The jazz fusion sound the band was trying to create is best exemplified by the first two tracks on the record. Stylistically, John Barleycorn was a massive step away from their previous psychedelic pop sound towards a more jazz and R&B influenced sound, and as an album was one of the earlier examples of jazz fusion, also known as jazz-rock. But because of a burning desire to play with like-minded musicians, Winwood called on ex-Traffic members Jim Capaldi (drums/percussion) and Chris Wood (sax/flute) to work with him, and henceforth the project became a full-on Traffic reunion and album.
Released in 1970, this album originally started as a Steve Winwood solo project as at this point Traffic was still disbanded after Winwood ended the group in order to form Blind Faith with Eric Clapton.
Why? I don’t know as they not only had one of the best soul/R&B singers to ever come out of England in Steve Winwood but also released some damn fine albums of which John Barleycorn Must Die was one.
Traffic was a band that flew under the radar during the late-60s and into the early-70s, and was not as big commercially speaking as some of their more famous contemporaries.
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