Lehigh Valley Live by Dustin Schoof, July 18, 2014
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/musi..._on_frien.html
Dave Mason looks back on friendship with Jimi Hendrix, revisiting Traffic for Bethlehem concert
Dave Mason is stumped.
As a recent phone conversation circles back to digital music and downloading, the English guitarist and founding Traffic member wonders aloud, "People will spend $5 on a cafe-mocha-latte-whatever. But you drink it and then it's gone. But people are hesitant to spend a buck on a song that will last a lifetime."
Such is the challenge, Mason says, he and other artists face in embracing how music is consumed and enjoyed by the mainstream in the 21st century. Mason made his new album, "Futures Past," available through his website, davemasonmusic.com.
"It's hard to delve into without sounding negative," Mason admits when asked for his feelings on the transition to digital releases. "I'm speaking for everyone out there, artists who create new stuff and write new stuff ... it also goes to people working in the written word, the problem is technology is wonderful, but the problem is the things we created, which became our songs, our legacy; our copyrights were really our retirement," Mason says. "That has been rendered somewhat worthless because people are just taking everything.
"It's destroying intellectual property. All of us in the creative world, once we're turned into zeros and ones, goodbye."
Traffic flow
But Mason is otherwise cheery while discussing his journey across the frontier of rock 'n' roll. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member will bring his "Dave Mason's Traffic Jam" concert Thursday night to Musikfest Cafe in Bethlehem.
Mason, inducted in 2004 into the hall of fame with Traffic, explains the first half of the show concentrates on material from Traffic's first two studio albums: 1967's "Mr. Fantasy" and the 1968 followup, "Traffic." Mason says the set list includes songs he did not originally record for the latter album. (He left Traffic after the release of "Mr. Fantasy" but rejoined halfway through the recording of the self-titled album.)
Mason's song "Feelin' Alright" was first recorded by Traffic in 1968 and appeared on "Mr. Fantasy." The song then became a hit for singer Joe Cocker when he covered it on his 1969 album, "With a Little Help from My Friends."
The second half of Mason's performance will feature music from his solo career, he says. Other Mason-penned hits include Traffic's "Hole in My Shoe" and the song "We Just Disagree."
"I pick songs that are fun to play, which is important because we're up there," Mason says, chuckling.
Tuned in
Mason's career has found him working with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, David Crosby and Graham Nash, among others.
Watching Jimi Hendrix perform in England before the iconic guitarist had released his first record is a highlight for Mason and one that stands out the most.
"I thought maybe I should take up another instrument," Mason says of watching Hendrix on stage for the first time.
Mason would befriend Hendrix and collaborated with him on Hendrix's landmark 1968 album "Electric Ladyland." Mason recorded the 12-string acoustic guitar part heard on Hendrix's popular cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower." (Mason re-recorded his own version of "Watchtower" for his 1974 self-titled debut album.)
"He was very innovative in many ways. ... I'm fortunate I got to work with him and have a couple of things end up on 'Electric Ladyland.'"
Mason says he also recorded bass and sitar tracks for Hendrix that were never released. "I have no idea what happened to them," Mason says.
Mason says he continues to take a simple and direct approach to playing the guitar. He says the key is in the fingering. "There's always something new for me to learn on there, something to do within my capabilities. It's a fun instrument to play," Mason says. "The great thing about it (the guitar), like any instrument, is you can give it to six or seven people and they're all going to sound different."
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ON STAGE
What: "Dave Mason's Traffic Jam"
When: 8 p.m. Thursday