision for Traffic.